2004 Brane Cantenac

67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 59.4 hl/ha. Highest yield in living memory despite extensive green harvesting. Garnet hue. Discreet nose with a hint of dark fruit. Palate round, fresh and balanced. Light but reasonably fine tannins. Lacks a bit of grip and substance but harmonious. Drink now. (JL)

The 2004 Brane-Cantenac is a delightful wine for the vintage and, as I wrote before, far superior to the previous one. Cropped at 59.4 hl/ha, this was one of the largest yields in living memory, refuting the idea that low yields equal better quality. The nose is very well defined with blackberry, raspberry and tobacco scents alongside succinct oak and undertones of rosemary and sage. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp blackcurrant and blueberry notes, not complex per se but balanced, with a dash of black pepper enlivening the finish. This 21-year-old Margaux is probably à point . Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.

Not the most exuberant wine in the lineup, but this has a quiet beauty and steadiness to it, feels very much like a classic old school Bordeaux, firm tannins, dark fruits, touches of grilled smoke, cedar and mint leaf, juicy on the finish, good quality. In its drinking window but still with the structure to keep going. 70% new French oak for ageing, 3.75ph, harvest September 29 to October 11, 59.4hl/h yield, Jacques Boissenot consultant, Henri Lurton owner and estate director, Christophe Capdeville technical director.