2008  

What a wonderful story...and here is a chance to own a bit of Bordeaux history. Allary is a tiny 1.3ha plot in the heart of the Haut Brion vineyard. The wine is stunning. Made from 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The property had been owned by the Allary family since 1919. From 1954 until 1978, it was bottled under the name La Passion Haut-Brion, but new French laws forbade making two château wines in the same cellar, unless owned by the same people, so from 1979 to 2007, Haut-Brion blended the wine into their second wine, Bahans Haut-Brion. The Allary family regained control of their plots in 2006 and this, the 2008 bottling was their first commercial vintage, with Stephane Derenoncourt as consultant. The vineyard was sold to Domaine Clarence Dillon in 2012.

1999  2nd Growth, OWC

"A deep garnet red with purple hues . An intensely aromatic nose with dominant red fruits (red cherry, plum) and hints of wood , roasted coffee and vanilla. A great aromatic complexity with spicy notes. When swirling the glass, perfect ripeness comes through.maturity is being revealed. A fullwide attack then silky sensations with soft tannins. A very dense, full-bodied structure with a finish packed full of fruit. A particularly long finish, leaving a very lasting, distinct ‘physical’ impression in the mouth. This wine is remarkable. It bears witness to the greatness of Margaux wines in 1999. One of the greatest successes of Chateau Brane-Cantenac." - Ch. Brane-Cantenac

1966  2nd Growth, 1 upper shoulder, 1 mid shoulder, slightly depressed corks

Belonging to the Lurton family since 1925, Château Brane-Cantenac owes its fame to an exceptional gravelly soil dating back to the quaternary era.

2003  

1975  Low Shoulder Fill

Low Shoulder Fill

2000  

"Aromas of chocolate along with roasted meats, charcoal, black currants, and damp earthy scents jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored 2000. Highly-extracted, medium to full-bodied, chewy, not terribly complex, but big, corpulent, and bold, if it pulls itself together and develops additional nuances, this wine will merit an outstanding score. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018." - WA

2007  

"Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Haut Brion has a perfumed bouquet with abundant red fruit, sage, sandalwood and black olive scents that just seem to soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, beautifully judged acidity and a gentle build in the mouth towards the savory/meaty finish. There is class interwoven into this Haut Brion from start to finish, and the persistence is very impressive. This is just reaching its drinking plateau. Tasted February 2017." - 94pts WA

1988  

1986  

1986  

"The 1986 Rauzan-Segla is held up as one of the best wines of that decade. Now at 30 years old, it has an initially tightly wound bouquet that demands coaxing from the glass. It eventually offers exquisite aromas of small red cherries, cranberry jus, confit dates and briary, a hint of sandalwood tucked underneath. You would never describe the aromatics as "explosive" but it seems to gain in intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly savory entry. There is good structure here, but there is a sweet seam of fig and candied orange peel that to be honest, does not quite match the personality of the wine. My hunch is that this Rauzan-Segla is approaching the end of its drinking plateau, but any "decline" is going to be gradual and graceful. Drink now if you can, though I am certain large format bottles will have much more to offer. Tasted July 2016." - 92pts WA

1986  

"A fabulous wine, and one of the two greatest Talbots of the last 50 years, this wine still has a very murky garnet/plum/purple color and a spectacular nose of sweet creme de cassis intermixed with freshly ground pepper, melted road tar, herbes de Provence, and beef blood. It is followed by an enormously concentrated wine of full body, layers of concentration and sweet tannin. The wine seems to be just hitting its plateau of maturity, where it should last for at least 10-15 more years. A prodigious Talbot. Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted, 6/02." - 96pts WA

2000