Margaux de Brane 2021

Critic scores

• James Suckling95
• Vinous95
• Decanter95
• Wine Advocate93
• Jeb Dunnuck91
• Wine Enthusiast90

The 2021 vintage in Margaux

Vintage benchmark: 86/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: Frost, mildew, then a cool summer brought back Bordeaux of old: taut, vibrant wines, shorter but elegant.

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

The nose presents aromas of very ripe strawberries and redcurrants, supported by subtle notes of vanilla. On the palate the attack is supple, round. The wine evolves towards a generous mid-palate, the tannins are round, supple and balanced. A very nice freshness on the finish. What charm!

Blend of the 2021 vintage

Figures from the 2021 sheet

• 15 yrsVine age

Winemaking

Plot selection, cold pre-fermentation maceration, alcoholic fermentation in concrete and stainless steel vats and malolactic fermentation in wooden, concrete and stainless steel vats.

Ageing

Aged in cellars for 12 months.

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.