2009 Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, Bordeaux

Red • Dry • Full Bodied • Cabernet Sauvignon,Merlot,Cabernet Franc
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Code: 20090600750018003243

Description

Ripe and succulent with the lovely perfume of great Margaux, this is concentrated but fresh, supple but structured, and very, very harmonious. Beautifully balanced and with great poise, this wears its 60% new oak like a glove. Henri Lurton mentioned that in 2009, the grape juice before fermentation was so fragrant that the vat room was already full of the smell of blackberries and raspberries. This certainly translates into the wine; it is a very fine achievement.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

  • Colour
    Red
  • Sweetness
    Dry
  • Vintage
    2009
  • Alcohol
    13.5%
  • Grape
    Cabernet Sauvignon,Merlot,Cabernet Franc
  • Body
    Full Bodied
  • Producer
    Château Brane-Cantenac

Critics reviews

James Lawther MW
16.5/20

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. 45.6 hl/ha.

Deep crimson hue. Dark fruit with a touch of mint and leaf. Not the body of 2005 but lively, fresh and appealing. Tannins slightly grainy on the finish but the wine is not finished yet.

James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com (September 2025)
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Blueberries with a chalky, mineral undertone on the nose. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. New wood already showing strong. Not giving much.
James Suckling
92/100
Plenty of fresh plum fruit alongside the bitter chocolate in the nose, but on the palate this retains the Margaux lightness and elegant dryness, the finish just slightly warm. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (February 2019)
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Scented and sweet. Rather a heady perfume. Then sweet and sour on the palate – not especially harmonious or integrated, and there is some greenness about the acidity. Serviceable rather than thrilling.
Jane Anson MW
94/100
Plenty of Margaux balance and effortless elegance here, showcasing a concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry fruit character. Soft smoky oak comes in on the finish, with fine tannins and gentle floral aromatics. Only 37% of the production make it into the 1st wine, aged in 70% new oak. The vineyard here lies across a gravel outcrop, with certain sections that are sandy-gravel, with the 1st wine invariably Cabernet Sauvignon dominant.
Jane Anson MW, Decanter.com (October 2020)
Jane Anson MW
98/100
Exceptional weather, and this is showcasing all the charms of the vintage. Firm and vibrant dark ruby in colour, so much depth to the berry fruit, intact, juicy, laced with tobacco, cocoa bean, fragrant rose petal. A total standout, easy to love, one to track down, confirms its success in my recent 2009/2010 retrospective. Harvest September 22 to October 9, 48.4hm/h yield, 70% new French oak barrels, 3.72ph. Eric Boissenot consultant, Henri Lurton owner, Christophe Capdeville technical director.
Jane Anson MW, JaneAnson.com (September 2025)
Jeb Dunnuck
95/100
Showing beautifully, the 2009 Château Brane-Cantenac is loaded with classic Margaux notes of sandalwood, dried flowers, spice, truffle, and blackcurrants. Based on 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied and has a beautifully textured, elegant mouthfeel, terrific mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's a quintessential, elegant yet textured, concentrated Margaux to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (November 2020)
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Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Brane-Cantenac displays notes of warm red and black plums, Morello cherries and mulberries with hints of spice cake and earth. Medium-bodied, elegant, soft and fleshy, it delivers a lively line of freshness and an earthy finish.
Lisaperrotti Brown MW
91/100
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Brane-Cantenac displays notes of warm red and black plums, Morello cherries and mulberries with hints of spice cake and earth. Medium-bodied, elegant, soft and fleshy, it delivers a lively line of freshness and an earthy finish.
Lisaperrotti Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2019)
Lisaperrotti Brown MW
95/100
The 2009 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet colored, it barrels out of the glass with bold notions of baked blackberries, warm cassis, and stewed plums, plus hints of chocolate box, licorice, and fertile loam with a waft of dried roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with spicy black fruit preserves and a plush texture, finishing long with a refreshing lift.
Lisaperrotti Brown MW, TheWineCellarInsider.com (May 2022)
Neal Martin
94/10

The 2009 Brane-Cantenac has a wonderful bouquet, the best since the 2005. With copious brambly red berry fruit, cedar and mint—yes, very similar to previous bottles—there is simply more energy and focus from the benevolent growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and perfectly judged acidity, a little spicier than I recall with harmony and grip towards the finish. Time is just beginning to mellow the finish and shave the edges of this superb Brane-Cantenac that continues to dole out so much pleasure. Delicious! Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (September 2025)
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A spectacular effort from this estate rivaling their 2005, but more flashy/flamboyant, this dark ruby/purple wine has a strikingly intense nose of licorice, flowers, plums and dark berries. Medium to full-bodied, very approachable and silky, this suave, very sexy wine can be drunk early on as well as aged for 20+ years.
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