Château Brane-Cantenac is a Second Growth estate in the prestigious Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, France, classified in the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification. The 2022 vintage is widely considered a benchmark for the estate — a deep purple-hued wine composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot, bottled in July 2024.

The wine opens with a sensational bouquet of dark currants, cassis, violets, wild flowers, and graphite, with spicy oak, cedar, and sage nuances that evolve beautifully with air. On the palate it is medium-bodied with ultrafine, silky tannins that are impeccably integrated, delivering flavors of blackcurrant, blueberry, and bramble fruit accented by crushed peppercorns, salty mineral touches, and a hint of liquorice on the long, crystalline finish.

The 2022 vintage marked a historic transition as ownership of the estate passed to Henri Lurton's four children, with Henri remaining as general manager and Christophe Capdeville continuing as Technical Director. Critics have responded with extraordinary scores: 99 points from Jeb Dunnuck (#3 on the Vinous Top 100 Wines of 2025 and #10 on Jeb Dunnuck's Top 100 Wines of 2025), 98 points from Vinous (Neal Martin) and Decanter, 97 points from James Suckling (#39 on his Top 100 Wines of France 2025) and Antonio Galloni (Vinous), and 94 points from The Wine Advocate. Experts recommend cellaring from 2029 onward, with potential to develop beautifully for 30 or more years.