Château Cantenac Brown Margaux 2019 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

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 Bordeaux appellation wine called Alto.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

The latest vintage to emerge from the current cellar, as a new adobe building is scheduled for completion in 2023. In the glass, this is a wine that is distinctly Margaux in character, thanks to its elegance—both in its aromatic development, with lovely red fruit aromas intertwined with delicate spicy and smoky notes, and in its presence on the palate. The very fine, well-integrated tannins maintain the balance while offering excellent aging potential. 2026–2035

About the estate:

Dominated by an imposing Neo-Tudor-style castle built in the 19th century Owned 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.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

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 deep and rich (as exemplified by the white Alto, produced in limited 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!

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Now under new ownership but with the same winemaking team, this estate has produced a wine of great concentration. The tannins are generous and have a dense, dry core that pairs well with the powerful aromas of blackcurrant. This wine has great long-term potential.

James Suckling

About the wine:

It offers subtle aromas of blackcurrant and blueberry, with notes of fresh violet, light vanilla, licorice, and crushed stone. There are also hints of forest floor. A medium-bodied wine with firm tannins and a velvety texture. On the palate, it features delicious crushed berries. Compact with a firm finish. Best enjoyed starting in 2026.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

What intensity in the bouquet of Cantenac Brown! It displays exceptional precision and great complexity, revealing a multitude of fruity nuances reminiscent of blueberries, blackberries, peppermint, and licorice, culminating in refreshing hints of eucalyptus. On the palate, the wine stands out for its density and freshness. The tannins lend it body, while the acidity ensures a lively, chiseled, and precise character. What harmony, vigor, and aging potential in this wine! It is exceptional and is certainly one of the greatest Cantenac Brown wines ever produced… and one of the greatest I have ever tasted! 2026–2049

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is fresh, refined, elegant, and subtly restrained, offering lovely finesse and a powerful structure. It features notes of juicy, fresh Boysenberry, fresh, vibrant raspberry, and a hint of fresh violet, combined with touches of bright red berries, small fruits, hints of fresh blueberry, and a subtle hint of lily, cocoa,tonka bean, subtle hints of bergamot and star anise, discreet notes of toast, and a subtle hint of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fresh, mineral, and fruity, offering lovely definition, a nice body and roundness, delicacy, a touch of airiness, a fine structure, fleshiness, freshness, and a fresh, tangy backbone. Full of finesse and elegance. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy raspberry, blueberry, and, more subtly, fleshy blackcurrant, combined with hints of small, fleshy red berries, fresh/crisp blue berries, hints of violet, lily/cornflower, as well as subtle hints of cocoa, refined minerality, a sense of place, and a subtle hint of cocoa. A subtle chewiness on the finish/persistence. The tannins are elegant and well-integrated. Good length. Lovely savory notes on the finish/persistence.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Cantenac Brown’s best vintage in quite some time opens with a bouquet of flowers, espresso, thyme, black cherries, plums, tobacco, and earthy notes. Rich in texture, with soft, polished tannins and an abundance of deep, ripe, sweet, fresh, and dark red fruit, the wine is as good as it is enjoyable to drink. The round, supple finish offers a multitude of fruit and a hint of chocolate on the finish. 2027–2055