Château Cantemerle 2018 is the grand vin from this Fifth Growth (5ème Cru Classé) estate in Haut-Médoc. In a ripe year that saw “low yields after hail,” the team “focused on stripping back any interventions in the cellar,” according to Jane Anson (92 points). The blend is reported as 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc (Decanter), and the wine was aged in 40% new oak (Anson).
The best reviews underline both structure and depth. Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss gives an excellent 94-point score, calling it “a well-constructed wine that is ripe with black fruits and integrated tannins,” adding that its “black-currant fruitiness is balanced by a dry, smoky core that holds promise.” He positions it clearly for the cellar: “Drink this wine from 2026.”
James Suckling is close behind with an excellent 93 points, noting “rich aromas of blackberries, dried currants, chocolate, walnuts,” and describing a palate that’s “medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins,” “polished and structured with a nice core of black fruit.” His advice is also patient: “Try after 2023.”
At Decanter (91 points), the tone is a bit more reserved but still positive on the wine’s substance: “Some reduction on the first nose,” then “nuanced layers of raspberry and chocolate,” with “clear power and depth… Give it time in bottle.”
Anson’s note ties the ripe vintage to Cantemerle’s house style, finding “concentration and power,” “depth and texture,” and “the elegance and chalky minerality of Cantemerle,” alongside bramble fruit, herbs, “gunsmoke and cocoa bean.” She flags only that it can feel “a touch abrupt on the finish.” Overall, 2018 reads as a structured, dark-fruited Cantemerle built to improve with time.
