Brane Cantenac 2019

Margaux, Second Growth

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy
6	75cl Bottle	Case 6	£290 per Case	Case	[Add to shopping basket]

Tasting Notes
The 2019 Brane Cantenac has a flattering, floral, quintessentially Margaux bouquet that is very pure and well-defined. This leans more towards red than black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a gritty entry, powerful, almost burly, yet it finds a slight tertiary/herbaceous element on the finish that is the leitmotif of this estate. It is a Margaux that I would not approach for now and needs time. My score was skewed by that tertiary element and will reassess at a later date. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Score: - Neal Martin, Vinous.com 01 February 2023
The 2019 Brane-Cantenac, which was bottled at the beginning of July 2021, takes time to open in the glass. As I mentioned in my tasting note from barrel, this vintage was matured entirely in new oak from several cooperages and inevitably the wood is still present aromatically, though it is completely simpatico with the fruit concentration that the growing season bestowed. (Previously the Grand Vin saw 70%–80% new oak.) The intense bouquet features blackberry, crushed rock, touches of crushed flowers and a hint of lavender. The palate is beautifully balanced with layers of red berry fruit, orange peel, cedar and just a touch of graphite. As I said in my previous assessment, it does not set out to be a powerful Brane-Cantenac, which means that it retains a fine elegance toward the finish and a touch of white pepper mixed with clove on the aftertaste. (Still) excellent. 14.1% alcohol Score: 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060 01 February 2022
The 2019 Brane-Cantenac was cropped at 50hl/ha between 18 September and 9 October. Matured entirely in new oak, it is in possession of an almost pixelated bouquet with beguiling blackberry, bilberry and crushed limestone aromas. I find this less austere than some vintages of Brane-Cantenac at this prenatal stage. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with filigree tannins, very harmonious, not a deep or powerful Margaux, yet very delineated. There is that signature touch of greenness that I often find on Brane-Cantenac on the finish, though I have learned through experience that this is assimilated with bottle age, so have a cool cellar handy. Excellent. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028 - 2060 01 June 2020
The 2019 Brane-Cantenac is wild and exotic from the very first taste. The aromatics alone are dazzling. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, new leather, menthol and cinnamon are all kicked up in this flamboyant Margaux. The 2019 is radiant and generous, yet also retains a very classic sense of structure. The precision here is just unreal. In 2019, Brane-Cantenac is an absolute head-turner. It is the sort of wine that abounds in Bordeaux, a wine that offers tremendous quality and relative value. Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2059 01 February 2022
Well handled and well placed fruits, this remains a little restrained now, but on opening up you get crushed stone and black pepper spice that adds a gourmet edge to the just-smoked oak. Extremely high quality, delivering on its En Primeur promise. 100% new oak. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 12 January 2022
A thoroughly moreish and high-quality Brane Cantenac, this is silky and seductive with impressive extraction of the tannins giving backbone and support to brambled and cassis fruits. Plenty of crushed stone and spice to add a gourmet edge alongside the just-smoked oak. Extremely high quality and one of the best Branes I've tasted at this stage. 3% of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc complete the blend. For the first time, all of the plots for this wine come from the plateau de Brane just in front of the château, a reflection of how well this terroir withstood the heat of the summer. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2029 - 2046 20 May 2020
The grand vin 2019 Château Brane-Cantenac takes it up a notch, revealing a deeper, saturated purple color, gorgeous notes of cassis, new leather, cedar pencil, and flowers, medium to full-bodied richness, and the elegance and purity that are the defining features of the vintage. It's almost already hard to resist, with beautiful balance and purity, yet still has solid underlying tannins. Again, the balance here is brilliant. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 11 June 2020
This shows exotic aromas of blackberries, wet earth, chocolate and fresh basil leaves. It’s full-bodied with round, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Intriguing and real on the palate. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 20 May 2020

Tasting Notes

The 2019 Brane Cantenac has a flattering, floral, quintessentially Margaux bouquet that is very pure and well-defined. This leans more towards red than black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a gritty entry, powerful, almost burly, yet it finds a slight tertiary/herbaceous element on the finish that is the leitmotif of this estate. It is a Margaux that I would not approach for now and needs time. My score was skewed by that tertiary element and will reassess at a later date. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

Score: -

Neal Martin, Vinous.com 01 February 2023

The 2019 Brane-Cantenac, which was bottled at the beginning of July 2021, takes time to open in the glass. As I mentioned in my tasting note from barrel, this vintage was matured entirely in new oak from several cooperages and inevitably the wood is still present aromatically, though it is completely simpatico with the fruit concentration that the growing season bestowed. (Previously the Grand Vin saw 70%–80% new oak.) The intense bouquet features blackberry, crushed rock, touches of crushed flowers and a hint of lavender. The palate is beautifully balanced with layers of red berry fruit, orange peel, cedar and just a touch of graphite. As I said in my previous assessment, it does not set out to be a powerful Brane-Cantenac, which means that it retains a fine elegance toward the finish and a touch of white pepper mixed with clove on the aftertaste. (Still) excellent. 14.1% alcohol

Score: 95

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060 01 February 2022

The 2019 Brane-Cantenac was cropped at 50hl/ha between 18 September and 9 October. Matured entirely in new oak, it is in possession of an almost pixelated bouquet with beguiling blackberry, bilberry and crushed limestone aromas. I find this less austere than some vintages of Brane-Cantenac at this prenatal stage. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with filigree tannins, very harmonious, not a deep or powerful Margaux, yet very delineated. There is that signature touch of greenness that I often find on Brane-Cantenac on the finish, though I have learned through experience that this is assimilated with bottle age, so have a cool cellar handy. Excellent.

Score: 94 - 96

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028 - 2060 01 June 2020

The 2019 Brane-Cantenac is wild and exotic from the very first taste. The aromatics alone are dazzling. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, new leather, menthol and cinnamon are all kicked up in this flamboyant Margaux. The 2019 is radiant and generous, yet also retains a very classic sense of structure. The precision here is just unreal. In 2019, Brane-Cantenac is an absolute head-turner. It is the sort of wine that abounds in Bordeaux, a wine that offers tremendous quality and relative value.

Score: 97

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2059 01 February 2022

Well handled and well placed fruits, this remains a little restrained now, but on opening up you get crushed stone and black pepper spice that adds a gourmet edge to the just-smoked oak. Extremely high quality, delivering on its En Primeur promise. 100% new oak.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 12 January 2022

A thoroughly moreish and high-quality Brane Cantenac, this is silky and seductive with impressive extraction of the tannins giving backbone and support to brambled and cassis fruits. Plenty of crushed stone and spice to add a gourmet edge alongside the just-smoked oak. Extremely high quality and one of the best Branes I've tasted at this stage. 3% of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc complete the blend. For the first time, all of the plots for this wine come from the plateau de Brane just in front of the château, a reflection of how well this terroir withstood the heat of the summer.

Score: 96

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2029 - 2046 20 May 2020

The grand vin 2019 Château Brane-Cantenac takes it up a notch, revealing a deeper, saturated purple color, gorgeous notes of cassis, new leather, cedar pencil, and flowers, medium to full-bodied richness, and the elegance and purity that are the defining features of the vintage. It's almost already hard to resist, with beautiful balance and purity, yet still has solid underlying tannins. Again, the balance here is brilliant.

Score: 93 - 95

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 11 June 2020

This shows exotic aromas of blackberries, wet earth, chocolate and fresh basil leaves. It’s full-bodied with round, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Intriguing and real on the palate.

Score: 93 - 94

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 20 May 2020

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