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Goedhuis, March 2018
Always a favourite of mine and it most certainly didn’t disappoint. Cool minted fresh blackcurrant aromas. This wine is about elegance and harmony and represents quintessential Margaux. Full of subtle sweetness and quite simply exquisite!
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Goedhuis, April 2006, Score: 90-92
Smooth and easy, Brane Cantenac's 2005 is following in the same vein as its recent predecessors,yet taking advantage of 2005's warmth, roundness and underlying minerality. Drink 2015 - 2040.
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Neal Martin, January 2019, Score: 93
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac, which was picked September 17 to October 10, has a suave, elegant bouquet of blackberry, cedar, gravel and tobacco scents, certainly showing more intensity and energy than any of the last five vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine and surprisingly supple tannins that are finally beginning to soften. I love the freshness here, and the wine is less of a curmudgeon than I rudely asserted in the past. It is beginning to loosen its tie, and as such, it’s a vintage to keep an eye on. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château.
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Antonio Galloni, April 2021, Score: 94
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac is fabulous. Effusive and explosive to the core, the 2005 possesses tons of energy and pedigree to burn. Crushed flowers, mint, gravel, red/purplish fruit, sage and mocha abound. In 2005 Brane-Cantenac is remarkably deep and vivid. It also comes across as needing a bit more time to soften. Readers will find one of the most distinguished wines of the Left Bank. I especially admire its drive and mid-weight classicism. Hints of cedar and sweet pipe tobacco linger. 2025-2045
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Robert Parker, June 2015, Score: 95
A sexy, style of wine from the Lurtons at Brane-Cantenac, this wine (a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc) has a stunning nose of forest floor, licorice, blackcurrants, plums and spring flowers. Soft tannin, full-bodied opulence and beautifully textured, lush richness, make for a brilliant wine from this large, 180-acre vineyard. In spite of the wine’s stunning forward fragrance and lushness, the color still looks as if it is 3-4 years old, rather than a decade. This is a big-time winner in 2005 and should drink well for at least another 25+ years. Drink: 2015-2040
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Robert Parker, April 2008, Score: 94
This is the finest Brane-Cantenac I have tasted in over thirty years. Unusually perfumed and already approachable (atypical for most 2005 Medocs), it reveals a deep plum/purple color as well as a stunningly flamboyant bouquet of smoked herbs, licorice, camphor, black cherries, currants, and notions of plums and blackberries. Elegant with silky tannin and medium body, it is clearly a classic statement on the Margaux appellation. While not a powerhouse, it is beautifully concentrated, stunningly balanced, and surprisingly forward. It could be drunk now after several hours of decanting, but it should age easily for 20+ years. Drink: 2008 - 2028.
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Robert Parker, April 2007, Score: 93-95
A magnificent effort, the 2005 is the greatest Brane-Cantenac I have tasted. Even more compelling than it was last year, it admirably demonstrates why this was such a highly regarded property in the middle of the 19th century. Boasting a dense purple color, stunning sweetness, and a glorious perfume of spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, black cherry jam, and blackberries, it is an elegantly styled wine with gorgeous concentration, superb harmony, beautifully integrated tannin and acidity, and an expansive, long finish. Yet, the overall impression is one of finesse, elegance, and serious flavor concentration. While it will undoubtedly last 30 years or more, it is hard to know whether it will close down or become more drinkable. I recommend giving it 3-4 years of bottle age and drinking it over the following two and a half decades. Drink 2010-2035
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Robert Parker, April 2006, Score: 91-93
This dark plum/ruby-tinged Margaux displays a rich bouquet of dried herbs, truffles, meat juices, plums, anise, and black currants. Medium to full-bodied and complex, with a savory, broad, expansive mouthfeel, undeniable elegance, good freshness, and a long, moderately tannic finish, it requires 3-4 years of bottle age (or more if it closes down). It should evolve gracefully for 25+ years. Drink 2009-2031.
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Wine Spectator, April 2006, Score: 89-91
Bright berry and currant aromas with hints of minerals follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Balanced wine.