Clos Cantenac, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Vertical Tasting Case , 2019/2020/2021

The 2019 Clos Cantenac is an unabashedly big wine with a dense, velvety texture tapering to muscular tannins. The nose is restrained initially with herbal and savoury nuances. This understated, brooding quality is quickly replaced by a riot of baked fruit and floral notes. This is a ripe, bold wine with a subtly warming finish. It will benefit from a few years additional cellaring for the oak and tannins to harmonize further. 2026-2040–JB

The 2020 vintage is as powerful as the 2019 but has a fresher, more lifted fruit profile. Aromas of ripe and cooked black and blue fruit mingle with pleasant balsamic, forest floor nuances and gamey undertones. The weighty, fleshy palate is nicely matched by bright acidity and a juicy fruit character. Finishes with grippy tannins and lingering, subtly bitter herbal notes that only add to the complexity and balance. 2027-2040–JB

The 2021 vintage is a marginally lighter wine with a more refined, high-toned elegance. The nose is shier than 2019 and 2020, revealing layers of peppery, earthy and tangy dark fruit. The palate is full bodied yet lithe balancing firm, fine-grained tannins with a taut, structured frame and lively acidity. A long, polished finish with already approachable tannins hints at a graceful evolution over the moderate term.

2026-2036–JB