This is delicious, silky in texture and filled with luscious black fruits, exotic spiced liquorice and sweet blackberry. Touches of grilled cedar and just a trace of heat appear at the final furlong, along with a hint of menthol. The tannins close their fist around the fruit, reflecting the small berry size in the Cabernets, the percentage of which is slightly up this year as new plantings have come on line. It's an impressive construction, a little less elegant than the 2016 but with a ton of personality and a sense of bursting out of its borders, not yet fully tamed - and hugely appealing as a result. 60% new oak barrels. Harvested 18 September to 11 October. - www.decanter.cok, Jane Anson, March 2019

The 2018 Cantenac Brown is powerful, deep and super expressive, with striking persistence and terrific overall balance. The interplay of fruit intensity, aromatic depth and structure is compelling. In the 2018, the Grand Vin has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon than in the past, plus drops of Franc, that give an added touch of energy. There is plenty of density and richness, but my impression is that the wine is also a bit less extracted than it has been in the recent past. The blend is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Tasted three times.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous - April 2019