Brane Cantenac 2005 (OWC 12)

Description

By Robert Parker in 2015 (RP95)
A sexy, style of wine from the Lurtons at Brane-Cantenac, this wine (a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc) has a stunning nose of forest floor, licorice, blackcurrants, plums and spring flowers. Soft tannin, full-bodied opulence and beautifully textured, lush richness, make for a brilliant wine from this large, 180-acre vineyard. In spite of the wine’s stunning forward fragrance and lushness, the color still looks as if it is 3-4 years old, rather than a decade. This is a big-time winner in 2005 and should drink well for at least another 25+ years.

By Decanter in 2017 (JA94)
I have loved this wine on many occasions, and love it here again. This is not a wine that is hiding its age – there are already some tertiary notes developing – and you’ll find younger-looking 2005s, but it has a generosity of spirit, a succulence to its fruit, and a hauntingly fresh menthol edge to the finish that is really beautiful. Mouthwatering brilliance. 45% of production. Drinking Window 2018 – 2030.

By Vinous in 2019 (NM93)
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac, which was picked September 17 to October 10, has a suave, elegant bouquet of blackberry, cedar, gravel and tobacco scents, certainly showing more intensity and energy than any of the last five vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine and surprisingly supple tannins that are finally beginning to soften. I love the freshness here, and the wine is less of a curmudgeon than I rudely asserted in the past. It is beginning to loosen its tie, and as such, it’s a vintage to keep an eye on.