Château Cantenac Brown Margaux 2019 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

This cru has been bought by Simon Halabi, a lover of the Médoc's great wines, who is giving a motivated team, led by the very likeable and talented José Sanfins, the means to improve quality. The latest vintages have all been successful, with wines that are rather full-bodied for margaux, but harmonious in their power. The second wine, brio, lacks a little panache, despite its name, but the estate produces a lovely dry white Bordeaux appellation, called alto.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

This is the last vintage to come out of the current winery, with a new mud building planned for 2023. In the glass, a wine that's typical Margaux in its elegance, both in its aromatic development, with beautiful red fruit aromas marrying delicate spicy and smoky notes, and in its presence on the palate. The very fine, mellow tannins maintain balance, while offering excellent ageing potential. 2026 - 2035

About the domain :

Sponsored by an imposing neo-Tudor château built in the 19th c. by Scottish animal painter John Lewis Brown, this 48-hectare estate, planted on fine gravel in the heart of the appellation, has been given a new lease of life, first by the Axa group and, since 2006, by the Halabi family, who have entrusted its management to José Sanfins.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

This handsome, imposing Margalais estate consistently produces wines of the highest quality, worthy of its ranking. Its dynamic director, José Sanfins, trained at the Cazes school and Axa Millésime, knows how to produce wines that are charming, but also deep and full-bodied (like the Alto white, produced in small quantities). A new owner, the Le Lous family, has even higher ambitions. A further 10 hectares were acquired in 2020, and major modernization work is planned for the production facilities. The cru is not resting on its laurels!

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Now under new ownership, but with the same winemaking team, this estate has produced a wine of great concentration. The tannins are generous, with a dense, dry core that complements the powerful blackcurrant aromas. This wine has great long-term potential.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Subtle aromas of blackcurrant and blueberry with notes of fresh violet, light vanilla, licorice and crushed stone. Hints of forest floor too. A medium-bodied wine with firm tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Delicious crushed berries on the palate. Compact with a firm finish. Best from 2026.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

The bouquet of Cantenac Brown is so intense. It is exceptionally precise and complex. It reveals multiple fruity nuances inspired by blueberries, blackberries, peppermint and licorice. And finally, refreshing hints of eucalyptus. On the palate, the wine stands out for its density and freshness. The tannins give it fullness, while the acid structure ensures a lively, chiselled and precise edge. What harmony, vigor and future in this wine. It's exceptional, and certainly one of the greatest Cantenac Browns ever made... and one of the greatest I've ever tasted! 2026-2049

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is fresh, racy, elegant and subtly tight, offering a lovely finesse and power of grain. There are notes of pulpy/fresh boysenberry, fresh raspberry/sparkling raspberry and, more lightly, fresh violet, combined with hints of bright red berries, berries and fresh blueberry, as well as a fine hint of lily, cocoa/tonka bean, fine hints of bergamot, star anise, discreet hints of toast and a subtle hint of Bourbon vanilla. Fresh, mineral and fruity on the palate, with lovely definition, substance/roundness, delicacy, airiness, fine uprightness, fleshiness, freshness and a fresh/acidic structure. All finesse and elegance. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy raspberry, blueberry and, more lightly, fleshy blackcurrant, combined with touches of fleshy red berries, fresh/crisp blue berries, hints of violet, lily/blueberry, as well as fine hints of cocoa, racy minerality, a sense of place and a subtle hint of cocoa. Subtle chewiness on the finish/persistence. Elegant, well-managed tannins. Good length. Nice sapidity on the finish/persistence.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Cantenac Brown's best vintage in a while opens with a display of flowers, espresso, thyme, black cherries, plums, tobacco and earthy aromas. Rich in texture, with soft, polished tannins and an abundance of deep, ripe, sweet, fresh and dark red fruit, the wine is as good as it is enjoyable to drink. The round, supple finish offers plenty of fruit and a touch of chocolate on the finish. 2027-2055