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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On the decline yet still life. Fewer fruit notes and more tertiary notes. Forrest floor, truffles, meat, umami, chocolate. Very interesting and was fun to try to a 50th birthday celebration. Color was still there with garnet hues. Really exemplifies how Bordeaux can age.
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low shoulder, Korken zerbröselt und undicht immer noch Charakter und Fülle, leichte Säure, Farbton am verblassen und bräunlich... ausdauernder Margaux?
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Why has Brane Cantenac lost reputation in the past? Amazing: still red in color, with only minimal signs of aging. Earthy, Smoke, leather, tobacco, backed up by acids. A stunning performance!
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Birth year wines (plus some extra's) (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with barnyard, coffee, chocolate cinnamon and fennel. On the palate still juicy red fruits acidity, fennel and cinnamon. Still lively and pleasurable. In fact most tasters thought this wine is too old (and in fact it is), I could still discover some pleasurable aspects. Nevertheless no score.
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Fresh but a little simple to begin with, just showing loads of sweet cedar. It looks good after an hour in the decanter. There’s a bit of tar and leather along with some animale funk. It is sweet and vinous in the mouth with relatively soft tannins and a gentle kiss of minerally acidity on the finish. A tasty luncheon Claret that we enjoyed at dinner with a dish of Boudin noir.
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Some soft browning around the edges with a medium red core. Lots of developed characters on the nose - leather, dust, earth, tobacco and just a touch of funk. Tannins still somewhat present but mostly integrated on the palate. The flavours fill the mouth and the structure seems in tact. It's likeable, although just hanging on before progressing too far downhill and drying out.
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4/28/2024 - ParisWino Likes this wine: 91 Points
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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1/23/2021 - houstonjeff@hotmail.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
On the decline yet still life. Fewer fruit notes and more tertiary notes. Forrest floor, truffles, meat, umami, chocolate. Very interesting and was fun to try to a 50th birthday celebration. Color was still there with garnet hues. Really exemplifies how Bordeaux can age.
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1/10/2017 - DENKMAELER wrote: flawed
low shoulder, Korken zerbröselt und undicht
immer noch Charakter und Fülle, leichte Säure, Farbton am verblassen und bräunlich... ausdauernder Margaux?
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11/11/2016 - maaike2 wrote: 92 Points
Why has Brane Cantenac lost reputation in the past? Amazing: still red in color, with only minimal signs of aging. Earthy, Smoke, leather, tobacco, backed up by acids. A stunning performance!
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8/24/2014 - Zweder wrote:
Birth year wines (plus some extra's) (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with barnyard, coffee, chocolate cinnamon and fennel. On the palate still juicy red fruits acidity, fennel and cinnamon. Still lively and pleasurable. In fact most tasters thought this wine is too old (and in fact it is), I could still discover some pleasurable aspects. Nevertheless no score.
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5/21/2013 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Fresh but a little simple to begin with, just showing loads of sweet cedar. It looks good after an hour in the decanter. There’s a bit of tar and leather along with some animale funk. It is sweet and vinous in the mouth with relatively soft tannins and a gentle kiss of minerally acidity on the finish. A tasty luncheon Claret that we enjoyed at dinner with a dish of Boudin noir.
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4/6/2013 - Zweder wrote:
Rust and tea in the bouquet. On the palate rusty as well, still some bitterness and a touch of sweetness. Much too old, but still drinkable. No score.
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12/17/2010 - pilot360 wrote: 84 Points
Opened up after a 2 hour decant - smokey, tobacco, tart cherries with good acidity.
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6/6/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: 86 Points
Some soft browning around the edges with a medium red core. Lots of developed characters on the nose - leather, dust, earth, tobacco and just a touch of funk. Tannins still somewhat present but mostly integrated on the palate. The flavours fill the mouth and the structure seems in tact. It's likeable, although just hanging on before progressing too far downhill and drying out.
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