Château Cantenac
A.O.C. Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Label on the back

A great wine for the ages

Nicole Roskam-Brunot is continuing a family passion for winemaking that began in 1936 when her grandfather purchased the Chateau Hermitage near Bordeaux. Soon after, Albert Brunot expanded his winemaking enterprise with the purchase of Chateau Cantenac. This 12.5 hectares (31 acres) vineyard, typical of Saint-Emilion with its soils of sand and gravel, is located West of the medieval village renowned for its ancient buildings, historical monuments, as well as the excellence of the regional wines.

At Cantenac fine wines emerge from a synergy of many strengths. Tradition and the latest technology flow hand-in-hand from vineyard management to vinification through aging.

VINEYARD :

The vineyards of Chateau Cantenac are located at the edge of St Emilion's slopes, surrounding a charming manor house from the XIX century. The sandy and gravellous soil allows optimal ripening of the grapes, yielding elegant and aromatic wines.
 
SIZE : 12.5 ha (31 acres)
AVERAGE AGE OF THE VINES : 35 years
PLANTING DENSITY : 6,600 vines per hectare
GRAPE VARIETIES : 75% Merlot Noir - 24% Cabernet Franc - 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
SOIL : sand-gravel and sand-clay
PRODUCTION : 40,000 to 50,000 bottles

VINIFICATION :

Our dedicated staff, from manager to oenologist to winemaker to vineyard worker, nurture the developping wine at every stage. To make excellent wines it is necessary to have healthy vines and grapes and to constantly refine and improve winemaking techniques. Traditional methods are followed along with modern technology to take advantage of the best of each. The local custom of hand-picking grapes at peak ripeness is still followed and our wines are aged in French oak barrels. In contrast, temperature control is used to optimize flavour extraction during fermentation.
Following maceration/extraction, which typically lasts 21 days, the wine is aged in traditional tanks and oak barrels for 18 to 24 months depending on the character of the vintage. 35 to 40% of these barrels are new from famous forests such as Allier or Tronçais, which are known for their fine wood craftsmanship.

AGING :

The wine is aged over 2 years: in vats, then in oak barrels which contribute vanilla and delicate wood aromas. Repeated rackings and fining yield a deep clear red colour. Finally the wine is bottled and left to rest in a cool quiet location, well-protected from any light sources.

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