I know, you’ve probably never heard of it. I had not, until a little yellow lark brought it to my attention. Hard to find here. The sister estate to Chateau Corbin Michotte, St. Emilion, a personal fave of mine. Both have very similar profiles.
And what is that profile?
Traditional. Untouched. Decidedly not modern. Elegant rusticity. Texture over weight. Transparency. A blend of 90% merlot and 10% cab franc. Located on the Pomerol plateau.
Took a second day for this 2005 to open up, but when it did, it made me warm. Truffles, toasted garlic and plummy fruits on the nose. Dry leafy aromas. Dark fruits, cocoa dust and ground cover on the palate. Some crispy acids. A bit of a rustic feel to the finish, drying but sweet tannins. Short finish. Digging this very much, but the clipped finish stops me at around 90-91 pts.
Remember the French song about the lark, used to teach kids the French Language: Chante Allouete? That’s what Cantelauze means in Occitan.
And such a pretty label.
