1971 Château Brane-Cantenac

Community Tasting Note

Likes this wine:

91 Points

Sunday, April 28, 2024 - Uncorked this on my birthday even though I was having a quiet celebration at home with my family, and my wife doesn't care much for old relics (except me). After having been stood up for a couple months (this is always key to enjoying older bottles), the cork was cleanly extracted with a faux Durand, and half was decanted into a clean 375ml with no headroom and returned to the wine fridge for the next day; while the other half was enjoyed with mains and the cheese course. I have had a fair number of Branes from 71-78-79, and they always seem to be solid performers that scratch the mature BDX itch at very reasonable prices (this particular bottle was €35 all-in).

Anyways, on both the first and second night the wine was consistent: on the nose there was a very intriguing nose of strawberries, cranberries, tangerine rind, umami, Earl Grey, a bit of sassafras, and a slight floral note I couldn't place. On the palate the wine was medium bodied; the tannins were fully resolved as expected, and there was a jolt of acidity, not volatile, but rather sour. This wine needs food -- like any very mature wine -- but a bottle in good condition still has something interesting to say to anyone willing to listen closely.

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