WTN: 1990 Cantemerle
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:50 pmBetsy took David to a college interview today, as they were on their way back I made dinner. Herb-roasted chicken, broccoli, and rice with furikake. Wine was the 1990 Cantemerle (Haut-Medoc). Good color,
seems rather youthful. Tannins are fully resolved, and there are mature notes of leather and tobacco, but the fruit is reasonably lively for a 16 yr old "lesser" wine. The fruit is more red plum than black, and does have a little bit of the roasted notes that can distract in the 1990s. This is not especially deep or complex, but a nice soft Bordeaux. Blind I bet I would have guessed Right Bank (merlot), though label says it is 45% CS, 40% Merlot, 10 % CF, 5 % PV. This isn't a great Bordeaux, but a decent mature Bordeaux with roast chicken isn't a bad way to dine. B/B+
edited to change "cru bourgeois" to "lesser"- I forgot Cantemerle is a 5th!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
seems rather youthful. Tannins are fully resolved, and there are mature notes of leather and tobacco, but the fruit is reasonably lively for a 16 yr old "lesser" wine. The fruit is more red plum than black, and does have a little bit of the roasted notes that can distract in the 1990s. This is not especially deep or complex, but a nice soft Bordeaux. Blind I bet I would have guessed Right Bank (merlot), though label says it is 45% CS, 40% Merlot, 10 % CF, 5 % PV. This isn't a great Bordeaux, but a decent mature Bordeaux with roast chicken isn't a bad way to dine. B/B+
edited to change "cru bourgeois" to "lesser"- I forgot Cantemerle is a 5th!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.