History and wines of Domaine Brane Cantenac

This prestigious wine estate is located in the commune of Cantenac in Gironde. Classified as the second Grand Cru in the official classification of 1855, the history of this 75-hectare estate dates back to the early 17th century. Its wines are renowned for their racy, balanced style. Many of its best vintages are relatively recent. Let's take a closer look at the history of Château Brane Cantenac and the characteristics of its wines

History of the Brane Cantenac estate

As early as the 17th century, Château Brane Cantenac was listed as a vineyard producing high-quality wines. It was successively named Hostein and Gorce after its owners. At the end of the 18th century, the estate's wine was ranked behind that of Latour. But the Revolution tore the Gorce family apart. The young orphan, Marie-Françoise de Gorce, was forced to sell the property to Baron Hector de Brane in 1833. The latter completely restructured the estate, enabling it to be classified as the second Grand Cru of the Margaux appellation. His son Jacques-Maxime de Brane continued to improve the estate, turning it into a modern operation and renaming it Brane-Cantenac. However, without an heir, the Baron decided to sell the estate to his friends, the Roy family. Due to financial difficulties caused by the war, the Roy family's son-in-law once again abandoned the estate, selling it to the Société des Grands Crus de France. After the dissolution of this structure in 1925, one of its shareholders took over the château, bequeathing it to his son-in-law, François Lutton. The latter's second son, Lucien Lutton, an agricultural engineer by training, inherited the estate. He took over the reins of the estate, restoring its reputation and propelling it to the top. Between 1956 and 1970, this man of action and no less talented winemaker acquired 11 châteaux, 6 of which were classified as crus. Today, his son Henri manages the estate with the help of his other eldest sons. Their aim is to perpetuate the complex, balanced style of the estate's wines

Terroir and vinification

Like many wines, the products of this estate have experienced ups and downs due to a number of factors, such as the richness or poverty of the soil's organic components, rainfall, sunshine and so on. The vineyard covers 75 ha and is planted with grape varieties composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Carménère. The terroir is composed of gravelly, clayey and sandy soils. Today, the estate has adopted a policy of sustainable agriculture and a reduced ecological footprint for part of its vineyard, as well as parcel-based vinification. Modernization of the winery and vats has also been undertaken to keep the estate at the cutting edge of modern viticulture. To produce its exceptional wines, Domaine Brane Cantenac vinifies in concrete, oak and stainless steel vats, ranging in size from 40 hl to 200 hl. The oldest vines are vinified in oak vats. The grapes are then fermented in a combination of new French oak and vats for 17 months before bottling. The lees are kept for the first two months of ageing to give the wine its deep character

Quality of Domaine Brane Cantenac wines

Domaine Brane Cantenac wines are elegant, light and feminine, with fine tannins. The young wines are recommended for those who want to learn how to taste. But they are also very pleasant to drink after one or two decades of aging. Young vintages can be decanted for 2 hours to allow sediment to settle to the bottom, while aerating and softening the wine. Older vintages can also be decanted to remove sediment. The best vintages reach maximum maturity between 15 and 35 years after release.