Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2016 (RP:96-98)

Since Henri Lurton took over in 1992, he has made it his mission to produce the best possible wine, reinforcing Brane’s position as a second classified growth in 1855.
The result is a fine wine that perfectly expresses its remarkable terroir.

Appellation:
AOC Margaux, Bordeaux

Country of Origin:
Bordeaux, France

Classification: 
Second Growth

Type:
Red/Rouge (Still)

Grape Variety:
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Carmenere

Ageing:
Maturing in 75% new oak and 25% one-year-old barrels for 18 months.

Tasting Notes: 
The 2016 Brane-Cantenac is  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.