BriO de Cantenac Margaux 2018 - Second vin

This estate was acquired by Simon Halabi, a lover of fine Médoc wines, who has provided a motivated team—led by the very friendly and talented José Sanfins—with the resources to improve quality. The most recent vintages have all been successful: wines that are rather full-bodied for Margaux but harmonious in their power. The second wine, Brio, lacks a bit of panache, despite its name, but the estate produces a lovely dry white wine under the Bordeaux appellation, called Alto.

Dominated by an imposing Neo-Tudor-style castle built in the 19th century by the Scottish wildlife painter John Lewis Brown, this 48-hectare estate, planted on beautiful gravel soils in the heart of the appellation, has enjoyed a renaissance—first thanks to the Axa Group and, since 2006, under the leadership of the Halabi family, who entrusted its management to José Sanfins.

This beautiful and imposing Margaux estate consistently produces high-quality wines worthy of its classification. Its dynamic director, José Sanfins—who trained at the Cazes and Axa Millésime schools—knows how to craft wines that are charming, yet also deep and rich (as exemplified by the white Alto, produced in small quantities). A new owner, the Le Lous family, has even higher ambitions. An additional 10 hectares were acquired in 2020, and major modernization work on the production facilities is planned. This estate is not resting on its laurels!

The 2018 BriO from Cantenac Brown is dark, full-bodied, and enveloping. Notes of black cherry, chocolate, spices, leather, espresso, and tobacco burst from the glass in this sumptuous, exotically ripe second wine from Cantenac Brown. Juicy and supple, the 2018 BriO will be a delight to drink right from the start.

The wine is very rich and lively, with a lovely brightness and an underlying freshness to its black and blue fruit notes. It has a warm, spicy structure and a medium- to full-bodied profile. It’s a lovely second wine.

The nose is elegant, refined, and fruity, offering freshness and a touch of complexity. It features notes of fresh, crisp blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, and, more subtly, wild strawberry, combined with delicate hints of gray pepper, flowers, and subtle toasty notes. On the palate, the wine is fruity and balanced, with lovely definition, fine-grained texture, rich flavor, a mineral backbone, subtle juiciness, freshness, finesse, roundness, and a lovely silky, delicate mouthfeel. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy blackberry and juicy/fresh raspberry combined with subtle hints of flowers (violet, blueberry) as well as delicate hints of juicy red berries, discreet hints of toast, chocolate, and caramelization (in the background), and a subtle hint of sweet spices (in the background). The tannins are elegant. A subtle hint of saltiness on the finish. Good length. A subtle hint of coffee in the aftertaste.