Winemaker Notes
The soul of a great terroir, a radiant, full-bodied, velvety wine for keeping. It stands out by its fresh fruit flavors, its density and its very fine tannins. Its best vintages express freshness, an elegant bouquet of red and black fruits, with opulence and tension on the finish, and spicy undertones.
Blend: 71.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2023 Cantenac Brown is concentrated, ample and generous right out of the gate. Blackberry, incense, new leather, tobacco, menthol and chocolate are all amplified to the maximum. As is often the case, Cantenac Brown is one of the more extroverted wines in Margaux. It's a style that works so well. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2023 needs time to shed some of its baby fat. –Antonio Galloni
Barrel Sample: 93-96 -
James Suckling
A dense wine, showing good concentration, structure and balance. Medium- to full-bodied, with tight but precise tannins and plenty of fresh dark berries. A touch of graphite, tobacco ash and dark chocolate too. Very well done. 71.5% cabernet sauvignon, 1.5% cabernet franc and 27% merlot. Drinkable now but better from 2027.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Cantenac Brown represents a fine vintage to inaugurate the estate's new winery, offering up aromas of sweet cassis, violets and charcoal, framed by new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit framed by rich, sweet tannins, this is a rather muscular but nicely balanced wine built to age with grace. In addition to the estate's new winery, equipped with more vats to permit parcel-by-parcel vinification, the 2023 also benefits from the inclusion of several parcels of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon on the plateau of Margaux that were acquired a few years ago.
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Wine Enthusiast
A smooth, ripe wine,this has a core of serious tannins for aging. Its density,black-currant fruits and richness are promising. This isa serious wine, with licorice aroma and spice from woodaging.
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Decanter
Subtle floral aromatics which made me write - on both occasions that I tasted this 'pretty wine'. When you think of Margaux, you wants floral - and you get that in spades here. The attack is all finesse and elegance, with rather racy tannins and subtle depth expressed in ripe dark and red fruit, but understated. This is the first vintage the estate made wine with its new cellar facilities, which have played a role in both selection and tannin extraction: very important in 2023. The finish is marked by a fruit with more floral elements, albeit I note a touch of rawness in the tannins. In a more successful vintage, one would not have that sense, along with superior mid-palate depth and less restraint, but overall, a lovely Margaux and barrel ageing will smoothen all edges. With just over 38hl/ha, a decent yield for the appellation.
Barrel Sample: 94 -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2023 Château Cantenac Brown is an outstanding effort that rivals—and in some respects surpasses—the estate’s finest recent releases. The wine showcases vivid red and black fruit flavors framed by a discreet, finely judged touch of oak, giving it both clarity and polish. At the table, it shines with turkey porchetta seasoned in true Médoc fashion—garlic, thyme, bay leaf, cracked pepper, and a whisper of allspice—served alongside wild rice enriched with mushrooms and herbs. The pairing underscores the wine’s elegance while drawing out its savory depth. (Tasted: January 22, 2026, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
A restrained style, but there’s a detailed core of red currant, black cherry and blackberry cou- lis, stitched with alder and sandalwood and dotted with iris and savory accents. Fresh, finely beaded acid- ity provides the matrix. Everything is in proportion and shows precision as this plays out through the lengthy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Dense purple/plum-hued, the 2023 Château Cantenac Brown is checks in as 71.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 1.5% Cabernet Franc that was aged 15 months in 60% new French oak. Solid, powerful aromatics of cassis and darker berries are supported by spicy wood, graphite, and sappy floral-like nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has a nicely concentrated mouthfeel, ripe yet present tannins, and outstanding length. It's rock solid and brings impressive depth and richness in the vintage. Hide bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.
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.