1997 Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2eme Cru Classe, Margaux

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The 1997 Brane-Cantenac, which marked the beginning of restructuring of the vineyard, is a decent wine from a challenging growing season. It has a simple but pleasant nose, less green than those from the beginning of the decade, with a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar, loam and still, just that dab of antique bureau. The palate is medium-bodied. Powdery tannins frame straightforward but clean blackberry and blueberry fruit that, as I wrote before, gifts a little more flesh than you would expect. Finely balanced with a dab of cracked black pepper on the finish, you can go far more wrong with 1997 Bordeaux than this. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.

49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. 47 hl/ha. Deep core with brick at the rim. Light and easy-going with no great complexity. Herbaceous edge. Fresh attack with a touch of sweetness to follow. Shows a certain charm but now looking a little tired. Dry finish. (JL)