The wines of Château Brane Cantenac, Margaux

Château Brane Cantenax, Margaux Grand Cru Classé, 33460 Cantenac, France
Website: www.brane-cantenac.com E-mail: contact@brane-cantenac.com

An impressive showing from this rather limited sampling of Brane Cantenac’s wines. While the 2001 first wine stood out, the surprise for me was just how good the second wine was this vintage. It’s elegant and very drinkable. This is what Claret does so well, and why a lot of people tend to get upset about the move towards atypically extracted, rich, sweetly fruited Bordeaux wines that can be made just about anywhere. I’m tempted to buy a case for drinking over the next couple of years.

Baron de Brane 2001 Margaux
An impressive showing from the second wine of this estate. Open herby nose with some sweetness. Lovely digestible, light palate with great elegance. Not a big wine but showing great balance and drinking very well now. Very good/excellent 90/100  

Château Brane Cantenac 1996 Margaux
Open, herby, leafy nose. Lovely elegant blackcurrant fruit dominates with a spicy edge. There’s some herbuness and a touch of earthiness. Balance is the key here. Very good/excellent 91/100

Château Brane Cantenac 2001 Margaux
Rich, open nose showing ripe fruit and some minerality. There’s great balance here between the fruit and the minerals on the palate and there’s some tannic structure evident. An elegant, serious example of Margaux. Very good/excellent 93/100

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