Château du Cèdre - Cahors Le Cèdre 2020

Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaegue have taken this estate to the pinnacle of Cahors through meticulous viticulture and precise winemaking. The 27 hectares (25 of which are planted with red grapes) are divided into three plots on two of the appellation’s finest soil types, notably the famous third terrace. One is clay-limestone and produces wines of great finesse. The other consists of pebbles mixed with reddish sand, ideal for producing more powerful wines.

Still influenced by its aging (2 years in oak), this vintage offers a toasty, spicy nose, followed by a robust, full-bodied palate. Definitely one for the cellar.

Austere in character, the 2020 Cèdre reveals a deep, dark bouquet of licorice, oak, dark berries, and cedar. Full-bodied, sap-like, and dense, it features a fleshy core of fruit, structured tannins, and a long yet firm finish. The vintage is very much present in this wine, which will benefit from a little time to soften and fully integrate its powerful elements.

The 2020 Cèdre makes a bold and powerful impression with its spicy, complex body; the texture reveals a Malbec of great precision, perfectly ripe and aged in large oak barrels without sulfites until bottling.

When the Verhaeghe brothers took over their parents’ farm, they began to write a new chapter in the history of Cahors wine. Today, it is up to Jules, Pascal’s son—along with his partner, Aurore Del Vito—to shape the future and elevate Le Cèdre to the pinnacle of the Cahors appellation. Their exceptional terroir partly explains this success: on one side, the “tran”—cones of limestone scree in constant motion—produces wines of great finesse; on the other, a soil of pebbles over iron-rich sand imparts power and depth. The grapes, harvested at perfect ripeness, yield wines of rare consistency and intensity. The Extra Libre range, with no added sulfur, is part of a natural winemaking approach, while the other wines receive sulfur only during bottling.

From one of the largest estates in Cahors, this wine offers an abundance of black fruit and prunes. It is a refined and well-balanced wine with structured tannins and intense aging potential. The wine will be ready to drink starting in 2026. Organic.

A lovely nose of black cherry, Boysenberry, and aromatic herbs, with a hint of black earth and white pepper. The palate is fairly tight, with a medium- to full-bodied structure and fine tannins. Lively and taut on the mid-palate, it features crisp blueberries and a savory finish. Made from organically grown grapes. Enjoyable now, but has aging potential.