Château Brane Cantenac 2009

Critic scores

• James Suckling96
• Jeb Dunnuck95
• Vinous94
• Decanter94
• Wine Enthusiast94
• Wine Advocate91

The 2009 vintage in Margaux

Vintage benchmark: 98/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: A sun-drenched season from start to finish gave opulent, fleshy wines, immediately appealing yet built for the cellar.

Overall reading of the year’s season across Margaux. An estate can depart from it sharply, in frost or hail years, where two neighbours did not make the same vintage. What this particular wine actually gave is on its technical sheet and in the scores above.

Tasting

Very seductive, this wine opens with notes of blueberry, flowers, undergrowth, coffee and minerals. Rich and melting on the palate, it is elegant and generous. It ends with a very distinguished touch of sweet spices and liquorice wood.

Blend of the 2009 vintage

Figures from the 2009 sheet

• 13 % vol.Alcohol
• 48 hl/haYield
• 35 yrsVine age
• 150,000 bottlesProduction

Ageing

18 months in oak, including 60 to 70% new barrels

Food pairings

To pair with: White and red meats, cheeses.

Terroir

Historically recognised as one of the greatest in the Médoc, the terroir of Brane long earned the property the description of first of the seconds. The heart of the property is a 45-hectare block, unchanged for three centuries. The very deep gravel (12 m) has a high clay content. It ensures a sufficient water reserve throughout the year while its compactness limits the amount of water the plant takes up. The water table is very deep here (5 to 6 m), allowing the roots to develop deep down. The upper layers of the soil, sandier, tend to saturate quickly during heavy rain. Much of the water then runs off, thanks to the topography.