2014 Château Cantenac-Brown

The 2014 Cantenac Brown has a light bouquet with brown spices infusing the black fruit, leather and mint. Fully mature. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fresh with pleasing tension and spiciness towards the finish. This is certainly worth checking out - drinking well now. Tasted non-blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.

The 2014 Cantenac Brown has quite an open, high-toned bouquet with peppermint and light lavender scents filtering through the black cherry and raspberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine sappiness. It does not fully have the breadth and depth of ensuing vintages; this is more linear and conveys a sense of strictness, but it is fresh and vibrant with a sense of classicism towards the finish. Excellent. Tasted at the Cantenac Brown vertical at the château.

The 2014 Cantenac Brown has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, cedar, crushed violet and cold stone aromas. I love the detail and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, supple and almost velvety in texture, the acidity well judged with a rounded, lightly spiced finish that feels so tender, yet does not shortchange you on persistence. This is one of the best Cantenac-Brown wines that I have encountered in recent years. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.