Château Cantenac Brown 2020

Ripe, rounded and suave in feel, with alluring waves of cassis and dark cherry reduction laced with sandalwood, black tea and violet notes. Broad, velvety and perfumed through the finish, with a subtle sanguine hint echoing late. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2038. 10,416 cases made.

An enveloping nose of pure and rich plum, cassis, graphite, smoky aspects and hints of oak. A great year to include old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon from the plateau of Margaux that had been acquired earlier in 2020; the palate has supple tannins and clean fruit purity and surpasses, for example, the hotter 2022 vintage. It also shows more impressive depth compared to prior excellent vintages like 2016 or especially 2010. A baby, this wine needs air to improve its expression which, after about one hour in the glass, reveals beguiling wet stone and eucalyptus. Very promising, as a wine to cellar for another decade while you enjoy back vintages like 2009. Long finish.

Plenty of blackberry, spice, iron and crushed lead pencil aromas follow through to a full body with chewy, velvety tannins and a rather cool side to it. Crushed stone and slate undertones. Try after 2026.

The 2020 Cantenac Brown is a knock-out. A Margaux of towering intensity, the 2020 is dense and vertical at the same time. It’s a combination that works so well. Dark cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves all saturate the palate. There's real depth and concentration here from the summer heat and small size of the berries, but at the same time the 2020 has more freshness and energy than some recent years. There have been quite a few changes here in recent years, starting with a new parcel on the Margaux plateau that entered the blend in 2019 and a move towards lower toast levels in the barrels. Cantenac Brown remains a potent, opulent Margaux, but 2020 has a measure of classicism as well. Superb.

Deep, dark and rich, the wine is packed from start to finish with layers of lush, polished, ripe, sweet, pure, black and dark red fruits, flowers, espresso, hints of chocolate and oceanic influences. There is a beautiful sense of symmetry, purity, freshness, length and lift that already expresses its essence. The finish continues with its layers of ripe, opulent, yet refined fruits. This is a top vintage for Cantenac Brown that will age gracefully for 2-3 decades. Drink from 2026-2055.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, deep core, delicate rim brightening. Delicate liquorice and nougat, black cherries in the background, a touch of noble wood in the background. Juicy, freshly structured, red cherries, fine tannins, mineral, subtle sweetness, balanced and charming, shows good length, already developed and drinkable, a charming food companion. (2025-2050).

The 2020 Château Cantenac Brown showed beautifully and is a serious, concentrated, powerful Margaux that’s going to need bottle age. Ripe blackcurrants, toasty oak, ripe tobacco, and dried flower notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium- to full-bodied richness, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It shows the more focused, slightly understated style of the vintage, yet everything is in the right place, it has terrific purity, and it’s just a brilliant Margaux. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it never put a foot wrong. It will hit its prime drinking window in 7–8 years and evolve for two decades.

Restrained start, delicate red-berry contours, cedar and light tobacco. On the straight-lined palate with a soft texture, a supporting grainy tannin framework, and a sinewy body. In the encapsulated finish, small black berries, juniper and finely crumbly extract.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: Restrained, herbal bouquet, red cherries, wood, red plums, smoke. Medium-bodied, bourgeois palate with fresh fruit, finely sandy tannins, a slender structure, light aromatics, and a light finish.

Restrained, austere bouquet, red cherries, wood, red plums, smoke. Medium-bodied, bourgeois palate with fresh fruit, finely sandy tannins, a slender structure, light aromatics, light finish. 17/20 2026 - 2038

Consistently impressive Margaux estate, not the most exuberant of wines in this vintage, with a serious tannic structure that hides understated power. There is a lot to enjoy here, and a ton of ageing potential, with cassis and bilberry fruits, bitter chocolate, fennel and spiced sandalwood, softened by crushed roses and peony as it opens. Good quality, needs time. 60% new oak. New owner Tristan le Lous as of 2019, and this wine also includes the new 9.5ha vines from Château Charmant and la Galiane (bought in July 2020), harvest September 10 to 30, José Sanfins director.

The 2020 Cantenac Brown is deep garnet-purple in color. It flows easily from the glass with

92-93

Perfectly aligned with the style of the cru, showing a lovely generosity of fruit that defines it and an unabashed indulgence that makes it very seductive. The fine notes of dark fruit and the well-planted finish make it a solid classic.

A mysterious, powerful nose of dark fruits, nuts and wild berries, evoking the feeling of entering a dark forest and walking on a thick carpet of moss. On the palate, great clarity and a monumental stature, like a swan’s wings unfurling in the mouth, with an enveloping texture of feathers that are both light and strong. A lot of class.

A superb sense of precision, detail and subtlety in this wine. In-depth work has been undertaken by José Sanfins; this is nothing new, but as time goes on, Cantenac Brown is increasingly fulfilling its ambitions for precision and relevance. This is thanks to its tannins, which stand out for their compact, tight-knit character and give the whole palate excellent structure. The wine is deep, dense, accomplished and persistent. A great success.

95–97. Barrel Sample. This grand estate that recently changed hands has produced a seriously promising wine. Bold black fruits and dark tannins are just beginning a fine interplay, reinforced by the wine's acidity. Expect a good future for the wine.