Château Cantenac Brown 3ème Cru Classé, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2016

Viticulture

From the first rainy days of mid-September, the grapes are gleaming, the ripening is accelerating, and the sun bathed berries are healthy and sound, allowing us to perform our harvest to a slow and precise rhythm with no stress ! (14 days in 5 weeks). Extraction is easy, colour and tannin develop with little effort. The grape seeds taste of hazelnut, and the berries are perfectly ripened! All the elements to an exceptional vintage unite. From a beautiful flowering, to a long ripening time on all varietals, we had a healthy harvest due to radiant sun during the day paired with cool nights. Perfect alcohol, acidity, and round tannins: the balance is there. It’s harmonious and natural, without excess. Truly a rare vintage.

Winemaking

After concise work in the vineyards and an initial hand sorting, the harvest undergoes another Optical sorting. Alcoholic fermentation lasts for around ten days. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels and vats. Plots are vinified separately according to grape variety and age, which allows for great precision in selection when Château Cantenac Brown is finally blended.

Oak Ageing

Time: 12 to 15 months
Type: French oak Barriques
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 60

Tasting Note

Full bodied, masculine and full of plums, currants and hints of sandalwood. Ripe tannins. Bright acidity and focused.

Food Matching

Classic meat dishes such as veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game and roast chicken.