Chateau Cantenac Brown Margaux Bordeaux Wine

Chateau Cantenac Brown Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux wine producer profile, with wine tasting notes, wine ratings, a history of the property, information on wine making and terroir, along with wine tasting reviews. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

The Chateau for Cantenac Brown is unique in the Bordeaux wine appellation. It is perhaps the only Bordeaux chateau designed as a traditional Tudor estate. How did that happen?

At the start of the 19th century, the well known Scottish animal painter, John Lewis Brown purchased the estate and Bordeaux wine vineyards. As was the tradition in the Medoc at the time, he renamed the estate Cantenac Brown. Brown drew up the plans and designed the chateau in the Tudor style. The property changed hands in 1843, when it was traded to a banker named Gromard. More recently, it was owned by the famous Cognac producer, Remy Martin who sold it to AXA, the massive insurance company with several Bordeaux estates in their portfolio including Pichon Baron in Pauillac, along estates in Pomerol and Sauternes. AXA ended up selling the property. Today, the Simon Halabi family are the owners of this Bordeaux chateau located in the Margaux appellation. One of the first moves made by the new owners was to place Jose Sanfins in charge of the wine making at Cantenac Brown. Under the direction of Jose Sanfins, the level of quality has continued to improve.

The 54 hectare Bordeaux wine vineyard of Cantenac Brown sits on gravel and sandy soils. 48 hectares are under vine. The vineyard is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the average age of the vines are 35 years of age. The current blend in the vineyards shows an increase in Cabernet Franc. The terroir is gravel and sand. The vines are planted to a density of 8,500 vines per hectare. Yields have been reduced to an average of 45 hectoliters per hectare. The estate takes a sustainable approach to their Left Bank vineyard farming techniques. This approach means only plant based fertilizers are used. The grapes are picked parcel by parcel, which is how they are vinified as well.

At Cantenac Brown, the wine is vinified in temperature controlled, stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of oak barrels and vat. The wine of Chateau Cantenac Brown is aged in 50% new, French oak barrels for 12 to 15 months, depending on the vintage.

On average, Chateau Cantenac Brown produces 12,000 cases of Bordeaux wine per year. There is a second wine, Brio de Cantenac Brown. Cantenac Brown also produces a small amount of white wine called BriO. The estate produces a third Margaux wine, Sijac de Cantenac Brown. The owners of Chateau Cantenac Brown also own vines in the Bordeaux Superieur region where they produce Chateau Brown Lamartine.

Chateau Cantenac Brown has truly increased their quality starting with the 2009 vintage.

www.cantenacbrown.com