Chateau de Chantegrive 2021

Fresh, dark-fruited bouquet. Dense, concentrated palate with crisp fruit, a well-balanced interplay of body and structure, and a juicy, long finish on cherries and cinnamon spice. Very successful.

Perfumed raspberry and red cherry, a little bit of creamy stewed fruits on the nose. Sharp and high-toned on the initial impact with mouthwatering acidity that is balanced by chewy, velvet-like tannins that make their presence known but also have edges of slightly austere, chalky minerality. Liquorice, graphite touches and a minty finish. I like the cooling aspect on the tail and the beginning is fresh, upfront and friendly. This will expand further over ageing.

This is spicy with blackcurrants, dark chocolate, hints of dried herbs, graphite and cedar. Medium-bodied, firm and tight with polished tannins and hints of crushed stones on the finish. Try after 2024.

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Cask sample. Particularly dark, purplish crimson right out to the rim. Smells rather sumptuous! And there is no problem with a lack of mid-palate here. It’s just that the finish is a bit skinny and ungenerous. Acidity and a bit of tannin but not much fruit on the finish. But it’s far from a disgrace! And may be GV. (JR)

Forward, medium-bodied, polished, soft, and loaded with sweet, red cherries, kirsch and a hint of cigar box notes, this easy-to-like charmer is ready to go on release. Drink from 2023-2031. 88-90

Dark garnet, purple hues on the narrow rim. Dark cherries, blackberries, a fine tobacco note, a touch of orange zest. Medium-bodied, well-structured, dark berry fruit and plums, a lightly leafy finish; offers uncomplicated drinking pleasure.

Dark purple core and hue. Pure and floral with violet, wild herbs, cassis, plum and tobacco. Medium weight with a youthful acidity and tannin, yet no hard edges; a slight hint of wood showing on the palate rather than the nose. Digest young fruit flavours, cassis and sage, with a rather long finish. Still needing some time to open.

The 2021 Château De Chantegrive is charming, with a spicy, red- and black-fruited style as well as medium-bodied richness. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, it has moderate concentration, some cedary, herbal nuances, good balance, and a clean, crisp finish.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 14 hl/ha, 13.5% vol. alcohol). Silky, delicate bouquet with cherries, blackberries, tobacco. Medium-bodied, aromatic palate with fine, sandy tannins, good aromatics, a firm, bourgeois structure, and a dry finish. Has room to improve.

(70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 14 hl/ha, 13.5% abv) Silky, finely knit bouquet, cherries, blackberries, tobacco. Medium-bodied, aromatic palate with fine sandy tannins, good aromatics, a firm, bourgeois structure, and a dry finish. Has room to improve. 16/20 2027 - 2040

Spiced blueberry, raspberry, slate; this has settled in with ageing, deepening with layers of earth and gunsmoke. Soft on the finish.

The 2021 de Chantegrive is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It delivers notes of juicy plums and black raspberries, plus wafts of black pepper and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is soft and savory, with a refreshing finish.

Well-typified, Chantegrive 2021 reveals smoky nuances along with refreshing notes of raspberries, pepper and peonies. Juicy and streamlined on the palate, the wine shows good structure that preserves freshness, while velvety tannins provide solid support. A sapid wine that can already be enjoyed in its youth.

With its high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, this structured fruity wine offers layers of ripe acidity and a firm core. With its freshness balancing the texture, it should develop well. Drink from 2026.