Château Cantenac Brown 2019

Quite marked by the élevage at this stage, yet with clearly evident qualities: flesh, juiciness, freshness and breed. Do not open too early; it needs some time to mature.

Shows the hallmarks of the vintage, with steeped plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit paste flavors that are broad and lush, while singed wood, violet and anise notes filter in. Features underlying freshness, with finely beaded acidity providing support. A step ahead. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2035. 9,583 cases made.

Engaging aromas of crisp, clean blue fruit and cassis with distinct Cabernet-driven graphite and iodine freshness make this wine quite appealing. It lacks the depth of the 2020, but makes up for that with mid-palate juiciness and lovely peony floral aspects in the medium finish.

This has subtle aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of just-picked violets, light vanilla, licorice and crushed stones. Forest-floor notes, too. Medium to full body, layers of firm tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Delicious crushed berries on the palate. Compact with a firm finish. Better from 2026.

The 2019 Cantenac Brown is flashy and opulent, while also conveying the slightly cooler nature of the year vis-à-vis 2018. A big, heady Margaux, Cantenac Brown is endowed with tremendous pedigree and class. Expressive savory accents round out the potent, brooding finish. The 2019 has a ton to offer. It’s a fine effort by the team led by José Sanfins. Tasted twice.

The best vintage from Cantenac Brown in a while opens with a showy display of flowers, espresso, thyme, black cherries, plums, tobacco, and earthy aromatics. Richly textured, with soft, polished tannins and a wealth of deep, ripe, sweet, fresh, dark red fruits, the wine feels as good as it tastes. The round, supple finish delivers loads of fruits and a touch of chocolate in the endnote. Drink from 2027–2055.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening. A hint of spice and oak, blackberry and fresh orange zest, floral notes. Juicy, fresh and elegant, lively structure, fine tannins, pleasant sweetness on the finish, a hint of nougat, harmonious and well persistent, a multi-faceted companion at the table.

The 2019 Château Cantenac Brown is terrific, surpassing the 2018. Lots of ripe black and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, leather, and crushed stone notes define the bouquet, and it's a rich, medium- to full-bodied, juicy wine that has the fresher, lively style of the vintage yet still brings beautiful fruit. It doesn't have the tannin quality of the top wines in the appellation, but as I wrote after tasting it from barrel, it's one sexy Margaux. Give it just a few years and enjoy over the following 20 years.

Purple with a ruby rim. Seductive wild-berry bouquet, light dark tobacco and a delicate hint of grenadine. On the firm palate, a silky texture at first, then the tannins grip; the body thus feels sinewy and slightly lean, with a more brittle extract. In the focused finish, a full basket of blackcurrants, juniper and delicate graphite notes lingers long on the aftertaste. Really well made this year – strong potential!

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, production 140,000 bottles) Subtle, velvety, refined bouquet, red blackberries, currants, fine woods, mocha. Medium-bodied, fruity palate with creamy fruit, finely powdery tannins, sweet aromatics, velvety structure, long, delicately bitter finish.

Velvety texture, medium-bodied bouquet, cassis, blueberries, fine woods, licorice, coffee beans. Balanced, refined palate with fresh fruit, fine tannins, dark aromatics, a silky, muscular structure, and a subtly bitter finish. 17/20 2026 - 2045

Plenty to get your teeth into here, with textured damson and black cherry fruit. It feels deft and well-crafted, with a confident tannic frame and enticing layers of espresso and dark chocolate. Tristan le Lous is the new owner of this property as of this vintage, with José Sanfins remaining as CEO and Technical Director. 60% new oak, with 51% of overall production going into this wine. Eric Boissenot is the consultant.

The 2019 Cantenac Brown has a deep garnet-purple color. It sings of black cherry compote, wild blueberries, and dark chocolate, leading to hints of violets, underbrush, and menthol. The medium-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating blue and black fruits, with firm, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Classic Margaux.

Only one sample tasted, and blind. The wine did not lack body but lacked immediate fruit expressiveness. The tannin was not drying, perhaps under the influence of a slight reduction that is, for now, simplifying the bouquet. We will naturally taste it again.

2019 confirms its fine form: it is solid and dense, with promising, juicy, well-balanced substance and high-quality, fine-grained tannins. Still a bit tight, it clearly has strong potential.

The nose is rather closed and timid, though it hints at concentrated black-berry notes and small flowers. On the palate, it’s a different story: the wine is suave, sophisticated, with velvety, almost chewable tannins. The wine seems to have entered a closed phase today, but no doubt to dazzle us all the more in a little while.

Logo on the cork: JL (Lafitte Liège) Beautiful deep, intense, purple-tinged red. Highly aromatic nose, fine, fruity, pure and subtle. Refined touch of blackberry jelly. Gains depth when swirled in the glass. Supple on entry, very refined on the palate, with plenty of flavor and an endlessly silky flow; the wine retains its qualities through to the finish, where it stretches out very long. It’s superb and new.

97–95. Barrel Sample. Now under new ownership, but with the same winemaking team, this estate has produced a wine with great concentration. The tannins are generous in feel, showing a dense, dry core that sits well with the powerful black currant fruits. It has great long-term potential.