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Château Brane-Cantenac Grand Cru Classé Margaux 2005

Reviews

96 -James Suckling -

Good aromas of dark cherries, black currants and a touch of graphite. Minimal evolution, with an almost full body. There is still lots of harmony, with fine, firm tannins and a nicely fluid center palate. The drinkability and balance are the keys, with a long and lightly peppery finish. Graceful. 51% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 6% cabernet franc. Drink or hold. From a vertical tasting at the winery.

95 -Jeb Dunnuck -

Red and black currants, smoked tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone define the aromatics of the 2005 Château Brane-Cantenac, a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was aged 18 months in 70% new French oak. Medium to full-bodied, it has a ripe, round, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. An incredibly powerful, concentrated Brane, this is a beautiful, gorgeous 2005 that has so much to love and has another 20 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2046. The 2005 was harvested from September 17 to October 10, hitting 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.64.

94 -Wine Enthusiast -

93 -Vinous -

The 2005 Brane-Cantenac is a renowned vintage. When Henri Lurton asked his father if he had witnessed a similar one, he replied 1928…when he was just two years old! Brane-Cantenac stepped up a level with this vintage, dialling up fruit intensity a little without compromising delineation and focus. With blackberry, tobacco and touches of cedar in the background, this is very classy. The palate is medium-bodied and very well balanced with gentle grip, more density and backbone than previous vintages and a precise finish that Lurton was able to build upon in future vintages. Long and tender for the vintage, this is a marvellous Brane-Cantenac that will give 15 to 20 years of drinking pleasure.

92+ -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château, the 2005 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. It has a focused, conservative (for the vintage) nose with gravel-tinged red berry fruit intermingling with cedar, graphite and pine needle scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm structure and unlike the bottle tasted in January, which I declined to score, there is no green streak on the finish. It is very backward and some might describe it as curmudgeonly. Personally I would not touch it for another five years, even though apparently it is beginning to open according to Henri Lurton. No, I would afford it another two or three years in bottle and let's see where we are then. Tasted April 2015.

92 -Wine Spectator -

Technical Details

Blend 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc
Winemaker Henri Lurton
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Sub Region Left Bank
Appellation Margaux
Vineyard Estate vineyards of Château Brane-Cantenac, Second-Growth (2ème Grand Cru Classé)
Farming Method Sustainable Practices
Oak 70% new French oak barrels
Aging / Cooperage 18 months
Alcohol 13%
Production 15,000 cases

Château Brane-Cantenac Grand Cru Classé Margaux 2005

Name: Château Brane-Cantenac Grand Cru Classé Margaux 2005
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1014960
Price: 99.95 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Bordeaux Blends | Bordeaux

JS96, JD95, WE94, VN93, WA92+, WS92

Sustainable Practices

$250.00

$99.95

750ML

60% OFF RETAIL!

The 2005 is one of the great Bordeaux vintages of the modern era, and Brane-Cantenac seized the moment beautifully: James Suckling gave it 96 and Jeb Dunnuck 95. Margaux at its most perfumed and elegant, with violet, dark fruit, and that ethereal floral lift that defines the appellation, all wrapped in a structure that's still very much in stride. Nearly 20 years in and this wine still has plenty to say.

About The Producer

Long considered an underperformer relative to its Second Growth pedigree, Brane-Cantenac has quietly engineered one of the more compelling quality revivals in Margaux. The estate's origins stretch back to the early 18th century, but it was Baron Hector de Brane — the self-styled "Napoleon of the Vines" — who gave it its name and its reputation in the 19th century, reportedly selling off what would become Château Mouton Rothschild to finance his ambitions here. The Lurton family has owned the estate since the 1920s, and since Henri Lurton took over in 1992, he has poured energy into understanding and mapping the plateau de Brane's distinctive gravel terroir. The recent vintages, particularly 2015, 2018, and 2020, show a weight and aromatic precision that have finally caught up with the address — elegant, floral Margaux with real depth, worth seeking out at a price well below its classified peers.

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