Chateau Cantenac Brown 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 2023

The 2023 Cantenac Brown opens with gorgeous, captivating aromatics. Crushed flowers, dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and dried autumn leaves are some of the notes that grace this elegant, super-refined Grand Vin. This is the first vintage made in the new cellar, a facility equipped with twice as many tanks as the old winery, in different sizes that allow for smaller picks. The 2023 is a beautiful wine done in a new style for the château, one that showcases an added touch of finesse. Give this a few years to come into its own. Today, Cabernet tannins are a touch imposing.

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.

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.

First year in the new 100% gravity-fed cellar for this superb estate that is increasingly making its presence felt - helped not just by the new eco-concious winery but by the extra 10ha of excellent Margaux terroir, complete with old vine Cabernet Sauvignon on fine gravel, bought in 2020. It's a clear success in 2023, and you'll find plenty of vibrant fruit, majoring on spiced plum and cassis, sinewy tannins, liqourice bud, tobacco, mint and campfire smoke. Conveys coiled energy and will age well. An excellent example of a 94 point 'buy' signal. José Sanfins director.

The 2023 Cantenac Brown, clean, quite refined bouquet with blackberry, cedar and subtle violet scents, the oak neatly integrated and lending the aromatics focus. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, fine acidity, good tension and energy leading to a poised finish and a long aftertaste. Very promising and very sophisticated, this will give a couple of decades' drinking pleasure, possibly more.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Cantenac Brown opens with soft-spoken, savory notes of wild sage, tapenade, and spice box leading to a core of fresh blackberries and black raspberries. The medium-bodied palate delivers expressive black fruit flavors with invigorating red berry accents and a lightly chewy texture, finishing on a peppery note.

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. Drink 2029-2046.