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Brane Cantenac 2014

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

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Label

Tasting Notes

The 2014 Brane-Cantenac offers a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, traces of cedar and tobacco, even a mote of chalk dust. It is understated but very complex. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, smooth and silky in texture, the acidity well judged but just a touch of greenness shows on the finish, as it often does with this château. Just give it the prerequisite bottle age of ten years or so and you will have a very fine Margaux. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2024 - 2045

92
Neal Martin, vinous.com, March 2018

A little bit lighter than some of the 2014 Margauxs, but this is quite an elegant wine with a long, dry finish of some sophistication. Drink now or hold.

92
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2017

Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 2014 Brane-Cantenac leaps with vivacious notes of kirsch and redcurrant jelly followed by hints of dried mint, forest floor, and black pepper. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, with fine-grained tannins and a perfumed finish.

92
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, March 2024

Tasted blind. Rich, dense, pretty exciting with lots of nerviness. Complex. Deep flavoured.
Drink 2021-2040

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2018

Refined tannins let the core of lightly mulled plum and raspberry fruit glide throughout, while enticing anise and lilac notes fill in the background. A pretty, charming wine. Best from 2018 through 2024. 11,665 cases made.

89
James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com, February 2017

Although it appears sweet ripe fruited on the nose the start of the palate is lighter and fresher with red fruits under the black. Cassis gives a richer feel in the middle but at the back there is a lot of red fruited acidity. 2025-35

86/89
Derek Smedley MW, April 2015

A wine that shows structure and ambition, with 70% new oak and a high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon underpinned by freshnes, minerality and subtle concentration. Cedarwood notes add an extra dimension.

92
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2015
91
Decanter.com, April 2015
Read more tasting notes...

The 2014 Brane-Cantenac has a very classy bouquet, very well defined with blackberry, cedar and tobacco scents, that trademark graphite scent emerging with a few swirls of the glass. It is exactly what you expect from this Margaux estate. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well-judged acidity, graphite and cedar towards the linear finish that will clearly need several years to unfold. Classic Margaux really, but wise owls will cellar it away for several years. Drink 2022-2045

92
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (Interim En), April 2017

The Château Brane-Cantenac 2014 is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, representing 38% of the total crop. It was picked between 22 September commencing with the Merlot up until 9 October finishing with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields came in at 44.8 hectoliters per hectare. It has a very typical nose for this Margaux estate: understated and reserved at first, touches of ground-up stone intermixed with brambly red berry fruit and damp undergrowth scents. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. There is moderate weight in the mouth, plenty of sous-bois character and a touch of graphite (à la Pauillac) leading to a tapered but sustained finish. This is your straight-down-the-line classic Brane-Cantenac, unashamedly classic in style, what you might call "good old fashioned claret." Never the beauty queen at primeur, my remarks reflect how this Margaux blossoms in bottle. Drink: 2020 - 2040.

91/93
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (218), April 2015

A solid core of fruit here with lots of cabernet character, as well as currants and blueberries. Full to medium body. Chewy tannins, yet polished and refined.

92/93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2015

A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2014 Brane-Cantenac is deep garnet in color. It gallops out of the glass with notes of baked plums and cassis, plus hints of mossy tree bark, tar, and dried roses, plus a hint of charcuterie. Medium to full-bodied, firm, and grainy, the palate has a lively line cutting through the dense black fruits, finishing long with a peppery kick.

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2022

Dark, fairly evolved crimson. Sweet, light, a bit simple and green. This is the sort of casually made wine that gets classed growths a bad name - though of course it may not be a classed growth!? (It is.) Drink 2018-2026

16
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2015
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.