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Brane Cantenac 2017

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

Henri Lurton, the proprietor here, has been working to improve quality in the vineyard with regrafting of Merlot to high quality Cabernet Sauvignon as they look to keep freshness and structure in the wines. The vineyard is now planted with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carmenere with the remainder Merlot.

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Label

Tasting Notes

Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Smoky but enticing nose of sandalwood, dark cherry and dried violets. Hedgerow fruits abound. Very polished on the palate, there is ambition and refinement here. For now the tannins are very pithy and firm, particularly on the finish, but there is enough fruit intensity to match. A wine for laying down.
Drink 2026 – 2036

17.5
Thomas Parker MW, JancisRobinson.com, October 2021

A tight, focused center palate to this red with blackberries, dark chocolate, hazelnuts and smoke. Medium to full body, polished tannins and a juicy, lightly chewy mouthfeel. A blend of 74% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2022.

94
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, January 2020

A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Brane-Cantenac is deep garnet-purple colored. It skips out with cheerful black raspberries, Morello cherries, and warm cassis notes, plus hints of dried flowers, unsmoked cigars, and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate has great intensity with just enough freshness and a firm backbone of grainy tannins, finishing long and well-poised.

92
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022

A lovely wine that sits extremely prettily though the palate, with a seductive expression of florality and blackberry fruits. It's not as powerful as the past two years, but is skilfully worked with soft grilled oak notes. It doesn't sacrifice the excellent quality that this estate has been producing.
Drinking Window 2025 - 2038

93
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2018

Deep crimson. Complex aroma that pulls together black olive as well as sweet spice and cassis leaf and fruit. Creamy texture, nicely balanced, lightish and elegant with a juicy finish.
Drink 2022-2032

16.5
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2018

Fragrant and fresh the nose has spring violets the start of the palate bramble. There is mid sweetness fleshy and supple the tannins are fine sweet at the back with freshness on the finish. Drink 2023-2034.

88/91
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, May 2018

Dark, deep, full-bodied and rather shocking, in this lighter-framed vintage, this is a spicy, oaky wine but the fruit can support it. This is impressive work from a Château that is starting to hit a vein of form.

17.5+
Matthew Jukes, Matthew Jukes' Blog, April 2018
Read more tasting notes...

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Brane-Cantenac starts off a tad restrained and reluctant to show, opening out to notes of baked blackberries, plum preserves and crème de cassis with hints of cigar box and tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wearing a lot of muscular fruit with firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with great length. Needs time! 2022 - 2038

92+
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

Dark currant, berry and fresh herb character. Full-bodied, juicy and flavorful. Very structured. Solid finish and length. Better than 2014?

92/93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2018

A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Brane-Cantenac is deep garnet-purple colored. It skips out with cheerful black raspberries, Morello cherries, and warm cassis notes, plus hints of dried flowers, unsmoked cigars, and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate has great intensity with just enough freshness and a firm backbone of grainy tannins, finishing long and well-poised.

92
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2022
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.