Taste & Critical Acclaim: 95 Wine Enthusiast
Review Date: 02/2013
One of the finest wines to come from Cantenac Brown for many years, this is powerful and dense, dominated by Cabernet Franc tannins and fruits. The structure has a smooth, polished character that locates it firmly in Margaux, giving elegance and discreet fruitiness. Age this fine wine for many years. *Cellar Selection* (RV)
94 James Suckling
Review Date: 02/2013
A wine with firm tannins that are polished and reserved yet there's an underlying richness of fruit. Plums, blueberries and citrus character. Some tar too. Juicy and delicious to taste.
94 Wine Advocate
Review Date: 02/2013
The greatest Cantenac Brown I have ever tasted, the 2010 is one for the ages. Dense purple, with an extraordinary nose of sweet forest floor, blackberry jam, pen ink and graphite, this wine soars from the glass, giving it an aromatic dimension and intensity I have never seen from this estate. The tannins are present, as they are in most Cantenac Browns, but the wine’s sweetness, broad, skyscraper-like mouthfeel, dense, purple color and spectacular length (close to a minute) make this a giant classic and a fabulous sleeper of the vintage that still remains under-priced, considering how great its potential may be. This is a wine for those with cold cellars and youthful DNA. It is going to need at least a decade of cellaring and should last for 20-40 years. A classic!
92 Wine Spectator
Review Date: 03/2013
Very fresh, with a bold display of dark blueberry, loganberry and plum fruit aromas and flavors that push ahead, followed by singed spice, black licorice and toasty vanilla bean notes. Displays a polished feel on the finish, kept honest by a buried charcoal accent. Shows plenty of length for the cellar. (JM)
90 Int'l Wine Cellar
Review Date: 08/2013
Bright ruby-red. Sharply delineated if youthfully strict aromas of bitter cherry and violet. Then densely packed and juicy, with very firm underlying structure to the intense, rather cool flavors of cassis, minerals, licorice and herbs. With its firm-edged tannins and serious spine, this wine conveys an impression of medicinal austerity today, but its inner-mouth perfume and length suggest that it will age beautifully. 90(+?) points
JR Jancis Robinson
Review Date: 11/2012
Perfumed cassis. Lightly dusty. Dry finesse to the tannins. Cool and fluid. Not the density or length of many but refreshing.
About: Located in the heart of the Margaux appellation, Château Cantenac Brown is a magnificent Tudor-style estate unique in the Médoc. It was founded by Scottish businessman John Lewis Brown, who bought Domaine in 1803 and entrusted it with this architectural inspiration.
The Château Cantenac Brown will be classified Third Grand Cru Classé in 1855 during the official classification for the Paris Universal Exhibition.
Owned by the Le Lous Family since 2019, the vineyard, situated on magnificent gravel soils conducive to producing great wines, is planted on 60 hectares with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The wines are aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 60% of which are new. A Second wine is produced, Brio de Cantenac Brown.
Since 2011, Château owns 1.80 ha planted to 90% Sauvignon blanc and 10% Sémillon, giving birth to their white wine: Alto de Cantenac Brown.
Very committed to the environment, a new, eco-responsible, all-raw-earth winery is currently under construction for the estate. It will be delivered for the 2023 harvest.
The wines of Château Cantenac deliver a perfect representation of the very best Margaux, opulent, fine and deliciously complex.
