critic reviews
The 2008 Brane-Cantenac is still marked by eucalyptus scents on the nose, though not as pronounced as in the bottle I tasted several years ago. Quite fresh with a decent amount of blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, it gradually becomes more pastille-like in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a keen line of acidity and notes of black tea and bay leaf towards the finish. However, this vintage is hobbled by a lack of complexity and terroir expression. It does not have the charm and personality of maybe even the 2007. I cannot see this going anywhere. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.
The 2008 Brane-Cantenac continues to display the eucalyptus element that I have noticed on previous bottles, and frankly, it’s distracting and obscures the terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied and slightly medicinal in style, and one of the most rounded Brane-Cantenacs in recent years in terms of texture, something that I would not have predicted given the vintage. However, the finish lacks the complexity and typicité that I expect from the estate. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château.