2023 Brane Cantenac, Baron de Brane, 750mL (FUTURES 6pk OWC)

92-93pts James Suckling

A crunchy sense to this, with stone, blackcurrant and blackberry character. Medium body. Mineral and spice coming through on the palate. Creamy-textured finish. 48% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 1% carmenere and 1% petit verdot.

92pts Jane Anson

Baron de Brane once again sets the bar high once again in terms of 2nd wines, with fragrant floral aromatics, nuance and depth from the attack and continuing through the mid palate, firm a tannins and concentrated black fruits. 20% new oak.

92pts Decanter

Ripe and floral notes on the nose, really quite expressive and open aromatically. There’s a richness to the scents with ripe blackcurrants, cherries and touches of rose and violets too with some milk chocolate. Supple and tart, high acidity, juicy and ripe fruit, with crunchiness, quite lean but there’s great length with freshly picked mint and some cedar and herbal aspects. Crisp and clean, lovely purity and precision. Not so layered or plush but it’s fresh and inviting with lift and a lovely mineral undertone. Accessible. Ageing 12 months, 20% new oak. 14.5 press wine. Almost 100 IPT. 40% of production.

89-91pts Wine Advocate

The 2023 Baron de Brane is lively and generous, offering up aromas of sweet cherries, dark berries and raw cocoa, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate with sweet tannins and lively acids.

89-91pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2023 Baron De Brane is a rock-solid second wine offering some cassis and violet-driven aromatics, medium body, a round, supple mouthfeel, and ripe, integrated tannins.

89-91pts Vinous

The 2023 Baron de Brane is well-defined on the nose with black cherries, wild mint and pencil box scents that are nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a grippy entry. There's backbone on this Deuxième Vin, quite feisty on the finish with decent length. 

- Neal Martin

88-90pts Vinous 

The 2023 Baron de Brane offers up dark-fleshed fruit, new leather, tobacco and incense. There's a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon than in most years, and the Merlot was saignéed. All of these elements yield an attractive wine that is still coming together. Today, the Baron is a bit of a bruiser. 

- Antonio Galloni 

History 

Established in the 18th century, at which time it was known as "Gorce", this large estate is located on the best gravelly outcrops of Cantenac. A century before the 1855 classification, it was considered one of the best second growths in the Médoc. In 1833, Baron de Brane (called "Napoleon of the Vines") sold his estate in Pauillac, Brane-Mouton, and bought Gorce, which he renamed "Brane-Cantenac", ten years later.

Lucien Lurton's grandfather acquired the estate in 1925, and was succeeded by his grandson in 1956. Lucien Lurton's son, Henri, currently manages the estate and puts all his efforts into producing a great Margaux in each and every vintage, reflecting Brane-Cantenac's superb vineyard soil.