Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Château Cantenac Brown 2023 – Margaux, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
Shockingly high-performing 2023 showing precision, finesse, and immediate pleasure well beyond expectation, an outstanding blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, delivering a dangerously complete Margaux that already behaves like a future benchmark while still promising upside with time.

Aromas & Flavors
Explosive aromatics of red cherry, raspberry coulis, wild strawberry, rose petal, subtle vanilla, light cocoa dust, fine cedar spice, and polished mineral tones.

Mouthfeel
Silky, flowing, and beautifully balanced with fine-grained tannins, graceful mid-palate lift, energetic drive, and a lingering yet perfectly measured finish that dances rather than weighs.

Food Pairings
Duck breast with cherry glaze, herb-crusted rack of lamb, filet mignon, mushroom risotto, aged Comté or Gruyère.

Verdict
A stunning overachiever that combines immediate drinkability with elite structure and elegance. Precision, aromatic intensity, and textural finesse place this firmly among the top Margaux performers of the vintage.

🍷 Personal Pick
This wine positively shocked me, had to enjoy few glasses just to believe it. Pure finesse, graceful flow, and championship-level balance already. Will get more bottles of this vintage with confidence. — 4 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.3

Deep purple color. Aromas of red and black fruit, floral notes, leather and dusty earth. Plum on the palate, blackberry and herbal notes. Ridiculously good for $65. — 10 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2017 vintage. Winemaker Jeff Gaffner is sourcing this fruit from the original block of this vineyard and only one of three winemakers doing so. Big, brusque nose. Some candied fruit, some usual suspects (cola nut, rhubarb, caramelized cranberry, dark plum and cherry) oot und aboot. Both finesse and power evident during the experience. I will say this wine is waay underpriced relative to the market and a banging value. 3.18.23. — 3 years ago

James Bruntfield

9.5

Delicious — 6 years ago

Ben LaBolt

9.1

Very rich but very good — 7 years ago

Joel Pennington #❤️🐢🍷

Owner/Winemaker Slow Turtle Vineyard

9.3

Interesting profile: dried cherries, granny smith, cedar box, with a hint of a big red wine (AUS Shiraz, etc.). Not a lot of carbonation, would have liked to have opened a bottle a year ago to see what role aging has played (bottled 1/16/15). — 8 years ago

John Berggren

9.5

Wonderful 2016 bottle. Soft tannins, plum and subtle berries. Delightful finish. — 4 months ago

Some Dude

9.0

Wonderful lush blue fruit. Moderate tannin and moderate acidity. We had a spicy zaalouk and it was a magnificent pairing. Great winemaking by a historic winemaker. — 6 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2017 vintage. Lighter color along with light-medium body. A bit dirty about the collar and slightly unkempt. Inexpensive for the quality. Tobacco, dirt and red fruit flitting here and there. Definitely not your average, Sonoma plushy/rich, fruit-bomb. 01.15.25. — a year ago

Peter James

9.0

BHM Wine Tasting @ Netflix — 3 years ago

Jennifer Urmston

9.5

Really good! — 5 years ago

Kimberly Jamrozek

10

Mmm. . . The family picked this up at a tasting at our new favorite butcher shop. More on the sweet side for a pinot but still flavorful. Hmmm may have to check my Napster for an accompanying Zac Brown hit for ambience. — 7 years ago

Scott Soren

9.0

Berries. Lots of berries — 8 years ago

Isil Bayman

9.0

Uccle, Brussels, Belgiul — 5 months ago

with Hakan

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Brio de Cantenac Brown – 2020
Margaux, Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
Brio is the second wine of Château Cantenac Brown, offering a more accessible take on Margaux. This 2020 vintage is composed of 62% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Cabernet Franc, aged in French oak (25% new) to balance fruit, structure, and approachability. 
Aromas & Flavors
Juicy red fruits—raspberry, red currant—merge with cedar, baking spice, and subtle floral lift. Earthy and graphite tones bring depth.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full body, with soft but persistent tannins. The wine opens smoothly and finishes long with fruit and spice echoing.

Food Pairings
Roast lamb, duck breast, mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses. Also pairs beautifully with charcuterie.

Verdict
A concentrated, value-driven Margaux that shows the pedigree of Cantenac Brown. The 2020 Brio balances power and elegance — drink now or cellar for 8–12 years. 🍷 cheers!

Did You Know? 📌
Second wines (like Brio) are often sourced from younger vines or lots not selected for the Grand Vin, yet in 2020 Cantenac Brown treated it with care: the blend leans more Merlot than the Grand Vin to give earlier approachability. — 8 months ago

Lesli Hopkins

9.5

Another Brown to love. — 2 years ago

DAL 9000

9.3

Big bold dark fruits plums and blackberries up front. Bold but creamy. Undertones of chocolate and tannins. Long and lush. Layers and complex. — 4 years ago

Catherine Leith

9.7

Love this. Tons of flavour. Vanilla, brown sugar, toasted oak. Pairs well with food but also great on its own. — 6 years ago

Kristin Johnson Bogue

9.2

Awesome!!! Great with and without food. — 7 years ago

Joe Mar

9.2

Classic. Great character, good depth, clean finish — 8 years ago