Chateau Brane Cantenac Margaux 2013

Description

The 2013 Brane-Cantenac has come on nicely since I last tasted it in barrel, even if it does fall short of recent vintages from Henri Lurton and his team. Certainly it has developed more fruit concentration on the nose: fresh strawberries and redcurrant laced with tobacco. The palate is nicely balanced with fine tannin and well-judged acidity, just a touch of piquancy coming through on the finish. It has developed more heft during barrel ageing and given 3 or 4 years in bottle, should develop into a satisfying mid-term Margaux.

TASTING NOTES
November 2014: Highly aromatic nose with dominant red fruit aromas (strawberry and cherry), floral notes (violet) and spices (vanilla and white pepper). A smooth and elegant attack with a fine mid-palette and complex tannic structure. A long finish with an explosive aromatic return of floral flavours. Excellent freshness and balance.

VINTAGE SUMMARY
Thanks to concerted efforts in the vineyard and the winery, we managed to salvage the 2013 vintage despite very unfavourable weather conditions. Careful sorting eliminated unripe and spoiled grapes, while optical scanning technology came to the fore in this difficult year.
Once again, the early ripening nature of the terroir made all the difference, producing mature, high quality fruit. In the final blending process, the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Plâteau de Brane were chosen above all others for the First Wine.