Château Brane-Cantenac 2022

An immersive bouquet with hardly any rival in complexity; blackcurrant, cherries, violets, blackberries, the oak never overpowering; on the palate, drive and freshness, an excellent balance of fruit and structure, everything in its place, incredibly crisp, with silky-smooth tannins and an almost endlessly long finish. Pure finesse, outstanding quality.

The 2022 Brane-Cantenac has turned out nicely in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with hints of cigar wrapper, violets and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, layered and velvety, with a lively core of fruit framed by rich, chalky tannins, it displays excellent energy and persistence. This blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Carmenère and Petit Verdot was bottled in July 2024.

Crushed velvet smoothness and almost weightless purity. Gorgeous aromatics – wild flowers, bramble fruit and soft cinnamon. Bright berry fruit, salty mineral touches and a hint of liquorice create charm and depth. This exudes Margaux elegance with bounce, finesse and fleshiness. Already so enjoyable but built to develop further. An utterly delicious wine that captures the essence of the vintage.

So aromatic with blackcurrant, blueberry and violet aromas that follow through to a medium body with ultrafine tannins that are extremely integrated and refined and go on for minutes. Some lead pencil and stone at the end. Very complex and subtle for the vintage. 74% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 1% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot and 1% carmenere. Drink after 2029 and beyond.

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenère, 1% Petit Verdot. Tasted at the château because Henri Lurton left the UGC tastings in 2022. Apparently the Airpulse system for mixing in air and management of the cap during red-wine fermentation (at low temperatures, around 26 °C) has been used here since 2019. Brane-Cantenac was the second to use it after Calon Ségur. Very soft extraction results. Cask sample. 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. (JR)

The 2022 Brane-Cantenac is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur. What a wine. Fresh, brisk and wonderfully vibrant in the glass, the 2022 soars with striking Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics. Graphite, menthol, sage, mint, licorice, dried flowers and a kiss of well-judged oak all meld together in the glass. Great wine is the result of many small decisions taken together, some of which may seem inconsequential on their own. The team led by Technical Director Christophe Capdeville nailed it in 2022. This is a magnificent Margaux that overachieves big time. The 2022 is one of the most finessed wines of the vintage.

The perfume showcases a vibrant array of flowers, cigar wrappers, crème de cassis, spices, cherries, and lavender. On the palate, the wine surpasses expectations with its silky and velvety textures. Elegant, symmetrical, and balanced, the wine flows effortlessly across your palate, exhibiting length, purity, and refinement that make it a pleasure to drink. I suspect tasters will find themselves finishing the bottle far too quickly. The wine blends 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere. Drink from 2028-2060.

Dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and a subtle ochre rim. On the nose, a multi-faceted bouquet, with delicately smoky nuances, some herbal spice, liquorice, and black cherry. The palate is juicy, and elegant, with subtle fruit, fine acidity, ripe tannins, and subtle nougat caramel on the finish, offering freshness and further ageing potential. (25/1, +40, PM).

An undeniable star in Margaux, the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac checks in as a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot. This deep purple-hued beauty offers up a sensational perfume of darker currants and cassis that gives way to more floral, spicy oak and graphite nuances with air. With flawless overall balance, ripe, velvety tannins, terrific purity, and a great finish, this riveting Brane-Cantenac already offers pleasure, yet I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up with 4-5 years of bottle age, only to reemerge later and drink beautifully for 30+ years. It's one of the truly greats in the appellation, and readers will love to have this beauty in the cellar.

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère, pH 3.61, 14.3% vol., 31.5 hl/ha. Densely interwoven bouquet, freshly picked morello cherries, noble cassis spice, violets, light tobacco, Brazilian tobacco, and graphite. On the sublime, well-toned palate with silky texture, finely grained extract, balanced verve, and a tight-knit tannic framework. In the energetic, aromatic finish, black-berry contours, profound terroir spice, and noble astringency. Fantastic performance by Henri Lurton and a clear buy recommendation!

Deep plum colour, a touch of grilled campfire smoke on the aromatics, good lift through the finish, this is so enjoyable, clearly skilled and full of joy. One of the wines of the vintage, totally delivers on En Primeur beauty. Technical director Christophe Capdeville, owner Henri Lurton, 100% new oak for ageing.

A serious nose, imbued with gravitas, dark and virile. On the palate, a natural, bucolic beauty unfolds, evoking a summer garden after the rain. The finish is complex, carried by tannins as silky as the sea water in Sardinia.

Brane-Cantenac 2022 draws on its charm, depth, finesse, and even freshness to lead everyone toward horizons devoted to flavor and pleasure. The nuances of élevage melt into notes of eucalyptus, while aromas of licorice and praline invite you to taste the wine. Dense and creamy from the outset, the wine also shows a saline touch and even takes on a linear character, despite its breadth, while creating a link between fine-grained tannins and a mouthwatering tension. During the en primeur tastings, I asked Henri Lurton if he had told his wine that it was the 2022 vintage. Judging by the result in bottle, I think he still hasn’t told it… the main thing being that we, at least, are in the know. A brilliant, charming, luminous, exciting, seductive, and above all very convincing wine. I have rarely tasted a Brane-Cantenac with so much energy and even incisive touches bolstered by its legendary charm. Pure joy!

The nose is elegant, candid, powerful, with a fine austerity. It reveals notes of small black berries, tobacco and, more lightly, elegant roasted red berries, combined with subtle touches of juniper berries, nutmeg, toasted notes and a discreet hint of tobacco. The palate is fresh, with minerality, a fresh framework, precision, suppleness, a certain gourmandise and a slight spherical feel. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of vibrant blackcurrant, cherry and, more discreetly, elegant roasted red berries, combined with hints of infusion, almost a discreet Mediterranean touch in the background, graphene, star anise and toastiness. Good length. A hint of bourbon vanilla and sweet blond tobacco in the background. Lovely freshness. A fine sappy note in the background. Nice gentle roundness and indulgence.

How far will Brane go? Black color. Intense, delicate, fruity, subtle, complex, and noble nose. Airy from the very first sip, with a wealth of flavors, the wine offers meticulous texture, a melting body, and a rich, rounded mouthfeel. It unfolds, complex and noble, into a long, sappy, deep finish with superb aromatic relief. It's magnificent! Blend: 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère. Alcohol: 14.3% (above average) - pH: 3.61 (below average). Selection: 42% of the harvest.

Creaminess is evident right from the nose, with hints of mint, chocolate, and crushed strawberry. The power of the Brane plateau, combined with the age of the vines—old ones, a fortiori—delivers great tension and remarkable precision. It’s superb and it will outlive us!