This is now performing as one of the top Margaux estates. Their latest release shows structure, elegant black fruits and rich tannins. Densely textured and vibrantly fruity, the wine has a fine future. Drink from 2027.
96 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (May 2021)
A quintessential Margaux as well as one of the finest wines I've tasted from this estate, the 2018 Château Brane-Cantenac is based on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all aged in 70% new French oak. Beautiful cassis and mulberry fruits as well as notes of leafy tobacco, spice, cedarwood, and spring flowers emerge from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant, it has loads of fruit, a seamless texture, and a good spine of acidity. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 30 years or more.
95+ points, Jeb Dunnuck (Mar 2021)
The 2018 Brane-Cantenac opens with a super-classic bouquet of dried herbs, pencil shavings, licorice and mint. Medium in body and wonderfully nuanced, Brane-Cantenac marries the natural richness of the year with a classic structural feel. This is one of the most elegant, restrained 2018s readers will come across. I loved it.
95 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Mar 2021)
Aromas of mushroom, meat, bark and iodine with blackberries and blackcurrants, following through to a full body with firm, creamy tannins that give structure and form to the wine. Tight on the finish. Long and persistent with presence. Drink after 2025.
95 points, James Suckling (Mar 2021)
The 2018 Brane-Cantenac is made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up vibrant notions of baked black plums, stewed black cherries, and creme de cassis, with touches of Indian spices, chocolate mints, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, rich, spicy, and seductive, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and opulent.
94+ points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (May 2022)