Domaine Canet Malbec, IGP Pays d'Oc, 2022

For the first time in the winery’s history, Château Canet winemaker Floris Lemstra has created a 100% Malbec from the tiny .78-hectare plot that he planted seven years ago. Up until the 2022 vintage, Floris has only used this fruit in his estate’s blends; however, over the years, he has noted the increasingly high calibre of the grapes as the vineyard continued to mature and knew it was destined to make something special. In honour of Opimian’s 50th-year celebrations, the entire small batch of Domaine Canet Malbec is reserved for Opimian Members. Château Canet, located in the Minervois region of the Languedoc, has been owned by the Lemstra-Bake family – Floris and Victoria along with their children Oliver and Charlotte – since 2007. The vineyards, planted on limestone and clay soils, benefit from both the cool Atlantic breezes and the warm Mediterranean winds. The 115-hectare estate is also home to a state-of-the-art cellar, a three-hectare olive grove and a collection of nine guest gîtes. Sustainability and social responsibility are at the heart of the family’s core values. The property has been awarded HVE 3 status, the highest tier of the French Ministry of Agriculture’s sustainability system and has been following the sustainable winegrowing standards of Terra Vitis since 2003. The deep ruby purple hue of Domaine Canet Malbec leads to a bountiful bouquet of blueberry, plum, mocha, blackberry, blackcurrant and violet. This generosity carries forth on the palate with flavours that echo the aromas. Ripe well-integrated tannins frame the core, providing the structure and balance to allow this wine to continue to evolve over the next five years. 2023-2028–LW