Château du Cèdre

Château du Cèdre is widely regarded as the leading estate in Cahors. Brothers Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe, both qualified oenologists, can trace its history back to their grandfather Léon who left his native Flanders to settle in south-west France in the early 1900s. In due course Léon’s son Charles and his wife Marie-Thérèse started a mixed farm in 1958 and began planting one hectare of vines in three different plots every year.

Today, Château du Cèdre comprises 27ha of vineyards planted at 4000-5500 vines per hectare on some of the most prized terroirs in Cahors, most notably the famous troisième + 4th terrasses which are located just below the cliffs of the valley. These sites typically have more limestone terroir giving great freshness and while the most prized of these terraces are the 4th terraces which make up just 2% of Cahors, Chateau du Cedre owns 55% of these very best terraces. In keeping with the long history of Cahors, 90% of the vineyard is planted to Malbec (known locally as both Cot and Auxerrois), with 5% Merlot (now known to be a half-sibling of Malbec) and 5% Tannat. There is also 1ha of Viognier and a little of the Bordeaux whites, Sémillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc.

After a disastrous hail storm in 1995, the brothers decided to re-evaluate their mode of operation in the vineyard, with a goal of bringing to an end the long term use of synthetic chemicals that had plagued the entire world of wine for 50 years (and had directly contributed to the untimely death of the brothers’ father Charles). By 2002 they had eliminated all chemicals from the estate and by 2012 Château du Cèdre was certified organic.

NEW WINES - CHATEAU DU CEDRE EXTRA LIBRE (ZERO ADDED SULPHUR)

Following on from the conversion to organic viticulture, it was only natural that Pascal and Jean-Marc would continue on a path towards reducing any additives in the wines. All the wines are now fermented with indigenous yeasts and sulphur additions are kept to an absolute minimum. Indeed even the 'regular' Château du Cèdre Cahors today contains as little as 3-5ppm free SO2 and only 30ppm total.

In 2014 they took this one step further, with the creation of the Extra Libre range: Vins Naturels with no added SO2 at all. There are three wines in the range, each a direct parallel to a 'regular' estate wine, respectively the Château du Cèdre Cahors, Le Cèdre and GC.

Drawing on their shared research into lees contact with Luc de Conti in Bergerac, the brothers make each wine from the same parcels of fruit as the regular wines, simply without sulphur and then mature them on lees in large oak casks for 12 months, 18 months and 24 months respectively. The results are a triumph of organic viticulture, pristine fruit and intelligent winemaking.

'When we first started working with lees a decade or more ago we had typically 50mm or more of lees and we would get quite a bit of reduction. Today with healthier fruit from organics, we start with less than 30mm of lees, but after 18-24 months we have only 1mm of lees remaining and no reduction at all. Amazingly, the lees have been assimilated back into the wine.' Pascal Verhaeghe, November 2017.

WINE REVIEWS AND TASTING NOTES

CHATEAU DU CEDRE EXTRA LIBRE

2016 Château du Cèdre Cahors Extra Libre - SOLD OUT
A fine perfume of cassis, blackberries and blueberries mixed with yellow peach and mango. A touch of iris and daffodil flowers gives the wine an elegant, floral character. On the palate, it is a true delicacy: Fresh fruit juice from the nose-scented fruits, enriched with lemon peel and white pepper. Playful tannins make the fruits even crisper, changing the palate into an explosion of fresh fruits, quenching the thirst of the deeply impressed taste buds. An extremely lively wine, whose delicate fruit immediately convinces.' In Vino Veritas Belgium, January 2018.

2015 Château du Cèdre Cahors Extra Libre Le Cèdre
'On the nose, fresh bread, with delicate marmalade of raspberries, cassis and strawberries, still refined by some floral scent. Spicy aromas of black pepper, cardamom and anise complete the picture. The palate is dense, young tannins in the foreground, but surrounded by fresh, soft juiciness. Still a bit closed, the wine already offers a clear sketch of its complexity.' In Vino Veritas Belgium, January 2018.

NEW TO RANGE - Elevage without addition of sulphites in 57 HL casks

2020 Château du Cèdre Cahors Juveniles
100% Malbec coming from the limestone lateau and Mindel high terraces. Robin and Jules are Pascal Verhaeghes two sons and embody the future of Château du Cèdre. Having studied viticulture, Robin has been working in the vineyard with his uncle, Jean-Marc Verhaeghe for the last four years, where he's been "innoculated" with the culture of the estate and its close relationship with Mother Nature.
Jules, also a student of viticulture and business, gained his experience of winemaking over 4 different harvests in 4 different regions and is graudally taking over in the cellars. Both care deeply about their region, its terroir and the Malbec grape, are fervent environmentalists and aspire above all to continuing the family adventure!
'Juveniles' is their first wine : Malbec based, vinifed without sulphur so as not to mask its fruit and silky tannins. A straightforward, fresh and smooth wine!
Vinified without addition of sulphites. Concrete tanks, sorting of the harvest, destemming. Extraction by punching down the cap at the beginning of fermentation. Barrel fermentation for about 30 days at 25°C. Elevage without addition of sulphites in 57 HL casks. A fresh, fruity, straightforward wine. Smooth and aromatic on the palate, with notes of fresh fruit coulis and gentle tannins. In the right conditions (between 10 & 15°C and with a level of atmospheric humidity over 70%) Juveniles may be cellared for up to 10 years.

CHATEAU DU CEDRE REGIONAL

2020 Château du Cèdre Marcel Malbec IGP Comté Tolosan (Screwcap)
100% Malbec from purchased fruit grown on the 1st and 2nd terraces close to the river. The fruit is 100% de-stemmed and crushed, then the juice given a 3-4 day cold soak, to extract colour and a little tannin, before being pressed and cool-fermented in stainless steel. Matured in concrete tanks for 6-8 months.
'This shows the soft, juicy side of Malbec. No serious tannins here, just red berry fruit and fine acidity. That means it's ready to drink this winter.' 

2020 Château du Cèdre Cahors Héritage (Screwcap)
Made from 100% Malbec including fruit grown by local producers that Pascal consults to. About 70% is lighter and finer material from the limestone plateau (the causses) and 30% richer and denser fruit from the iron-rich gravelly terraces of the Lot River valley. The vines average 25-30 years and about 85% of the fruit is currently certified organic, with one grower at year 2 in conversion.
Fermented for a total of 20 days, with regular punch-downs for the first 3 or 4 days only. Malo-lactic conversion is carried out in tank, then the wine is matured for 16 months in concrete tanks. 2020 was an excellent vintage, mostly sunny and dry and harvested in ideal conditions.

CHATEAU DU CEDRE ESTATE

2020 Château du Cèdre Cahors
90% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 5% Tannat from certified organic estate vineyards. 100% de-stemmed and fermented for 30 days with daily punch-downs for the first few days. Malolactic conversion occurs in barrel and the wine is matured for 20 months in foudres and 25% new French oak barrels. Bottled un-fined and unfiltered, with minimal sulphur.
”This solid wine with its 90% Malbec is powerfully juicy and rich. The estate wine at Cèdre, it has considerable potential. A dense structure is balanced by spicy flavors and black fruits. Drink from 2026. Organic.” 92 points, Roger Voss, wineenthusiast.com

CHATEAU DU CEDRE PRESTIGE

2018 Château du Cèdre Cahors Le Cèdre
100% Malbec from 30-50 year-old vines located on the prized 3ème terrasses and cropped at yields of less than 20hl/ha. 100% de-stemmed and fermented for 40 days with daily punch-downs for the first few days. Malo-lactic conversion occurs in barrel and the wine was matured on fine lees for 26 months in two-thirds new large format oak (pictured above) and one-third seasoned barriques. Bottled un-fined and unfiltered, with minimal sulphur.

'Deep aromas of blueberries, dark plums, mulberries, dried flowers, pine needles and wet earth. Medium-to full-bodied with fine, silky tannins. Structured, but polished, with peppermint and pleasantly bitter chocolate, herb and spice notes at the end. From organically grown grapes.' 93 points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2022.

2014 Château du Cèdre Cahors GC
100% Malbec from 50-67 year-old vines located on the prized 4th terrasses and cropped at yields of only about 15hl/ha (just 3 bunches per vine). 100% de-stemmed and fermented for 40 days in open-top, 500 litre demi-muids, with daily punch-downs for the first few days. Malolactic conversion occurs in these same barrels, followed by 30 months maturation on fine lees. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, with minimal sulphur.

'This top wine from a major Cahors estate shows the potential of great Malbec. With its dense tannins, rich black fruit flavors, acidity and restrained power, it is a major force. Even with all its weight, it's stylish, complex and ageworthy wine. Drink from 2021.' 95 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, December 2017.

'It’s a sleek panther of a red, mouthwatering, silky, suave and polished yet with a warm country soul. Initially it invites you in with aromas and flavors of sweet spices – primarily cinnamon and mace – and light balsamic notes as well as the accents of oak in the vanilla range. It’s surprisingly fresh for a red this rich, with appetizing bitter undertones and bass notes of eau de vie de quetsch. As the wine aerates, flavors of prune, black olive and black cherry emerge.' Jacqueline Freidrich on the 2000 vintage, October 2007.

CHATEAU DU CEDRE FORTIFIED

2018 Château du Cèdre Sweet Malbec 500ml
100% Malbec from 15-30 y.o. vines on the Mindel high terraces. Late harvested and foot-trodden in the Portuguese manner in three separate parcels. Each parcel is fermented separately and then fortified to arrest the fermentation at three different times: at specific gravities of 1.090, 1.060 and 1.030. The three batches are then blended to give a residual sugar of about 100g/l and matured in seasoned barriques for four years.
17.4 % alc/vol; 109 g/L RS.

'The nose is complex, with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, violet and spices. The mouth is unctuous but the acidity enhances it and gives it relief and an unexpected tension. The finish is long and fresh. To be enjoyed as an aperitif or with a “Grand cru” chocolate dessert.'