Chateau Cantenac Brown 2016

The quality of the wines is no accident: the predominantly gravelly slope in the village of Cantenac produces some of the best wines in the world and is location of many Crus Classes of Margaux. The soils, poor and generous at the same time, added to deep rooted vines and the vintners’ know-how lead to fine, elegant and perfectly balanced wines. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc produce subtle wines with an intense bouquet, well-suited for laying down. Merlot makes up the remainder of the vines and contributes to color, richness and roundness.

Today, the Chateau Cantenac Brown vineyard covers 42 hectares in the south of the Margaux appellation, mainly in the Cantenac commune. Located in the communes of Arsac, Soussans, Margaux, Cantenac and Labarde, the Margaux appellation terroirs are terraced groups of gravel, ensuring good natural drainage. Each terroir is different and produces a unique wine.

95 Points - Decanter

Poised and precise, this is excellent quality with well-defined black fruits. It feels like the fruit is ripe but not overly so, carefully delineated by great freshness and touches of slate, rosemary and dark chocolate. The extremely precise nose slowly reveals itself, gaining in power. I loved this en primeur and it's even more striking today. A great job by the Cantenac Brown team, it lives up to the quality of their 2015.

94 Points - James Suckling

This has a very delicious and attractive nose offering ample dark berries and plums with cocoa and freshly cut bracken. The palate has a smooth, fan-like array of fine but sturdy tannins that carry very fresh and upbeat into the finish. Try from 2023.

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast

Richly structured, this dense wine has solid tannins that balance with the black fruits. It is a complex wine, poised and confident while not losing sight of the Margaux elegance. Drink from 2025.

93+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck

Black cherries, currants, smoke tobacco, graphite, and hints of earth all emerge from this beautifully layered, medium-bodied, and concentrated 2016 that shines for its purity and precision, while still offering beautiful depth of fruit. Give it 3-4 years and enjoy this fabulous effort over the following 2-3 decades.

93 Points - Wine Spectator

92+ Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate