A brilliant, reference point level wine from this château, the 2016 Château Brane-Cantenac sports a deep purple hue as well as sensational notes of cassis, currants, iron, lead pencil, sappy tobacco, and leafy herbs. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenère and aged 18 months in 70% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied, with a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, integrated tannins, and just about flawless balance. It checks in at 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.57. Don't miss this stunning 2016. I'd be happy with cases in the cellar. Hide bottles for another 3-5 years and it will see its 50th birthday in fine form. Drink 2029-2076.

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. Like Beychevelle this year, the 2016 Brane-Cantenac puts recent vintages in the shade, thanks not only to the growing season, but also a new punching down system in their gravity-fed winery that was completed in 2015. The 2016 is a benchmark against which future vintages will be compared. (NM)

Racy aromatic nobility, with cassis, white flower, graphite and blackberry. A second growth for a rather friendly price (in context), this wine displays subtle density, power, freshness and elegance. It has the tannic structure for the long haul, but is already silky in its elegance. Best to wait just a few more years however for a more optimal drinking window. (PK)