Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A bit smoky on the nose with good rich fruit and some graphite and dark spices. Medium- to full-bodied with tightly wound tannins and a solid finish. Barely any evolution. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot and 8% cabernet franc.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Brane-Cantenac has a quintessential bouquet for the estate with black fruit laced with cedar, scorched earth and a touch of leather, nicely defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite "solid" in the mouth with impressive persistence. "Classic" in style, yet conveying focus and pleasing linearity, this is a fine Margaux for an off-vintage. Tasted February 2017.
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Wine Enthusiast
Very modern and polished in style, this wine goes for the soft, juicy fruit characters. The tannins are sweet, equally soft, already delicious in character, finishing with smoky cranberry and black currant flavors.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Silky, seductive and polished are the words that characterize the best wines from Margaux, the most inland appellation of the Médoc on the Left Bank of Bordeaux.
Margaux’s gravel soils are the thinnest of the Médoc, making them most penetrable by vine roots—some reaching down over 23 feet for water. The best sites are said to be on gentle outcrops, or croupes, where more gravel facilitates good drainage.
The Left Bank of Bordeaux subscribes to an arguably outdated method of classification but it is nonetheless important in regards to history of the area. In 1855 the finest chateaux were deemed on the basis of reputation and trading price—at that time. In 1855, Chateau Margaux achieved first growth status, yet it has been Chateau Palmer (officially third growth from the 1855 classification) that has consistently outperformed others throughout the 20th century.
Chateau Margaux in top vintages is capable of producing red Cabernet Sauvignon based wines described as pure, intense, spell-binding, refined and profound with flavors and aromas of black currant, violets, roses, orange peel, black tea and incense.
Other top producers worthy of noting include Chateau Rauzan-Ségla, Lascombes, Brane-Cantenac, and d’Issan, among others.
The best wines of Margaux combine a deep ruby color with a polished structure, concentration and an unrivaled elegance.