97 VERT DE VIN

The nose is elegant, nicely racy and offers power (in finesse), the depth, a nice finesse of the grain as well as a nice spicy side, complexity, delicacy and a pretty stretched side. There are notes from wild blackberry, dark berries wild and more lightly flowered of violet associated with small touches of wild strawberry, cherry quite ripe, black pepper, almost of camphor as well as discreet tips of grilled, undergrowth, to a subtle hint of star anise and a very discreet hint of rosewood. The palate is fruity, elegant, nicely conducted and offers a pretty definition, texture, a very beautiful fineness and more lightly small dense black fruits associated with touches of dark chocolate, caramelization, cardamom, Brazilian pepper, with very discreet points of camphor, black tea, a subtle hint of vanilla, undergrowth and a very discreet hint of Black tapenade. Good length. The tannins are very precise and elegant. Nice persistence. April 2021

95 Neal Martin - Wine Journal

"Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. Wow - one of those wines that seemed to excel under blind conditions, this is a Margaux that should be taken seriously. The 2010 demonstrates a lot of extraction on the nose with liquorice infused black fruit, iodine and blueberry jam. This is on the brink of being over-ripe - but it knows the line not to cross. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent entry, generous and honeyed in texture, the acidity nicely judged and it builds towards a multi-layered finish that is both sophisticated and engaging. Long-term. Tasted January 2014."

95 Wine Enthusiast

One of the finest wines to come from Cantenac Brown for many years, this is powerful and dense, dominated by Cabernet Franc 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

94+ Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"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, this wine soars from the glass, giving it an aromatic dimension and intensity I have never seen from this estate. The tannins are present, as they are in most Cantenac Browns, but the wine’s sweetness, broad, skyscraper-like mouthfeel, dense, purple color and spectacular length (close to a minute) make this a giant classic and a fabulous sleeper of the vintage that still remains under-priced, considering how great its potential may be. This is a wine for those with cold cellars and youthful DNA. It is going to need at least a decade of cellaring and should last for 20-40 years. A classic!"

94 Decanter

Beautiful dark inky purple with ruby highlights. The difference with 2009 is clear in terms of structure, style and knitted-down fruit. They are both brilliant, and quality-wise it's hard to pick as they have such different personalities. Higher acidity in 2010 set against confident tannins means your mouth is watering by the mid palate and it doesn't let up. Tons of black fruits and evident spice, slate, cigar box and liquorice bud, savoury and still zipped up. It needs a few more years in bottle before it will really start to soften. 45% of harvest in the 1st wine, 60% new oak. April 2020

94 Neal Martin - Vinous Media

The 2010 Cantenac Brown performed extremely well in the Southwold blind tasting. Here, the nose demands coaxing from the glass before revealing beautifully defined blackberry, boysenberry, earth and mint aromas, perhaps a little more floral than a couple of years ago. Medium-bodied on the palate, this 2010 is focused and delivers plenty of substance; it's quite linear at the moment, yet sophisticated, and is as fresh as a daisy on the finish. Superb. Tasted at the Cantenac Brown vertical at the château. June 2021