Stood up for 5 days and double decanted just before serving to dump 1/5th of the content with sediment. Paired with a ribeye dinner at home. Ruby red with just the slightest of bricking. Medium-bodied, 12 abv as per label. Can-sniff-all-day tobacco, fruit and flowery, with hint of Margaux-berry, aromatics. Plenty of ripe blue and black berries, a gentle touch of broth and decent acidity. Elegant. Perfect length for the age. I’ve had the 1990 at least once, maybe twice, before but this bottle showed the best, and it could very well be one of the best that I’ve had from this property. A-
Strong note, RC. For whatever reason, this vintage hasn’t been on my radar, but I’ll look now. Was it at the big verticals night in Dale’s backyard? I don’t recall it there.
I opened a bottle around September last year that made me hunt for this one that I just opened. Last year, bottle was pop-poured in a restaurant and was already good, but not as good as this recent one that I double-decanted a couple of hours before dinner.
Interesting and thanks Ramon, have been hunting down the 1989 in recent years, which of course was released for a song iirc Farr Vintners released at something like £130ib in Blighty, but it didn’t even really occur to me that the 1990 would be so good.
Bottles variability had been my experiences with the 1989 Cantemerle. Some were good, others were just OK. One thing is certain for me, that the 1989 present the more traditional claret example.
Good to be reminded by the notes. I was looking at my saved iPhone notes on that dinner and was wondering if I missed out writing one on the 1990. Turns out we didn’t have it then.
Yes the 1996 is shaping up promisingly still youthful with notable mid-palate density…in a few years it will be ready to take over the mantle of standard bearer for this estate from the 1989…for the very long haul my money would be on the 2010
Has any one has the 14/15/16? I purchased 16s in 375 format.