PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Château Cantenac Brown is a Third Growth in the 1855 classification of Médoc, a Tudor-style castle in the heart of the Margaux appellation, unique in the Médoc. Its 54 hectares of vines sit on gravel and sandy soils, planted to about 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc, with the estate’s wine aged in French oak, 60% new. In 2019, the château was purchased by the French Le Lous family, and a new cellar was used for the first time with the 2023 vintage.
2010 was one of the great modern Bordeaux vintages, with two seasons of strong sunlight and a cool, dry finish that gave concentrated, high-tannin, high-acid wines. Cantenac Brown was “one of the big outperformers in Margaux this year,” and a Royal Wine Merchants note says “the freshness of this vintage is remarkable with such naturally high alcohol content. Amazingly, the acid, alcohol, and tannins form a perfect harmony.” The 2010 is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot, at 13.5% ABV, aged 12 to 15 months in French oak, 60% new.
The reviews at release were the best the château had received in years. Wine Enthusiast scored it 95 and gave it a Cellar Selection: “One of the finest wines to come from Cantenac Brown for many years, this is powerful and dense, dominated by Cabernet tannins and fruits. The structure has a smooth, polished character that locates it firmly in Margaux, giving elegance and discreet fruitiness. Age this fine wine for many years.” Neal Martin, then of the Wine Advocate, scored it 94+: “The greatest Cantenac Brown I have ever tasted, the 2010 is one for the ages. Dense purple, with an extraordinary nose of sweet forest floor, blackberry jam, pen ink and graphite.” He also scored it 95 after a blind tasting for his Wine Journal (“one of those wines that seemed to excel under blind conditions; this is a Margaux that should be taken seriously”), and again 94 for Vinous in October 2022, with a drinking window of 2023 to 2063. James Suckling scored it 94: “A wine with firm tannins that are polished and reserved, yet there’s an underlying richness of fruit. Plums, blueberries and citrus character. Some tar, too. Juicy and delicious to taste.” Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth scored it 92: “Very fresh, with a bold display of dark blueberry, loganberry and plum fruit aromas and flavors that push ahead, followed by singed spice, black licorice and toasty vanilla bean notes.” Jancis Robinson scored it 16 and Stephen Spurrier 17.5 for Decanter.
To be balanced, not every recent critic has been so enthusiastic. The Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown retasted it in March 2020 and scored it 86, and Decanter’s 2024 profile of the château noted that the 2010 “seems a little woolly compared to the very impressive 2020.” The wine’s early acclaim and later reassessments differ, so a customer should know it’s a big, firm, structured wine that has spent more than a decade in bottle, at about 15 years old now in its drinking window, with decades to go. It’s a classic, polished Margaux with ripe black fruit, tar, forest floor, and graphite, rather than a floral one.
Decant it for an hour or two, and serve at about 16-18°C with roast lamb, beef tenderloin, duck, and aged cheeses.
Château Cantenac Brown 2010 is produced by Château Cantenac Brown in Cantenac, Margaux, Bordeaux, France (3ème Grand Cru Classé, 1855), from 54 hectares on gravel and sandy soils. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot, aged 12-15 months in French oak (60% new). 13.5% ABV, 750ml.
Wine Enthusiast — 95 Points, Cellar Selection (2013):
“One of the finest wines to come from Cantenac Brown for many years, this is powerful and dense, dominated by Cabernet tannins and fruits. The structure has a smooth, polished character that locates it firmly in Margaux, giving elegance and discreet fruitiness. Age this fine wine for many years.”
Neal Martin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — 94+ Points (February 2013):
“The greatest Cantenac Brown I have ever tasted, the 2010 is one for the ages. Dense purple, with an extraordinary nose of sweet forest floor, blackberry jam, pen ink and graphite.”
James Suckling — 94 Points (February 2013):
“A wine with firm tannins that are polished and reserved, yet there’s an underlying richness of fruit. Plums, blueberries and citrus character. Some tar, too. Juicy and delicious to taste.”
Neal Martin, Vinous — 94 Points (October 2022; drink 2023–2063) · Wine Journal — 95 Points (blind tasting, 2014)
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator — 92 Points (March 2013):
“Very fresh, with a bold display of dark blueberry, loganberry and plum fruit aromas and flavors that push ahead, followed by singed spice, black licorice and toasty vanilla bean notes.”
Jancis Robinson — 16/20 · Stephen Spurrier, Decanter — 17.5/20
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate — 86 Points (retasted March 2020)
Nose
Dense purple-garnet. Blackberry jam, cassis, and plum, with sweet forest floor, pen ink, graphite, cedar, and tar.
Palate
Full-bodied, rich, and polished, with blueberry, loganberry, black licorice, toasty vanilla, and fine-grained, firm tannin.
Finish
Long and fresh, with singed spice and mineral notes.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Margaux AOC, Bordeaux, France |
| Classification | 3ème Grand Cru Classé (1855) |
| Blend | 66% Cabernet Sauvignon · 34% Merlot |
| Vintage | 2010 |
| Producer | Château Cantenac Brown |
| Aging | 12–15 months in French oak (60% new) |
| ABV | 13.5% |
| Critics | Wine Enthusiast 95 · Wine Advocate 94+ · James Suckling 94 · Vinous 94 · Wine Spectator 92 |
| Drinking Window | Now through the 2040s–2060s (Vinous: 2023–2063) |
| Style / Identity | A classic, polished, dark-fruited Margaux from a great vintage, now maturing |
| Aromas & Flavors | Blackberry, cassis, plum, forest floor, graphite, tar, licorice, cedar |
| Serving Temperature | 16–18°C |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Decant for an hour or two; serve at about 16-18°C (61-64°F).
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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