2020 Chateau Brane-Cantenac Le Baron de Brane Margaux

This estate got its start as Guilhem-Hosten, it wasn’t until the Baron of Brane purchased the estate that it took on its current moniker. For the Baron to make this purchase he had to raise funds, he achieved this by selling another property that he owned, that just happened to be Mouton Rothschild. 

Since its early years, owners and wine enthusiasts saw the potential this estate had. But it was until the beginning of this century that it started living up to that potential. That being said, Brane-Cantenac is producing wines better than ever before and improving quality every year.  

Today, this 2nd growth estate is owned by the Lurton family. The Lurton family is Bordeaux royalty, this family owns over 20 estates, including 6 classified growths like Chateau Desmirail, and Haut-Bages Libéral.

Brane-Cantenac is located in one of the best terroirs in the world: Margaux, this appellation is known for producing extremely elegant wines with a finesse that’s out of this world. Brane possesses some of Margaux’s very finest plots. The Chateau is positioned on an illustrious plateau, with stony soils forcing the roots of the vines to delve deep into the earth for sustenance.

Baron de Brane is Brane-Cantenac’s second wine. Its name pays homage to the famous Baron Jacques-Maxime de Brane, the ’Napoléon des Vignes’, owner of the property in the 19th Century.

Second wines are some of the best buys Bordeaux has to offer. Wines that hail from some of the most prized vineyards in the world, crafted by the best, most innovative winemaking teams out there. But, (the best part) they sell at a fraction of the price that the Grand Vin.

The Médoc region in Bordeaux features six unique terraces. Terrace 4, the finest, has sandy soil with gravel and 10-20% clay, ideal for vine growth by balancing water retention and release. Château Brane-Cantenac, using Terrace 4 vines, produces exceptional wines. Their 2019 vintage, crafted by Henri Lurton, exemplifies the elegance and power of this unique terroir.

2020 was a great year for the Left Bank. Vinous Media awarded this year with a 97-point review and said: "Two thousand-twenty is an exceptional vintage for Bordeaux, certainly the best in the 2018-2020 trilogy. Quality is very, very high."