Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 7 years ago

David Celichowski

9.0

Bright cherry, almost juicy like — 9 years ago

Judy Gern

9.0

Lots going on with this - don't think I've had a blanc de blanc quite like this before. Really good! — 9 years ago

Christina Gibbs

9.2

I adore Jura. And so much more now... — 10 years ago

with Marvin

Maël Camerlynck

9.7

Good little wine... — 11 years ago

Paul Courtright

9.5

Danke Ludwig! — 12 years ago

Alain Joaris

9.6

Wonderful for a sunny aperitif. — 13 years ago

Marcio Morelli

9.3

Dég 04/Oct/2016
33.000 bouteilles chaque année
Grand Crus Avize, Cramant et Oger
Chard 3 années successives. — 7 years ago

Neil Cornish

9.1

Inviting, fruity nose. Much more chalky and austere on the palate. Cool bubbles — 8 years ago

with Michael, Jon and 1 other

David J. H. Ruiz

9.5

1/20/2017: Degustation CA Grand Crus — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The first of 34 Grand Crus from the 2013 vintage. A mammoth task but someone has to do it. All tasted blind. First bracket of 7 whites - all pale lemon in colour. Notes of sweet citrus and trademark oyster shell. Also a touch of honey. Long. — 8 years ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.1

Yummmm. Montrio in Monterey is rocking some great wines. This one from my buddies at balanced wine selections... stunning stuff. Lots of citrus, brimming with acidity. Mandarin orange like the little hard candied kind. Great length and way better than most villages. Sits between a couple premier crus (lechet and sechet).::: nice — 8 years ago

with Christian

Laurie Ison

9.0

Fruity, buttery lovely wine for a warm summer evening. Light crisp. Nice. — 9 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

Lovely wine still has a few years to go, yet with a bit of air it opens up and show its lovely character. Deep red with light brawn rims, lovely rich nose, black currents, coffee, leather, cassis, chocolate and a touch of tea leaves, full body, dry round tannins,great acidity, lovely mouth filling structure, delicious finish. A truly well made wine that had benefitted for 16 years of aging. My score 90, doing better than some nice grad crus of this vintage. Drink to 2021 perhaps longer. — 9 years ago

Anne Selee

9.5

So glad I brought this back from France. 2002 on this is a clean finish. Wow!! — 10 years ago

Matté

Manager The Wine Cellars

9.0

There is a lovely roundness to the green & yellow fruit here, that kind of old barrel character, that comes through on the palate, very smoothed off edges — 10 years ago

Henrik Olofgors

9.1

Ok though not spectacular. Bit metallic. — 11 years ago

Jeff Hollinden

9.7

New Years Eve treat. — 11 years ago

Jamil C Williams

General Manager at Silverlake Wine

9.7

Certainly one of the coolest kids on the block. #Jura #VinJaune — 12 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

The 8th of 9 Grand Crus from Gevrey Chambertin. Medium Ruby in colour with a nose of evocative Red Fruits. Lots of power and sap and Dry Extract also Wood tannins? Similar in power to No. 4. Dry finish. — 7 years ago

Dina

9.5

Aromatic, herbal, amazing for price — 8 years ago

Bryan Thomas

9.3

2014 - one of the better 1er crus — 8 years ago

David J. H. Ruiz

9.5

1/20/2017: Degustation CA Grand Crus — 8 years ago

Eric Hiatt

9.2

Savory. Funk. Delicious. — 8 years ago

with Doris

Brian McMahon

Sales Polaner Selections

9.4

2014
Organic: Practicing
Vineyard: Fourchaume is a 250 acres (100 Ha) vineyard, planted to the left of the Grand Crus. It is arguably the most recognizable and highly reputed of the Chablis 1er Crus.
Orientation: West/Southwest
Soil: Kimmeridgien - limestone
Viticulture: AgriBio certified since 2010. Farms organically and manually works the soils. Grapes are harvested in small cases of 15 kg and are immediately pressed.
Vinification: Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in 50% tank and 50% neutral barrels of varying age.
Aging: Blended wines are aged on the lees for 18 months in combination of vats and barrels.
Notes: Fourchaume produces wines that are distinctly floral and fruity, possessing minerality and delicacy.
RATINGS
Publication: Burghound
Rating: 91
(from Fourchaume and Vaupoulent). A deft but not invisible application of wood set off ripe and fresh aromas of green fruit, pear, apple and quinine wisps. There is excellent richness and volume to the sappy, lush and textured medium weight flavors that possess both good punch and focused power, all wrapped in a clean, dry and ever-so-mildly austere finale. Lovely and a relatively elegant example of the cru. 91/2020+
Publication: Vinous
Rating: 91
Pale, bright yellow. Deeply pitched, youthfully subdued nose hints at nectarine, caraway seed and mint. The most intensely flavored of these 2014s, showing firm acidity and saline minerality for this often exotic premier cru. Offers an enticing balance of citrus and stone fruit flavors and salty lift and finishes with very good subtle length and sneaky energy. — 8 years ago

Pooja Miskin

9.6

Cab franc. Old world. Light. Spicy. Smooth. Great. — 9 years ago

Wine101Hamden

9.0

Pinot drinkers should give Beaujolais Cru some attention. This one has that cassis and funk going on. Medium bodies with smooth tart cherry finish. For only $15, it's a wine with a lot of character and depth. — 10 years ago

Lewis Miller

9.1

Starts off a little strong but really opens up after the first glass. — 11 years ago

Caleb Hopkins

9.9

Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus VS Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Crus — 11 years ago

Lily Davis

French Wine Specialist at Ottorink Weinbar

9.7

Tasty 70% Chardonnay 30% Savignin for summer afternoons. Fresh and full, not oxidized, super tiny production — 12 years ago