Château Cambon la Pelouse 2020

Gorgeous scent on the nose, blueberry, perfume and violets. A cool freshness straight away, linear and focused with a lovely integration of acidity, blue fruits and minerality. Tannins are present, neither grainy nor ripe, walking the middle line and giving weight and texture. Stylish and well-structured, not a huge wine, but with really good energy, dynamic and driven from start to finish. Approachable and accessible with a clear, joyful juiciness. A slight dip on the mid-palate, it loses a touch of weight and drive, but there’s a lovely broad finish with mint and freshness. A good effort and nice to drink soon. Firm, clear, well made.

Toasted spices, crushed walnuts, and tar with ripe dark fruits. Medium-bodied, firm and chewy with hints of bitter spices to close. Flavorful finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Try after 2024.

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot, 35 hl/ha, pH 3.64, alcohol 13% vol. Dense purple with an opaque core and a violet rim. Multi-layered bouquet of blackcurrant, dark chocolate truffle and an intense violet perfume, followed by perfumed pipe tobacco and elderberry jelly. On the elegant palate, soft in texture, with wonderful extract concentration, supportive ripe tannins and medium body. The focused finish shows blue berries, light noble wood and tarragon. A safe bet again this year!

Owned by Treasury Wine Estates since 2019, this is an excellent property, and it is performing strongly in 2020. Ripe tannins, well worked with some lovely liquorice, cherry, black chocolate, tea and damson notes. Good quality, still a little tight, should go for a good 10–15 years but no need to wait too long to begin drinking, bright acidities.

The 2020 Cambon La Pelouse is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with notions of cedar and baked plums, before developing wafts of blackcurrants, damp soil, and truffles, with a hint of bay leaves. Light to medium-bodied, the palate has a tart line of acidity and chewy tannins framing the delicate fruits, finishing with an invigorating lift.

Juicy and precise, the 2020 is well-crafted, a wine with a fairly gentle and elegant profile, with oak still a bit marked on the finish. Give it a little time to come together. One to watch.

An opulent, indulgent nose of coffee, ripe fruit, and eucalyptus. Very promising. On the palate, exceptional purity of juicy fruit that makes it irresistibly drinkable.

Still quite marked by its élevage, Cambon La Pelouse also highlights fruity notes and freshness. Medium in density, the wine is harmonious and supported by well-integrated tannins. Lively on the attack, the wine has an inviting character. We are far from the great Cambon La Pelouse, but I am somewhat reassured.

The wine shows a medium-intensity ruby color. The nose first reveals smoky, slightly meaty notes that fade after aeration. It then opens to aromas of wild strawberry, Morello cherry, raspberry coulis, roasted red cherry, blackcurrant, blueberry jam, and crème de cassis, joined by notes of wild mint, blackcurrant bud, licorice, clove, ground cumin, violet, dried cornflower, along with a touch of toastiness (toasted hazelnut, toasted bread, mild coffee). The palate is precise, fresh, and linear. It delivers notes of fresh blackcurrant, Morello cherry, red cherry, redcurrant jelly, wild strawberry, and wild blackberry, intertwined with elegant spicy notes (licorice, toasted vanilla, clove, grated nutmeg), floral notes (fresh violet, fresh cornflower), and toasty nuances (mild coffee, toasted hazelnut). The finish is gourmet and juicy, with fine acidity and vibrancy. Tannins are polished, fine, slightly gripping yet integrated. Lovely savory, indulgent persistence.

Round and caressing in feel, with warm earth, warmed cassis, cedar and savory accents moving in harmony. Modest in scale, and a touch sedate in terms of energy, but has good typicity. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2026. 6,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.