The 2019 Brane-Cantenac is wild and exotic from the very first taste. The aromatics alone are dazzling. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, new leather, menthol and cinnamon are all kicked up in this flamboyant Margaux. The 2019 is radiant and generous, yet also retains a very classic sense of structure. The precision here is just unreal. In 2019, Brane-Cantenac is an absolute head-turner. It is the sort of wine that abounds in Bordeaux, a wine that offers tremendous quality and relative value. (AG)

One of the standout Margaux, the 2019 Château Brane-Cantenac shows more elegance and finesse in its tannins and structure than most. Giving up a beautifully complex nose of cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as cedary spice and spring flowers, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a seamless mouthfeel, beautiful purity and precision, and a great finish. This is certainly the finest vintage I’ve tasted from this Chateau, surpassing even the 2018, although comparing these two vintages side by side over the coming years will be a true treat. Drink this beauty any time over the coming 20-25 years.

A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% each Carménère and Petit Verdot, picked from September 18th to October 9th, with a yield of 50.3 hl/ha. The élevage was 18 months in 100% new oak. A nose of sweet confidence, with beautifully perfumed fruit, classically Margaux, with blackcurrant, roses, gorse and a little dried bramble, and distant nuances reminiscent of dark chocolate. The palate has a delicious harmony, polished and seamless, with a sinewy core of tannins and a very elegantly defined ribbon of fruit wrapped all around. This is very smart, with beautiful integration holding it all together, even though the tannin wants to burst forth to declare its immaturity. A really quite beautiful Margaux which combines modern fruit ripeness with an elegant, delicately mineral and balanced style. Delicious. Hold for now.