2004 Brane Cantenac
Buying options
Tasting notes
Dark in color, with lots of tar and sweet tobacco character. Full-bodied, with a light herbal character, silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly disappointing for this estate. Best after 2007. 12,500 cases made. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 2007
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Sweet ripe black fruits – plums as well as cassis - with a subtle vanilla note. Smells riper than the other Margaux wines tasted thus far. Chalky textured tannins but not drying. Classic if unexceptional.Julia Harding, www.jancisrobinson.com, 17 Feb 2009
A beauty from the Margaux appellation, this savory, floral, plum, cherry, and black currant-scented 2004 exhibits wonderful sweetness, medium body, and enough fresh acids to provide definition. An ethereal quality results in a pure, seductive wine that should drink well for 12-15+ years. How good it is to see this famous estate back on track. Wine Advocate.June, 2007
Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the chateau, the 2004 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. It has an agreeable, "classic" bouquet with tobacco-infused redcurrant and cranberry fruit that is well-defined and gains intensity in the glass, a distant autumnal woodland scent in the background developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, supple tannin, a fine line of acidity, the finish moving towards secondary flavors with hints of brown sugar, tobacco and a hint of dried blood. This is a fine Margaux for the vintage and it should offer another decade of pleasure. Tasted April 2015. Dec 2016, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Château Brane-Cantenac has been a consistent performer in the Margaux wine appellation since Henri Lurton took over the property, but thanks to replanting and investment in the last decade, quality has seen another sharp upswing.