Château Cantenac Brown 2021

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Vinum Wine Magazine

Wine Review Online

Château Cantenac-Brown, in the Margaux appellation, was designated as a Third Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification and has a long history of fine wine production. Similar to many Bordeaux estates, the château has changed ownership several times over the past century with some periods of underperformance but has re-established its quality reputation in the past two decades. The 2021 Cantenac-Brown is a lovely example of Margaux style. Ripe blackcurrant, black cherry and red cherry fruits are followed by hints of violets, cocoa, roasted coffee and baking spices plus subtle tones of herbs and earth. On the palate, it is impressive for its generous fruit and layering of complex flavors plus the sleek elegance that marks the best Margaux wines. The 2021 Cantenac-Brown is a fine Bordeaux that shows exceptionally well in the difficult 2021 harvest. It can cellar well for another 20 years.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2021 Cantenac Brown has turned out very nicely in bottle, wafting from the glass with notes of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of menthol, licorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a layered core of fruit, sweet tannins and nicely integrated acids, it concludes with a delicately vanillin-inflected finish. This strong performance in a challenging season underlines this property's upward trajectory.

Jeb Dunnuck

Both red and black fruits, chocolate, and some leafy herb notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Cantenac Brown, a nicely textured, medium-bodied, plump, rounded 2021 with good concentration and depth. It's not the most elegant Margaux out there, but I love the overall balance as well as its level of fruit and texture. It should keep for 10-12 years, if not longer. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, aged 16 months in 60% new oak.

James Suckling

Dark chocolate, hazelnuts, tea leaves, herbs and dark berry fruit on the nose. It’s precise and focused, with tight, firm tannins that provide an elegant but solid structure. Sleek and long. 73% cabernet sauvignon and 27% merlot. Try from 2026.