WTN: 2005 Cedre Heritage Cahors

With Kevin and Guitar John and Harald at WineStyles last night.

I really enjoyed this. Not very familiar with French Malbec, but this was vastly different than the Argentine (or California) blueberry oakshakes that are too common.

Dark ruby in color...not a "black wine" in any way. Started out with a wonderful nose: sour red plum, earth, spice, green apple!!!!, licorice, black cherry? Quite tight, though, and rather tart in character, with no obvious tannins. Over the hour, however, the Cedre really opened up, offering up quite a complex wine for such a modestly priced bottle, with layers of earth, spce, licorice, tobacco???, and sour red plum verging on black plum by the last glass.

I really enjoyed this bottle quite a bit and would buy more...especially given the reasonable price.

Brian, nice note which catches the essence of Cahors. 2005 was an excellent vintage, of course. Château du Cèdre is arguably the finest estate/négociant in Cahors. Héritage is, I think, their basic négociant cuvée which probably accounts for its being forward and light in tannins (not usual with Cahors).

The domaine cuvées in ascending order of prestige and price are Château du Cèdre (formerly Prestige), Le Cèdre and GC (standing for Grand Cru). The last two are quite pricey (c.€35 and 70 respectively) and some people complain about their being over-oaked; I think that it does not dominate the impressive substance but is quite noticeable in the wine's youth; I guess that the oak patina integrates well with age but lack the experience to assert it.

I am somewhat oakaphobic, Tim...Would the Chateau du Cedre provide an introuduction to a more serious Cahors while avoiding excess oakiness?

I know we had a lenghty discussion on Cahors malbec a few weeks ago....

I am somewhat oakaphobic, Tim...Would the Chateau du Cedre provide an introuduction to a more serious Cahors while avoiding excess oakiness?

That's right, Brian. Most vintages on sale at present are probably still labelled "Prestige". Indeed the estate's website still talks of "Prestige". I got the change of name from the UK wine-pages; I must admit that "Prestige" was an odd name for the third ranking bottling.

Hello my first post - could not help but want to say something abour Cahors wine as I live in the region.
Most of the chateaux here use the terms Tradition - Prestige - Excellence.
Although as you are saying some use Prestige for their best wine.
My favourite wine comes from Chateau Chambert, Orphée - 100% Malbec.
If anyone wants an opinion or help with Cahors just ask.

Thanks, John. Hve not seen this wine yet but will look for it.

[Jenise]

I must admit that "Prestige" was an odd name for the third ranking bottling.

Perhaps its akin to Starbucks calling their smallest coffee drink a Tall?

Hello my first post - could not help but want to say something abour Cahors wine as I live in the region.
Most of the chateaux here use the terms Tradition - Prestige - Excellence.
Although as you are saying some use Prestige for their best wine.
My favourite wine comes from Chateau Chambert, Orphée - 100% Malbec.
If anyone wants an opinion or help with Cahors just ask.

John
A very kind offer, and if you have the time I'd welcome your views on the recent(ish) thread "Open Mike: Cahors" viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28678&start=0

A number of us cracked some bottles to compare and contrast, with interesting results.

It's an old favourite of mine, one of the earliest wines that sparked my interest in wine, yet in the intervening years I'd suffered a little with Cahor's uncertainty about what it wanted to be. So far Lamartine and Haut-Monplaisir have both impressed greatly, but I'm open to others in the more rustic, tannic, lesser oaked and without softening merlot style. Fortunately this often seems to point to the cheaper cuvees

... and a very warm welcome to the forum - hope you enjoy it!

regards

Ian