Chateau Brane Cantenac 2022

DECANTER: "One of the standouts of the year - a wonderful wine with so much to like. Coffee, tobacco, liquorice, dark chocolate, blackcurrants and floral scents on the nose. Smooth, succulent and velvety, this is amazing, juicy and so bright and vibrant. Pure and so effortless, tannins are filling but fine and delicate and this has excellent clarity and purity of fruit. They really didn't try too hard but have still delivered a powerful wine with concentration and intensity yet brightness and such generosity of fruit and acidity which makes this so joyful. Simply wonderful. Harvest 7 September-10 October. Yield of 31.5hl/ha. 3.61pH. 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere complete the blend. 42% production. 15.8% press wine. Ageing 18 months, 100% new oak. 3.57pH."

WEINWISSER: "74 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 23 % Merlot, 1 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot, 1 % Carmenère, pH 3,61, 14,3 Vol.-%, 31.5 hl/ha. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, frisch gepflückte Schattenmorellen, edle Cassiswürze, Veilchen, heller Tabak, Brasiltabak und Graphit. Am sublimen, durchtrainierten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, feinkörnigem Extrakt, balancierter Rasse und engmaschigem Tanningerüst. Im energiegeladenen, aromatischen Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze und noble Adstringenz. Fantastische Leistung von Henri Lurton und eine klare Kaufempfehlung! 2030 – 2055."

VINUM: "Von absoluter Reinheit im aromatischen Ausdruck und verblüffender Harmonie im Mund; auch hier verblüfft wie in anderen hervorragenden Weinen die schiere Mineralität der Tannine, deren einmaliger Schliff, die besondere Klasse des aromatischen Ausdrucks, die Eleganz und Länge trotz der Kraft. Ausserordentlicher Wein."

JEB DUNNUCK: "I was absolutely blown away by the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac, which looks to be a reference point vintage for this château. Based on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Petit Verdot, it sports a deep purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, lead pencil, sandalwood, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its purity of fruit, has ultra-fine tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. It hit 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, and like many estates today, they utilized quite a bit of press wine (15%) in the final blend. This is clearly up with the finest wines from the appellation and is well worth seeking out."

FALSTAFF: "Leuchtendes dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Feine Röstaromen, ein Hauch von Lakritze, schwarze Waldbeeren, floraler Touch, sehr attraktiv. Stoffig, elegant und seidig, feine Extraktsüße, ein Hauch von Gewürznelken, finessenreicher Säurrebogen, schokoladig-mineralisch im Abgang, feine Tannine, ungewöhnlich lang und harmonisch, delikat, Margaux par excellene."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Deeply colored, the wine opens with violets, lilacs, roses, cigar wrappers, creme de cassis, spice and lavender aromatics in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is pure silk and velvet. There is a beautiful elegance, symmetry, and balance you notice as soon as the wine graces your palate. There is length, purity, and refinement making this effortless to taste. The finish has no edges, leaving you with a wealth of sensuous fruits. Fans of Brane Cantenac should run, not walk, and buy this gem as prices continue to remain reasonable for a wine of this character, and quality. The wine blends 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. The wine is 14.3% ABV, 3.61 pH. The harvest took place September 7 - October 4, with the Carmenere being picked October 10. This is the earliest start to a harvest in the history of the estate. Yields were 31.5% hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced from only 42% of the harvest. Drink from 2027-2055."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A long and very linear red for Margaux with intense freshness and energy. The cabernet sauvignon shows real clarity with blackcurrants and flowers. Crushed stone. Firm and racy with lots of lemon rind and intensity. 74% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 1% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot and 1% carmenere."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: „A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Brane-Cantenac has a pH of 3.61 and there is 15.8% press wine in the blend. It has a deep garnet-purple color and it is a little subdued to start with notes of cedar chest and redcurrant preserves leading the charge, soon giving way to a profound core of crème de cassis, juicy black plums, and candied violets, with a touch of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is simply electric, shimmering with bright, energetic black and red berry layers, supported by super-ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and perfumed. Stunning!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Carmenère and Petit Verdot, the 2022 Brane-Cantenac unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, crème de cassis, black truffles, loamy soil, burning embers and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit, terrific concentration and lively acids, it concludes with a long, perfumed finish. This is a terrific 2022 that may rival or even surpass the 2019 if it realizes all its potential in bottle."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Rich and round. Very gentle texture for a Cabernet-dominated wine, in which it is remarkably difficult to see the tannins. But apparently the IPT (measure of total phenolics, including tannins) is right up there. Henri Lurton agrees that when you taste it you can hardly see the tannins. Sappy and appetising. Persistent."