2019 Chateau Capbern

Chateau Capbern (formerly Capbern Gasqueton) is on a roll since the new owners took over the estate, along with Calon Segur, in 2012. Already blessed with prime vineyards close to heavyweights Montrose and Phelan Segur, their winemaking facilities have recently been rejuvenated and the wines haven't looked better.

Vineyards at the estate are planted to 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, with an average vine age of 30 years. Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats, malolactic fermentation in tank, and the wine is aged in 50% new French oak barrels for 18 months.
Dense inky black in colour with a very deep dark red black hue. Greeting the nostrils is an alluring mix of red to black currant and mulberry scents with spicy vanillin cedar, earthy graphite, tobacco and bay leaf notes also evident. Rich yet relatively tightly wound, decorating the mid weighted palate are ripe blackcurrant and mulberry fruits over a background of vanillin cedar, earthy graphite, subtle black olive and spice elements. Fleshy yet sinewy texture with firm but well integrated tannins giving the wine a sturdy feel. Finishes long, slightly chewy and also quite refined.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 15%

Other Reviews....
The 2019 Capbern is ripe and flamboyant, with soft edges and superb balance. It's a big wine, there is no doubt about that, and yet it also boasts terrific harmony. Dark fruit, new leather, licorice and chocolate build as the 2019 gains intensity through the mid-palate and into the finish. The 15.1% alcohol is not terribly evident. Drink 2024-2034.
91 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous

A perfumed nose of mulberries, dark cherries, earth, black tea, cloves and cedar. Full-bodied with tight, sinewy tannins. Well structured and balanced with a fleshy texture and a flavorful, long finish. Big wine. Drink from 2025.
93 points
James Suckling

I love the nose on the 2019 Château Capbern, a medium to full-bodied, spicy, rich, tobacco and cedar pencil-filled beauty with ripe yet building tannins, a great mix of richness and freshness, and a blockbuster of a finish. It's incredibly impressive, and while it offers pleasure even today, it deserves 5-6 years of bottle age, and I can't imagine it not evolving for two decades.
94 points
Jeb Dunnuck

Powerful and impactful, and the alcohol although well balanced by fruit does have an impact on the texture and mouthfeel of this wine, which is gourmet and full of chocolate, damson and tar. High drama in this vintage. 60% new oak. A yield of 40hl/ha. 3.9pH. Drink 2026 - 2042.
92 points
Jane Anson - Decanter

Inky dark in color, the wine kicks off with layers of plushly-textured, dark red fruits, espresso, spice and round, polished tannins. The fruit-filled finish is lush, round and opulent with length and richness in the fruits. Clearly, this is a new level of quality for Capbern. Drink from 2024-2040.
93 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider