Château Brane Cantenac, 2ème Cru Classé, Margaux, 2005
A very elegant and refined nose indeed, in the style that Henri Lurton has been espousing for some years now, but the extra something in this vintage is the seemingly effortless expression of the château’s terroir, which is some of the best in Margaux. The wine is sumptuous on the palate, rich in chocolate and violets, measured weight and structure, with beautifully smooth tannins and great persistence. A great result.
critic reviews
The 2005 Brane-Cantenac is a renowned vintage. When Henri Lurton asked his father if he had witnessed a similar one, he replied "1928"…when he was just two years old! Brane-Cantenac stepped up a level with this vintage, dialling up fruit intensity a little without compromising delineation and focus. With blackberry, tobacco and touches of cedar in the background, this is very classy. The palate is medium-bodied and very well balanced with gentle grip, more density and backbone than previous vintages and a precise finish that Lurton was able to build upon in future vintages. Long and tender for the vintage, this is a marvellous Brane-Cantenac that will give 15 to 20 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.
Ruby red, this remains closed on the nose, and the tannic structure is still tight at 17 years old, proof that 2005 retains its ability to frustrate, but the hints of mature notes are finally becoming clear. So much potential and subdued power, linear, focused, great clarity of cassis and bilberry fruit, with 2005 energy showing a core of ripe fruit, tobacco and truffle. Excellent tension and balance, a tightrope walk through the palate here, edges of mandarin peel, raspberry leaf and eucalyptus showing that it wasn't a vintage that delivered overripe fruit, but balance and focus. It needs a little longer to fully express its potential.
Made from 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the 2005 Brane-Cantenac is deep garnet in color with a touch of brick. It bursts from the glass with maturing notes of plum pudding, raisin cake, and redcurrant jelly, plus hints of tree bark, unsmoked cigars, truffles, and tapenade with a waft of spice box. Medium-bodied, firm, and grainy with amazing tension, it coats the mouth with evolved black and red berry flavors, finishing long and mineral-laced.
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. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château.