1986 Brane Cantenac
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Tasting notes
The 1986 Brane-Cantenac was picked September 27 to October 15 and remains one of the best wines of the decade, alongside the 1983. It has a lovely bouquet, much more vigorous than other coeval vintages: red fruit, graphite, cedar and undergrowth, all well defined and focused. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, crisp acidity and a detailed, almost lace-like finish (which is quite unusual for what is usually a tannic Left Bank vintage). Drink and enjoy over the next decade. Excellent. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château .
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château, the 1986 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, and has a lively blackberry, briary, leather and cedar-scented bouquet that is Pauillac-like in style (a common leitmotif for mature Brane-Cantenac and unsurprising in a more austere vintage like 1986). The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, perhaps surprising for a 1986, not an overtly complex Margaux but it offers a complex white pepper, sage and cedar finish that lingers nicely in the mouth. Drink this now and over the next decade. Tasted March 2016.
Medium-weight, medium-intensity, classic cassis and cedar aromas and flavor s, turning richer, more tannic and a bit tough on the finish. Give it until at least 1994. – Wine Spectator 1989
About the producer
Château Brane-Cantenac has been a consistent performer in the Margaux wine appellation since Henri Lurton took over the property, but thanks to replanting and investment in the last decade, quality has seen another sharp upswing.