Château Brane-Cantenac - Margaux (Grand Cru Classé) 2016 (750ml)

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Price: $129.99

Producer	Château Brane-Cantenac
Country	France
Region	Bordeaux
Subregion	Margaux
Varietal	Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Vintage	2016
Sku	111919
Size	750ml
ABV	13.50%

Château Brane-Cantenac Description

Vineyards are stamped with the will of men. Begun 250 years ago, Brane-Cantenac’s legend is the tale of a thriving relationship between man and earth, which grows stronger as the ages go by. Named ‘Hostein’ in the 18th Century, this great wine estate was bought by the Gorce family, and produced one of the Medoc’s most renowned wines long before the 1855 classification.

As for our 2nd wine, Baron de Brane, its name pays hommage to the famous Baron Jacques-Maxime de Brane, the ’Napoléon des Vignes’, owner of the property in the 19th Century. For the past four generations the Lurton family has been at the helm, devoted wardens who continue to ensure that the property flourishes, producing wines of the greatest quality.

Dense purple. Intense, multi-layered aromas of blackberries, black currants, dark chocolate, coffee and some vanilla. Complex on the palate with well-structured tannins and a long finish.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenere

Critical Acclaim

RP98
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2016 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carmenere picked from 22 September until 17 October (the tiny parcel of Carmenere picked three days later). The yields came in at 51 hectoliters per hectare and it is matured in 75% new oak and 25% one-year-old barrels, the final alcohol level 13.3%. It has a beautifully defined, very detailed bouquet with mineral-rich black fruit laced with cedar and graphite notes, living up to its nom de plume as the "Pauillac of Margaux." The palate is simply the best that I have ever tasted at the estate, without question. This has presence, but also weightlessness, filigree tannin and perfectly pitched acidity, with real intensity and drive. The tension here is outstanding and the persistence is incredibly long. It is not the showiest of all the 2016s by a long stretch, and yet it is everything you could possibly want from a Margaux. Rating: 96-98

JS96
James Suckling
So much ripe and sweet tobacco on the nose with currant and blackberry character. Full body, intense tannins with density and beauty. It’s a wine with great structure and panache for this estate. Try after 2024.
WE95
Wine Enthusiast
This firm, structured wine is solid with tannins and with the weight associated with the vintage. The fruitiness is as important, an explosion of rich berry flavors that will give pleasure as the wine matures. Drink from 2025.
Cellar Selection
D95
Decanter
It's clear how well this wine is constructed in 2016. Vibrant cassis and violet notes are joined by a powerful shot of freshness then an austere finish with touches of white pepper, showing poise and power. A touch of Carmenère is now making a regular appearance in this wine. It represents 39% of the estate's production, from a 51hl/ha yield in 2016.
JD95
Jeb Dunnuck

I missed this wine in my recent 2016 Bordeaux report, but I was able to purchase a bottle locally. A tremendous Margaux, the 2016 offers the quintessential elegance of the appellation as well as plenty of density, concentration, and ripe tannins. Beautiful notes of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, cedarwood, and flowery incense all emerge from the glass, and it builds nicely with air, offering medium to full body, flawless balance, and a great finish. This is classic Margaux as well as a classic 2016. It’s already approachable, and I doubt it will close down, yet it’s going to develop additional nuances with another 4-6 years of bottle age and have 25-30 years of prime drinking.

WS93
Wine Spectator

Shows a coffee edge, along with tobacco and bay notes that meld steadily into the core of steeped plum and black cherry fruit. The fleshy finish lets the bay element take an encore. A touch old-school. Rating: 90-93

CG92
Connoisseurs' Guide
Here is a wine of deceptive power and tannic strength that almost go unnoticed in the face of its flood of easy-to-access sweet fruit, and just enough firming tannin slowly appears to confirm that, youthful charm notwithstanding, this is a Margaux constructed to keep. A half-dozen years of cellaring will prove the point, but balance and structure like this ensures that it will reward longer aging and will show increasing beauty for ten to twenty or more.

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