CHÂTEAU BRANE CANTENAC

96-98 points

Neal Martin, Vinous

It is well-defined and fresh, a very subtle Margaux, precise with blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar & tobacco scents. As previous vintages have proven, there’s a kind of “hidden depth” that will become apparent post-bottling. The palate is medium bodied with supple tannins, very elegant & unashamedly classic in style. This is blessed with haunting poise, composed & detailed on the finish. This Margaux is not a showstopper, which in any case is not really [their] signature style. Instead, it is a wine that 15 to 20 years down the road, you are going to treasure.

Brane is never the most showy of wines, and yet it has rightly become one of the most sought-after names in Margaux, impressing through its beautiful layering of aromatics & textured, confident fruit. These qualities are perfectly encapsulated in the 2005, 2015 and even in vintages like the undervalued 2011 & 2012. Owner Henri Lurton has a Masters in biology, another in ampelography & an oenology diploma.

Attention to detail is the mantra at Brane Cantenac, it seems, under Henri Lurton's stewardship. In the last few years alone, the estate has undertaken extensive soil studies to ensure that grape variety and rootstock are matched well to specific soil types throughout their vineyard.

In researching this spotlight on Brane, I couldn't quite believe the current market prices for recent vintages, which average £45 a bottle in bond. For a wine that in 2022 flies as close to the sun of critical perfection as possible, anything under £60 can be considered an utter bargain.

I imagine therefore that this will be one of the vinous stars of the appellation, especially considering that First Growth neighbour, Château Margaux, scored the exact same 96-98 point score from Neal Martin, but will likely cost ten times as much!