Vintage - 2018

Country - France

Region - Bordeaux

Grape Varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon 69%, Merlot 28%, Cabernet Franc 3%

Alcohol by volume - 13.5%

Bottle - 75cl

Château Cantenac Brown is without doubt one of the most original buildings in the Médoc. John-Lewis Brown bought the vineyard in Cantenac at the beginning of the 19th century and built a traditional Tudor style château reminiscent of his Scottish origins. The estate quickly passed out of his family but his name will be forever linked to the château. Today Cantenac Brown has 75 hectares of sustainably cultivated vineyard located in the heart of the Margaux appellation, principally in the southern commune of Cantenac. The Cantenac Brown terroir is made up of gravel which ensures good drainage and Cabernets in particular do well in this soil; producing fine wines with intense bouquets which are suitable for ageing.

The double Guyot trained vines are meticulously cultivated throughout the year, with pruning, removal of buds, leaves and secondary shoots; thinning out and controlled yields. The vineyard is managed using sustainable agricultural practices and only plant-based fertilisers are applied in moderation. The Cantenac Brown team uses traditional soil maintenance techniques to enhance the structural, chemical and biological properties of the soil. The soil is predominantly gravelly soil, with clay and sand.

2018 was a tough year that rewarded Château Cantenac Brown with a truly magnificent harvest at the end of the year. Throughout all of spring and summer, the vineyard was stuck with high humidity from the oceanic climate. Initially, nobody believed it would lead to a good harvest. This year the team doubled in size to stay on top of vine maintenance; across 8 days they had to de-bud and remove leaves from more than 500,000 vines. By mid-July the grapes were perfect and Château Cantenac Brown only had to wait for the sun to do it’s job. The heat from the end of July to the end of August allowed for ripening without stress; on account of the water resources present. The verasion was slowly homogenous and the maturity was smooth.

The grapes were harvested by hand, manually sorted and destemmed. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats at 26° to 27°C, to preserve the fruit. The controlled extraction resulted in an elegant, rich and silky wine. Malolactic fermentation took place in oak barrels and vats. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, of which 60% were new and 40% one year old, for a period of 12 to 14 months. Racking took place every three months. The wine was fined by egg white, prior to being bottled.

2018 is described by Château Cantenac Brown as “an unprecedented vintage of great quality, all varietals showing a perfect maturity, mixing concentration, roundness and balance." 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. Drink now, or keep for another 20 years - it’ll age beautifully.