Chateau Cantenac Brown 1978

Chateau Cantenac Brown 1978 is in Margaux,  Bordeaux, and is  a 3rd growth  from the 1855 classification in the Medoc. The vineyard itself comprises of 35+ year old vines that are of a 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The vineyards are carefully managed with sustainability in mind, pruning, removal of buds, leaves and secondary shoots,thinning out so yields are perfectly controlled. Alot of the grapes are picked by hand then screened at the winery to maintain only high quality fruit is used in the wine. Stainless steel vinification tanks and they remain here for 10-15 days followed by malolactic fermentation in barrels , this is where the harsh malic acid is converted to lactic acid so smoothing off the taste of the wine. Following ageing for 12-15 months in 50% new oak ( so allowing for careful air contact ), with 3 monthly racking, it is fined and stabilised traditionally by the use of egg whites and then bottled, all this is overseen by the chief winemaker Jose Sanfins.


We opened 2 bottles of this wine as the tasting group was large enough - and that in itself was interesting as they had come from 2 diffeent cellars, and one had not weathered the course so well, it was 'dry and dusty', no fruit remained and it had died an elegant death, whereas the remaining one was elegant with more spice than fruits but well structured if soft and approachable, it had a long length and a cedar finish. A charming wine but needs to be drunk soon ( the other - sadly that date had well and truly passed ).