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Now Viewing: Chateau Cedre
Chateau du Cédre, widely regarded as one of Cahors' leading estates, is the domaine of brothers Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe. Pascal, a mathematician at heart who came to winemaking later in life, is the driving force here. Although the son of a winemaker - his father Charles had founded the family domaine in 1956 - he took no interest in the daily grind of running vineyards and making wine. But his experiences in Burgundy, helping out friend Jean-Marie Guffens, swayed his opinion. Further experience came at Saintsbury in California, before he and brother Jean-Marc took over the running of Chateau du Cédre from their father. The mantra here is quality; improving flavour and extract, pushing the boundaries of Cahors in order to match the Malbecs of the New World. There are four cuvées produced on this 25 ha estate. The straight Chateau du Cédre is 80% Malbec tempered with 20% Merlot, whereas the Prestige is 90% Malbec and 10% Tannat. At the top of the tree - until recently at least - is Cédre, 100% Malbec, aged in new oak. But since 2000 there has been a new prestige cuvée, again 100% Malbec, fermented and aged in oak, with prolonged lees contact. Verhaeghe has put his Burgundian and Californian experience to good use at Chateau du Cédre, and is now doing the same elsewhere; in 2000 he took on a second domaine, Domaine Marcevol , in Roussillon. From my tasting of the red and white cuvees made here, we can expect more high quality bottles from this new venture.
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