Château Cantinot

Winegrowers’ portraits Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux

Château CantinoT

More than 10 years ago, Florence and Yann Bouscasse left the Parisian region and a well-organized life to commit themselves body and soul in their passion for the earth and wine. They settled for good at Cars in the appellation Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux at Château Cantinot.

Only reminder of their former professional and family life, the wheel, symbol of Mulhouse, arms of the shipping company of Florence's family. As today the Bouscasse family is well-rooted in their terroir. Yann and Florence took two of their children in the adventure: Tristan who is in charge of the development in France and abroad with his father; and Nicolas, the cellar master and vineyard manager.
This professional about-face was a daring challenge. But the Bouscasses kept strength of character and an iron will from their maritime roots. Continuously learning, Yann trained in the vineyard. He granted himself Olivier Dauga's help, the “wine tailor” as he is called, a consultant in vinification who was and still remains of precious support at each vintage.
Yann is a model student and Cantinot's wines are a success. Their ambition is to craft fine Bordeaux wines, but above all grand Cantinots. To succeed, the family takes special care of their 18 hectares of vines in one piece. The vineyard is settled on a clay and limestone terroir whose subsoil comprises a vein of blue clay. An ideal soil to produce fine wines. It is planted with 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet-Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet-Franc. The Bouscasses chose the minimum planting density of 4,500 stocks per hectare, keep a natural grasscover between the rows, carefully trellis and thin out the leaves, and carry out a sensible crop harvest, all this to get the ideal yield for sound and top-quality grapes. The harvest undergoes three successive sortings.

The Bouscasses opted for a very precise winemaking technology and develop by-plot vinification. They draw their ins­pi­­ra­tion from Burgundy and gradually use 300 to 350-litre Burgundy vats ins­tead of Bordeaux barrels as wine better evolves in bigger containers. Cantinot wines release a perfect expression of the fruits thanks to cold maceration of the entire berries.

Since 2009, the family develops a confidential and high end cuvée dedi­cated to starred restaurants and great hotels: Orbite. The specificity of this cuvée is the micro-vinification of entire bunches in oak barrels during up to twelve months. The wine is then aged in smaller second-used barrels to soften it. The second characteristic of Orbite is that its blend changes at every vintage.

Merlot and Malbec in 2009, added with Cabernet Franc in 2010, or 100% Caber­net Sauvignon in 2011. The chal­lenge of this cuvée is at the height of the Bouscasse family's thirst for innovation.
The family's determination and hard work bear fruits. Yann is decidely turned towards the international markets and his production is exported by 60%.
Demanding about quality, Yann and Florence Bouscasse, nevertheless, mother and grow their wines as their own children. Nicolas even says that Cantinot is the latest-born of the family!
Sylvia van der Velden

— www.chateau-cantinot.com —