Château Cantenac Brown 2019

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Falstaff

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

The best vintage from Cantenac Brown in a while opens with a showy display of flowers, espresso, thyme, black cherries, plums, tobacco and earthy, aromatics. Richly-textured, with soft, polished tannins and a wealth of deep, ripe, sweet, fresh, dark, red fruits, the wine feels as good as it tastes. The round, supple finish delivers loads of fruits and a touch of chocolate in the endnote. Drink from 2027-2055.

VertdeVin

The nose is fresh, racy, elegant, subtly tight and offers a nice finesse and power of grain. There are notes of pulpy/fresh boysenberry, fresh/crunchy raspberry and more slightly fresh violet combined with hints of red berries, fresh blueberry as well as a fine hint of lily, cocoa/tonka bean, fine hints of bergamot, star anise, discreet hints of toast and a subtle hint of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fresh, mineral, fruity and offers a nice definition, a nice substance/roundness, delicacy, airiness, a fine straightness, fleshiness, freshness as well as a fresh/acidic backbone. All in finesse and elegance. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy raspberry, blueberry and more slightly fleshy blackcurrant combined with hints of fleshy red berries, fresh/crisp blue berries, hints of violet, lily/blueberry as well as fine hints of cocoa, racy minerality, sense of place and a subtle touch of cocoa. Subtle chewiness on the finish. The tannins are elegant and well-conducted. Good length. Nice sapidity on the finish.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2019 Cantenac Brown is a brilliant wine from José Sanfins and his team. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, licorice, loamy soil, burning embers and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with terrific concentration, beautifully refined tannins and a seamless, elegant profile. Given its quality, this remains somewhat under the radar and is well worth a special effort to seek out.

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2019 Château Cantenac Brown is terrific, surpassing the 2018. Lots of ripe black and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, leather, and crushed stone notes define the bouquet, and it's a rich, medium to full-bodied, juicy wine that has the fresher, lively style of the vintage yet still brings beautiful fruit. It doesn't have the tannin quality of the top wines in the appellation, but as I wrote after tasting it from barrel, it's one sexy Margaux. Give it just a few years and enjoy over the following 20 years.

James Suckling

This has subtle aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of just-picked violets, light vanilla, licorice and crushed stones. Forest-floor notes, too. Medium to full body, layers of firm tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Delicious crushed berries on the palate. Compact with a firm finish. Better from 2026.