Ratings & Tasting Notes
James Suckling (96/100)
“Gorgeous blackberry, blackcurrant and tapenade aromas follow through to a medium body with super-integrated tannins that are very refined. The thick, polished, silky texture is impressive. Best ever from here. Drink after 2029.”
Falstaff (96/100)
“Dark ruby in colour with purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the ochre rim. On the nose, aromas of dark fruits of the forest, a hint of liquorice, candied orange zest, and some vanilla and tobacco. The palate is juicy, and elegant, with good freshness, fine tannins, ripe cherry fruit and a delicate sweetness on the persistent finish. Already drinkable, with great potential for ageing.”
Jeff Leve – The Wine Cellar Insider (95/100)
“Deeply colored, the wine shows off its violets, lilacs, licorice, black cherry, and currant character with a single swirl. On the palate, the wine is rich, lush, polished, creamy, and loaded with black, red and blue fruits. There is length, opulence, and layers of ripe, sweet, pit fruits that linger. The wine is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot. 13.8% ABV, 3.64 pH. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced using only 52% of the harvest. Picking took place September 7 – September 27. Drink from 2027-2055.”
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate (95/100)
“Bottled in late June 2024, the 2022 Cantenac Brown has turned out well in bottle, exhibiting a complex bouquet of plums, dark berries and cherries, mingled with hints of pen ink, violets and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, dense and pure, with a rich chassis of sweet, integrated tannins, this is a serious, complete Margaux that’s built for the cellar.”
Decanter (96/100)
“Ripe and filling, I love the almost instant hit of cool but juicy blue fruits and salty liquorice that expands onto the palate and settles on the finish. Tannins support the fruit, adding texture and depth to the expression, but this retains a sleek frame and direct core of flavour. Lovely energy and focus with precision. It’s a little more streamlined than some others in Margaux, less bouncy, and more sleek but nicely detailed without any one element being over the top.”
Wine Enthusiast (95/100)
“Another beautifully rendered expression of the vintage, this marries lush boysenberry and blackberry fruit with fresh violet and iris notes, then stitches it all up gently with warm earth on the stylish, lengthy finish. It’s hard to lay off already, but cellaring is warranted. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2038. 9,000 cases made.”
A beautifully classic Margaux Grand Cru Classé
The estate
Château Cantenac-Brown was built in the early 19th century by John-Lewis Brown in the commune of Cantenac. The property is built in the English Tudor style, in memory of Brown’s Scottish origins. Year after year, the magnificent Margaux Cru Classé gains in international reputation for the quality of its terroir and its wines. At the end of 2019, Château Cantenac-Brown enters a new era in its history following its acquisition by the Le Lous family. Major investment and restructuring will be carried out, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, to further enhance the excellence of this reputed Margaux Cru Classé.
The vineyard
Château Cantenac Brown is a Margaux wine from a 60-hectare vineyard on the Margaux and Cantenac plateaux. Under the direction of José Sanfins, the vineyards are managed with respect for the environment. The soils are tended in the traditional way to encourage microbial life and chemical balance. Only plant-based fertilisers are used. Thanks to the technical teams’ dedication, each vine stock receives its own special attention.
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon (69%)
Merlot (31%)
