2000 Brane Contenac

[William P]

The 2000 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. An expressive nose of dark pit fruit, earth and later evolving a floral vanilla. Very attractive nose from the opening. After 10 minute the nose screams I'm from Bordeaux.

The 20 year wine has great balance with tannins still present but resolving. Bright acid makes this a lively wine. Fruit is on the medium scale. Slightly drying tannins on the finish. Nicely concentrated again on medium scale.

There is a cedar finish with tobacco and red fruit undertone. Above average finish. A very satisfying bottle. I'd say a 92. The BC has reached it plateau but it is far from dead. Nice wine.

Bill

[JimHow]

Nice. I wonder how the modern day Brane Cantenacs will compare to this at age 20.

[Blanquito]

I loved this wine a year ago. Great note.

[dstgolf]

No question the 2000 is drinking well as is the 05 which has finally opened up after years of slumber. Nice!

[dstgolf]

No question the 2000 is drinking well as is the 05 which has finally opened up after years of slumber. Nice!

[Nicklasss]

My type of red Bordeaux Bill.

Very nice note, i can almost taste it.

The 1996 is quite complex and classic as well. And i don't have any issue to say the 2015 will follow the same path. The 2017 was quite stylish and classic as well. What a great classic Margaux aoc second growth.


Nic

[hautbrionlover]

I bought 15 bottles of the 2000 BC on futures in ‘01.
I only started drinking them, slowly, about three years ago.
I think it is a terrific wine – silky, fragrant, balanced, lively. It’s a beauty.

[JimHow]

I have found the post-2005 Brane Cantenacs to be of second growth quality.
I wonder how they compare to circa 1999, 2000, 2001, etc.

[Claudius2]

Jim
The only vintage of BC I ever bought was the 1976 and it was a complete disaster and every bottle (12 in OWC) was badly affected with some sort of bacterial spoilage. I have never been game to buy even a single bottle again.

Having said that Margaux was very patchy in those days and many of the wines from this Appellation are now on my list of wines to buy rather than avoid.

[AKR]

Sounds good. I remember a few years ago BillP and I had the 99 vs the 00 side by side. The 00 was better, but the difference was not as much as I was expecting. I think that was at the (now closed) Ten22 restaurant?

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7285&p=60171

Everything I've opened in the last week has been quite underwhelming - a Bourgogne, Rioja, Cotes Catalanes etc. Actually upon further video review - the Cotes Catalanes is pretty darn good after 24 hours of air. More like a dense Priorato