Château Brane-Cantenac
Encyclopedia
Château Brane-Cantenac is a winery in the Margaux
appellation
of the Bordeaux wine
region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
.
The estate also produces a second wine
named Baron de Brane, a label named Château Notton, and a generic Margaux.
. It was acquired in 1833 by the Baron Hector de Branne, termed the "Napoléon of the Vines", who named the estate after himself, a bold gesture for that period. Having once also owned the land that today is Château Mouton Rothschild
, the sale of Château Brane-Mouton helped finance the purchase of this estate. With the Baron's total devotion to the vineyard, the wine was estimated to be the finest produced in Cantenac.
In the early 20th century the vineyard lost much of its reputation, and in 1922 it was acquired by the Lurton family. In 1992 control passed to Lucien Lurton's son, Henri Lurton; the same year, another of the family's properties, the Château Durfort-Vivens
was passed to another of Lucien's sons, Gonzague.
abuts other Margaux châteaux, including Château Cantenac-Brown
and Château Boyd-Cantenac
, in separate lots totalling 94 hectares (232.3 acre). The grape varieties cultivated are 62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon
, 33% Merlot
, 4% Cabernet Franc
and 0.5 Carmenère
Producing annually 30,000 cases, Brane-Cantenac makes in addition to its Grand vin, the second wine Baron de Brane, an additional label named Château Notton using grapes from the Notton vineyard, a plot acquired from Château d'Angludet
, and a generic Margaux wine with grapes sourced from young vineyards.
Margaux
Margaux is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:The village lies in the Haut Médoc wine making region on the left bank of the Garonne estuary, northwest of the city of Bordeaux.-Population:-Wines:...
appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
of the Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world...
.
The estate also produces a second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
named Baron de Brane, a label named Château Notton, and a generic Margaux.
History
Previously a reputed estate named Château Gorce (sometimes recorded as Gorse), its wine was sold at high prices and was listed as a second growth in pre-1855 classifications such as Cocks & FéretCocks & Féret
Cocks & Féret or simply Féret, is the colloquial name of a Bordeaux wine directory originally created by Charles Cocks and Michel-Édouard Féret in 1846, which was published under the name Bordeaux, its Wines and the Claret Country and translated into French and published as the first edition of...
. It was acquired in 1833 by the Baron Hector de Branne, termed the "Napoléon of the Vines", who named the estate after himself, a bold gesture for that period. Having once also owned the land that today is Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Mouton Rothschild is a wine estate located in the village of Pauillac in the Médoc, 50 km north-west of the city of Bordeaux, France. Its red wine of the same name is regarded as one of the world's greatest clarets. Originally known as Château Brane-Mouton it was renamed by Nathaniel...
, the sale of Château Brane-Mouton helped finance the purchase of this estate. With the Baron's total devotion to the vineyard, the wine was estimated to be the finest produced in Cantenac.
In the early 20th century the vineyard lost much of its reputation, and in 1922 it was acquired by the Lurton family. In 1992 control passed to Lucien Lurton's son, Henri Lurton; the same year, another of the family's properties, the Château Durfort-Vivens
Château Durfort-Vivens
Château Durfort-Vivens is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. It is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
was passed to another of Lucien's sons, Gonzague.
Production
The vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
abuts other Margaux châteaux, including Château Cantenac-Brown
Château Cantenac-Brown
Château Cantenac-Brown is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fourteen Troisièmes Crus in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The Chateau has planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and...
and Château Boyd-Cantenac
Château Boyd-Cantenac
Château Boyd-Cantenac is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fourteen Troisièmes Crus in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The Chateau has planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet...
, in separate lots totalling 94 hectares (232.3 acre). The grape varieties cultivated are 62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, 33% Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, 4% Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
and 0.5 Carmenère
Carmenère
The Carménère grape is a wine grape variety originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, where it was used to produce deep red wines and occasionally used for blending purposes in the same manner as Petit Verdot....
Producing annually 30,000 cases, Brane-Cantenac makes in addition to its Grand vin, the second wine Baron de Brane, an additional label named Château Notton using grapes from the Notton vineyard, a plot acquired from Château d'Angludet
Château d'Angludet
Château d'Angludet or Château Angludet, is a Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation Margaux, in the commune of Cantenac on the left bank of the Gironde...
, and a generic Margaux wine with grapes sourced from young vineyards.