Bottled in autumn 2010 after some 22 months of ageing in oak barrels, this blend of Malbec and some 10% of Merlot and Tannat shows up with a dark but sparkling, violet colour in the glass.

The spicy nose gradually opens with a smell of ripe and juicy cherries and hints of smoke and tar. A smooth attack and a dense but fluid palate with tight tannins.

The long final solidly stands on an almost perfect balance between structure and freshness, surrounded by fresh fruits, cinnamon and cloves.

Written by Marc Vanhellemont, translation S. Nickel

In the French region of Cahors, the Cot, a grape variety commonly known as Malbec, shows a particularly powerful and elegant expression. Amongst the great winegrowers of this region, Pascal Verhaeghe from the Château du Cèdre might be considered as one of the most talented. Like no one else, he distils elegance, power, nifty tannins and individual character from the Aquitania limestone soils of his vineyards. Even more since the estate has become “organic”…

Château du Cèdre 2007 Cahors

Dark ruby colour with slight purple hints. Nose: A fruity adventure without frills; cherry marmalade with cinnamon and red currant jelly slightly coloured by black- and blueberries. Mouth: Tightly woven tannins slip like silk over the tongue, caressing the taste buds just enough to be thrilled. A nectar, discretely flowing through the palate, whispering about its bouquet and the mouth filling roundness to come.

A wine made of 90% of Malbec and 10% of Tannat et Merlot. Entirely destemmed, the grapes are macerating for some 30 days and malolactic fermentation is done in oak. The wine ripens for 20 months in barrels, about one third of which are new.

Food paring: A wine with a lot of character, but less austere than one might expect. Haemoglobin and lipids seem to be the best partners to escort this wine: Goose or duck, stewed or roasted, with wine, oranges or mushrooms. It will polish the last headstrong tannins and emphasize the fruity character. Furthermore, some spicy, grilled sausages with tomato and beans will give a tasteful reply to the Malbec.

Some white for refreshment: Cèdre Blanc 2008 Vin de Pays du Lot

Pale, light green yellow. Nose: Apricots, white peaches and freshly toasted bread with pistachio paste and violet fragrance. An aromatic, palatable wine, only made from Viognier grapes, fermented in 500 Liter oak barrels, half of them new. Nine months of ripening on fine lees.

Food paring: Excellent for aperitif, with freshwater fishes, white meat or certain cheeses like Comté or Cantal.

Château du Cèdre – of Flemish origin

Léon Verhaeghe from Morsleede in Flanders, left his native country in the early 20^th century to settle in south-western France. His son Charles started a farm in 1958 planting some vines on the property, and adding one hectare of vineyards every year. Today Pascal manages the 27 hectares of the estate together with his brother Jean-Marc.

“We do organic farming. We’ve started in the early nineties by banning all herbicides from the vineyards and managed to get rid of all chemical spraying agents by 2002. This really improved the quality of our grapes and encouraged us to ask for organic certification in 2009.” (Pascal Verhaeghe)

Sometimes you have to be patient, even more if it concerns the life a wine. Two years in barrels and eight years of bottle ripening in the cellars of Château du Cèdre for this Cahors “Grand Cru” from the almost mythic 2000 vintage.

The cork looks perfect and shows pleasant smells of fresh cork and dry fruits. The wine pours dark, although more diaphanous than expected in the large glass I choose. This wine needs space…

Getting closer to the glass, my nose first is a little surprised to find a quite young and fresh odour. Sour cherry with a little blackcurrant, but also several shy aromas that prefer to stay hidden at the bottom of the glass. I choose a narrow carafe and quickly decant the wine to give it some air and to separate it from its depot.

Immediately the bouquet develops: Vanilla, cinnamon, hazelnut and cloves intermingle with the more and more powerful and ripe fruit, and finally leaves the emptied glass to delicate aromas of black olives and lemon.

On the palate, clear minerality and smooth tannins with quite some character primarily dominate the wine. Its richness constantly rises towards mouth-filling volume and a long final flavour of cedar wood, white pepper, cherry and hints of smoke.

Accompanied by a pheasant ragout, according to a recipe of famous German Chef Alfons Schuhbeck, with a composition of occidental and oriental spices – laurel, juniper, curcuma, coriander, ginger, chilli, lemon…

A real celebration of tastes!

It’s a rich and savoury wine, now and still for another couple of years. Sometimes, you know, patience really pays…

Dark coloured, almost black, with purple hues.

The nose is profound as its colour, with spices - chocolate, vanilla – ripe cherry and freshly cut rosemary. It’s a very rich nose, primary somehow reluctant, that fully opens in the glass.

A straight mouth, fresh and round on the palate, with lots of young but smooth tannins. A long finish on fruit.

This wine has it s own character, reflecting perfectly its terroir et origins. Still young, but already excellent company for a roasted duck or a Coq-au-vin. Decanting about an hour before tasting will reveal all its aromatic potential.

Tasted on october 25^th 2010