Baron de Brane 2023

Seductive nose with raspberry, cherry, floral and peppery notes; fruity palate, wild yet composed, perfectly integrated tannins, nothing overwhelms, spicy-bitter finish.

Ripe and floral notes on the nose, really quite expressive and open aromatically. There’s a richness to the scents with ripe blackcurrants, cherries and touches of rose and violets too with some milk chocolate. Supple and tart, high acidity, juicy and ripe fruit, with crunchiness, quite lean but there’s great length with freshly picked mint and some cedar and herbal aspects. Crisp and clean, lovely purity and precision. Not so layered or plush but it’s fresh and inviting with lift and a lovely mineral undertone. Accessible. Ageing 12 months, 20% new oak. 14.5% press wine. Almost 100 IPT. 40% of production.

Cedar, cigar wrapper, spice and red berry aromas create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is round, chocolatey, forward, and soft, with layers of ripe, creamy black cherries, and a touch of dust to the tannins with a bit of peppery spearmint that adds complexity to the endnote. This baby Brane is perfect to enjoy on release while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. The wine blends 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenere, and 1% Petit Verdot, 13.8% ABV. Drink from 2026-2040.

Strong ruby, purple reflections, subtle edge brightening. Fresh plum fruit, a hint of blackberry confit, a touch of orange blossom, inviting bouquet. Juicy, a hint of currant, fresh acidity, mineral, lemon finish, appears light-footed and stimulating despite its power.

Baron de Brane once again sets the bar high for second wines, with fragrant floral aromatics, nuance and depth from the attack through the mid-palate, firm tannins and concentrated black fruits. 20% new oak.