'Other good ones in the Negoce line up were Clerc Milon, Dom de Chevalier Rouge & Blanc, Brane Cantenac', 3:40 AM Mar 28th via web on Twitter by William Hargrave from Corney and Barrow (UK wine merchant)

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2000 Chateau Brane Cantenac ,  93/100
Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 2000 tasting in London. This Brane-Cantenac is endowed with a dense, broody nose with bolshie black fruits, leather, dried herbs, thyme and smoke. Good definition, unfurling a little with time, becoming spicier upon aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe black fruits, a savoury and spicy element lending real dimension to this wine. Firm tanning, well balanced, masculine, very linear towards the finish with just a hint of pepper. Very fine and classic in style. Drink 2015-2030. Tasted March 2010.

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Lancement des primeurs, à Brane cette fois, avec un petit dîner intime ... Steven Spurrier (UK), Jeannie Cho et Joseph Lee, son époux (Corée et Hong Kong), Panos  Kakaviatos (USA)

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Launch of the primeurs, at Brane this time, with an intimate, casual dinner… Steven Spurrier (UK), Jeannie Cho and Joseph Lee, her husband (Korea and Hong Kong), Panos  Kakaviatos (USA)

'I tried my first 2009 Bordeaux and it's a winner: Brane Cantenac. At dinner, also an excellent 1989, and an interesting 1961 and 1928' wrote Panos Kakaviatos on Twitter!!!

Stay tuned for photos!

Médoc : du plus grand au plus abordable, des vins typés comme on les aime !

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Médoc: from the greatest to the most affordable wines, typical wines like we like them!

 

“The plateau of Brane,” explains Henri Lurton, in front of the château, “is a first-rate terroir with defined geological boundaries. Its deep gravel promotes early ripening. We know that it benefits from a remarkable water regime. The surface gravel promotes good lateral draining thanks to a hill effect. Under the surface, more clay-like gravel guarantees moderate and sufficient water retention. It adapts to the vineyard's needs in all seasons. On the rest of the estate, variations in water table depth, pebble grain size, the more or less sandy character of the soil and microclimates delimit three other plot types. Extensive work has been done on these plots since 1992: drainage, replanting of various grape varieties to better match the soil, raising of the trellis for better grape maturation, etc. We are extremely lucky to have an immense property, all of whose nuances contribute something every year, without altering the reference style.” This Margaux 2007 is therefore truly best in class, with its lovely round and fleshy, generous and persistent attack, and its pronounced aromas of red fruits. It is a smooth and harmonious, captivating wine, with a good mouthfeel underlined by fine tannins. The 2006, full-bodied, colorful, with its nose dominated by humus and wild strawberry, its lovely fleshy, deep ruby color  and its sold tannic base, is a rich, full and structured wine, with a fine finish. It is, of course, a vin de garde. If you can find it, the 2003, with its nice structure, its aromas of candied red fruits, truffles and leather, and its truly fine balance, is particularly enjoyable to drink. The powerful 2002, with a fine, silky balance, is a success. It is a complex wine, with notes of ripe red fruits and a characteristic touch of cinnamon. The 2001 is excellent, with its subtle and intense bouquet, and its notes of undergrowth, truffles and ripe blackcurrant. It has a smooth, full mouthfeel. It is just starting to open up. A superb second wine, Baron de Brane has a lovely smooth, velvety color and a fine, structured bouquet. It is a consistent success.

Patrick Dussert-Gerber donne un prix à Brane derrière Lafite, Margaux et Léoville-Barton!!!!

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Patrick Dussert-Gerber gave an award to Brane behind Lafite, Margaux and Léoville-Barton!

We are therefore in good company in his revised and corrected Médoc ranking in the magazine 'Millésimes 2010...'

Elle a aimé notre 2000...une fois n'est pas coutûme...lors de la dégustation de Bordeaux Wine Index...

Dans l'ensemble , la journaliste a 'trouvé que c'était l'une des dégustations horizontales les plus agréables dont (elle) puisse (se) souvenir, avec des vins en général délicieusement équilibrés.'

 

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She liked our 2000…for once…during the Bordeaux Wine Index tasting.

Overall, the journalist ‘thought it was one of the most pleasant horizontal tastings I can recall, with wines that were generally deliciously balanced.’

 

A medium ruby color. Solidly developed... Well made and well balanced and perhaps already at its peak. The fruit is fresh and it has a certain richness/generosity. Absolutely no trace of under-maturity. 2007-2020

'C'est un peu cela BRANE-CANTENAC: trouver de l'extraordinaire parmi des parcelles!

Pascal Boulard

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‘BRANE-CANTENAC has a knack for finding the extraordinary in the vineyards!

Pascal Boulard

La belle coréene, Jeannie Cho Lee et son époux s'installent pour quelques jours à Brane...

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The lovely Jeannie Cho Lee, Korean, and her husband, are staying at Brane for a few days...

The first Asian woman to receive the ‘Master of Wine’ diploma in the history of this program, Jeannie Cho Lee was born in Seoul, Korea, and currently lives in Hong Kong. A graduate of Smith College in Boston, USA and Harvard University, she started becoming interested in wine during her junior year at Oxford. She then became one of the most widely read wine journalists and contributes to countless press reviews the world over, from The Wine Spectator, Decanter, etc. to magazines focused more on the economy or for airlines. Her passion doesn’t stop at wine - it includes gastronomy as well. After receiving her cooking certificate at the Cordon Bleu, she wrote several cookbooks including one on pairings between wine and Asian food, 'Asian Palate,' in November 2009 - the same year she received the Vinitaly international prize for all her contributions to the wine industry around the world!
We are delighted and very proud to welcome her and her husband.

 

Jeannie at Brane in front of a vertical tasting of Brane 1928, 61, 83, 86 and 89

Nous désespérions de le recevoir à la propriété un jour...mais voilà chose faite!

 

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We had given up all hope that we would welcome him at the property one day…but all’s well that ends well!

Neal Martin and his photographer friend Johan Berglund joined us in the evening. We had planned a 10-year vertical tasting, from 1999 to 2009. In the utmost silence, and both alone, they stood before the perfectly aligned vintages and then religiously took notes and 'tweeted'!

For dinner, which was made by chef Thibault Servas, we had set aside a few pearls for them… A short declination of 1989, 1986, 1983, then a… 1961 and a 1928 to finish!!!! My memory isn’t very clear as to the various comments that were made during the meal about the wine's aromas, flavors, nuances and notes of this or that...
And I’m very curious to read the comments that Neal Martin will publish in The Wine Journal! But one thing is absolutely certain: wine ‘lives.’ It varies according to the bottle, decantation, the weather and the ambiance! The 89 that we had tasted the same morning for lunch was completely different than the one we tasted in the evening...more reserved, a bit closed, it opened up during dinner to release fabulous aromas of superb ripe fruits...the 86, paired with the 7-hour lamb confit, was surprising! We moved from a nose of wet tealeaves to Earl Grey with notes of bergamot and then mirabelle plum. In the mouth, the pairing with the spices in the lamb revealed flavors of iodine and seaweed reminiscent of Japanese cuisine! A real Asian delight!

The real prize of the evening was the 1961! It was an extraordinary experience! It is a great, GREAT wine, one of the only of its kind in the history of wine... I couldn’t do it justice by describing it. I was just so impressed by its color (darker and less ‘brick’ than the 86), freshness, vivacity, complexity, elegance and finesse! The adjective ‘exceptional’ – in the strict sense – cannot express the impression of lasting perfection it left. I can only wish from the bottom of my heart that our guests thought the same thing.

As for the 1928, it struck Henri and me. Having tasted it Monday, it was still a vivid, recent memory for us… But we were in for a surprise! It was completely different than what we had tasted in Paris. Closed, even a bit acidic, we carafed it this time (it was served in a bottle in Paris). All of a sudden, it started to release a subtle note of 'moldy cork'... Disappointed, we decided to open the second bottle that reconciled us with this great wine...definitely an excellent vintage as well!
As I was saying, wine 'lives' and each bottle fights its own fight against change, ageing and cork... Fortunately at Brane, there are more victories than losses! We had all the proof we needed as we savored the wines and listened to Neal and Johan speak about their professional careers and their ‘wine and vine’ experiences and as we admired the extraordinary photos that had been taken by Johan, a humble but extremely talented photographer!

Rares sont les fois où Dominique Renard peut s'échapper... Mais nous avions envie d'avoir un dernier déjeuner convivial avec lui avant son dépar et de connaître Jean Moueix un peu plus...

 

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Dominique Renard has very few opportunities to get away... But we wanted to have a last convivial lunch with him before his departure and get to know Jean Moueix a bit better…

After a preview tasting of Brane and Baron 2009 and 2008, Chef Thibault Servas made us an excellent and original menu to accompany the wines that Henri had chosen to honor our guests. Baron 2000 with the starter was superb, round, pleasant, as charming as its big brother and totally surprising! Smooth, full of blackcurrant, black fruits and violet, it always takes your breath away! Then, with calf sweetbreads and sweet spices, came Brane 2000. Still young and with a long life ahead of it, it nevertheless paired magically with the rest. Just as delicious as it was in Edinburgh and London over the weekend, it delighted us with hints of blackcurrant and ripe cherry. After a powerful attack, it completely melts in your mouth while remaining distinctive and delicate. Its solid structure is encased in silk!

The cheeses, matured by Michèle Cols-Boada, were served with an equally magical 1995 (the very same one that won the Margaux 95 competition at the Jakarta Commanderie de Bordeaux just a few weeks ago). Belonging to a hot and dry vintage, it has preserved all its freshness and aromas, thanks to the vigilance of Henri Lurton who had collected all the very ripe grapes without them being...overripe. A tremendous success! A magnificent aromatic palette, texture, a perfect balance, complexity but especially great finesse. What a fine wine!

We finished with a totally explosive 1989 that caused Dominique Renard to conclude saying ‘It’s with this type of vertical tasting that we realize that Brane's wines improve remarkably with age, and that they are truly meant to age!!!'

Pour la deuxième fois donc, nous avons reçu un groupe de journalistes parisiens dans le cadre du lancement de nos primeurs 2009. Ambiance trèscordiale et plutôt décontractée,  pourtant strès sérieuse pour déguster quelques grands vins, dont le magnifique 1928 en fin de repas..

 

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For the second time, we hosted a group of Parisian journalists for the launch of our 2009 primeurs. The ambiance was very friendly and mostly casual, and yet very serious for tasting a few great wines, including the magnificent 1928 at the end of the meal.

As a whole, very positive comments were made about the 2009, both for Brane and for Baron…A captivating wine that is already delicious and promises great moments of pleasure throughout its long life! The 1928 also made a lasting impression on our guests...The 2003 surprised them with its vibrancy and freshness; already ready to drink, it is not at all typical of a Margaux due to the intensity of its spices that are more reminiscent of a wine from the South or the New World…

A very interesting encounter for Henri Lurton and promises of future visits of the property! Stay tuned...

 

Henri Lurton and Enrico Bernardo preparing the wines

Our magnificent 1928

Our 2003 and 2000

A lovely table!

Jocelyne Rigaut from ‘Voici’

Karine Valentin from ‘Cuisine et Vins de France’ and Jean François Chaigneau from ‘Paris-Match’

Christophe Capdeville in a deep conversation with Michel Craignou from 'Elle à Table'

Marie-Charlotte Wambergue from ‘Vin Divin’ and Nicolas de Rouyn from ‘JDD, L’Expess et Tast’

Alain Sarraute from Le Figaro speaking with Henri Lurton

Alix Baboin Jaubert, 'Maxi Cuisine', Valérie Viallet Faust, TV Magazine and Patrick Faus, 'Balthazar' share their impressions.

Michel Craignou, 'Elle à table'

Jean-Claude Ribaut from Le Monde speaking with Henri Lurton

'Les 10 meilleurs jeunes vins' est le titre de l'article de Jeannie Cho Lee paru dans le dernier numéro de Noblesse en Corée et Brane en fait partie avec un beau 92/100!

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‘The 10 best young wines’ is the title of the article by Jeannie Cho Lee that appeared in the last issue of Noblesse in Korea. Brane made the list with an impressive 92/100!

 

I really admire the passion and dedication of this very shy and highly intelligent man, Henri Lurton. His wines are often lost in large tastings because, like him, they tend to be shy and quiet. But his wines from the challenging 2006s are exemplary – deep purple in colour, silky but firm tannins with classic cedar and violet notes but also with a hint of red dates. Very elegant style, beautifully crafted wines with great length. 92 Points.

Dans son www.prbwine.com, du 16 mars 2010, il donne à Brane 2007 une belle critique et le classe dans la catégorie 'outstanding' (90+)

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On March 16, 2010 on www.prbwine.com, he gave Brane 2007 a positive review and ranked it in the ‘outstanding’ category (90+).

For Alan Duran, as a whole, 2007 wines are “well balanced for a vintage that was nonetheless somewhat problematic in the beginning. The wines are charming and well made, and are generally consistent and well proportioned. They speak volumes about the work of wine-makers and the progress that the region's appellations have made. The weather was a real challenge but many lessons were learned, promising even better results in the future."

His review of Brane more specifically: ‘Another full-flavored beauty from this outstanding estate! From the bottle it reveals an opaque ruby-purple hue followed by scorched earth, plum/mulberry, blackberry, wet-earth, notions of mushroom, and acacia flowers. It is medium to full-bodied, elegantly poised, and as always there is oodles of sweet fruit, a broad mouth-feel, and finesse. The nuances persist with fabulous complexity and caressing length. Certainly those characteristics might be overlooked in such a light and precise wine. This vintage is the essence of femininity, and so pure, Maturity period 2012-2025"

En avant-première chez LAVINIA, dans le catalogue du 9 mars au 5 avril 2010... les primeurs vous sont expliqués et Henri Lurton vous y livre ses impressions!

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LAVINIA, in the March 9 to April 5, 2010 catalog, gives a preview of the primeurs and Henry Lurton talks about his first impressions!

“Like any exceptional vintage, 2009 will have a unique personality. The ripening period was hot and was especially marked by drought. Finding the ideal maturity is never easy, but was perhaps even less easy this year, since every terroir on the property reacted differently to this extended drought. We had to study each plot to try and determine the time when the skins were ripe and the fruit aromas were still fresh. The suspicion that we were participating in the creation of a vintage that would undoubtedly be legendary made this moment absolutely thrilling.”

Jeudi 17 et vendredi 18  mars, Sebastian Payne et The Wine Society organisaient, avec le négociant Barrière Frères, une très belle dégustation de 2006 et d'un millésime plus ancien...

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On Thursday March 17 and Friday March 18, Sebastian Payne and The Wine Society organized, together with the wine merchant Barrière Frères, a fine tasting of 2006 and an older vintage...

After a very warm and very 'local' welcome (see photos!) by Laurent Ehrmann, General Manager of Barrière Frères, the guest château representatives met in the superb room where the tasting was held. It was a tremendous success for 2006 which is already starting to unveil its substance and in the case of Brane-Cantenac, was a huge success for 2000 which is already enchanting and charming its fans. A crowd of Scottish tasters commented on its freshness, roundness, balance and especially the fact that it is already 'affordable,' even though it is still very young and has long ageing potential. The Wine Society’s members in Edinburgh were admired by all for their knowledge of wine in general and of each vintage's characteristics in particular and especially for their courteousness, not to mention their kindness and sense of humor. In the evening, Sebastian Payne and Ewin Murray hosted us for an excellent dinner at The Scotsman, served with generous amounts of New World wines, including an interesting Grenache Blanc 2009 (!!!) from The Foundry, a winery in South Africa...

Jean-Charles Cazes from Ormes de Pez and Lynch Bages wonders what might be hidden under a kilt!

The Scotsman hotel’s welcome committee!!! Who is the real Scotsman?

Ewin Murray making the welcome speech

 

The next day, we headed to London...where the tasting was held in 'Merchants Hall,' also a grandiose room...with a crowd that was just as dense, knowledgeable and interested. During the dinner, we had the opportunity to hear Etienne Priou on the piano, Ewin Murray playing La Marseillaise AND God Save The Queen, also on the piano, and to finish, Nicolas Glumineau from Château Montrose, a baritone, sang two extracts of Carmen with style!!!! It was an unforgettable, convivial and relaxing moment after two activity-packed days.

We would like to thanks Barrière Frères and its entire team, and more specifically Jennifer Perrié and Nicolai Hedegaard, who oversaw the logistics and preparations for these two days in a very professional manner! We will return again next year with pleasure - if Brane is invited - and if we can find out what's really hidden under Scottish kilts!!!

The calm before the storm at ‘Merchants Hall’ in London

Mardi 16 mars, nous sommes tous sur le pont pour le lancement de nos primeurs 2009 chez Enrico Bernardo ...

 

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On Tuesday March 16, we were all geared up and ready for the launch of our 2009 primeurs at Enrico Bernardo’s restaurant…

 

Yesterday at Il Vino, Henri Lurton, Christophe Capdeville and Corinne Conroy welcomed the first group of journalists who had been invited to discover this magnificent vintage…with a few other little bonus gems including the excellent 1928!

After a brief introduction by Henri Lurton and a commentary on Brane-Cantenac and Baron de Brane 2009, our guests had the pleasure of rediscovering Brane 2005 to get started. Then, with a truly outstanding menu designed by Enrico Bernardo (World's Best Sommelier in 2004), they tasted three reputed vintages - 2003, 2000 and 1986 - in magnums, before treating themselves to the 1928 which was still very fresh and racy for its old age. Lively comments were made about each vintage's stages of development. In spite of their youth, the 2000 and 2003 seemed quite good, even though they still have a long life ahead of them! Gérard Muteaud from Le Nouvel Observateur made the interesting remark that the wine's style is clearly recognizable over time. From 1928 to 2009, there is always the typicality of the terroir, the finesse of the structure, the elegance of the tannins and the great aromatic potential of the wines during ageing, including in warm years.

It was a really enjoyable moment for us and a wonderful opportunity to discuss with journalists who do not always get to come all the way to Bordeaux to taste our wines but whom we hope to one day welcome at Brane!

 

"Pourquoi changer une équipe qui gagne ?" nous demande Fleur Montandon des Mines de Bacchus.... L'an dernier déjà,  Brane-Cantenac, grâce à cette association oenologique de l'école des Mines, avait retenu l'attention du président Jacques Chirac. Cette année encore, ce dernier s'est arrêté sur leur stand pour déguster un verre de ... Brane 2004!

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"Why change a winning team?" asks Fleur Montandon from Les Mines de Bacchus? Just last year, Brane-Cantenac, thanks to this wine-tasting association from MINES ParisTech, caught President Jacques Chirac?s attention. And he stopped at their stand again this year to taste a glass of... Brane 2004! We are extremely grateful to Les Mines de Bacchus for having so effectively showcased our regions? products and more specifically Grands Crus Classes including Chateau Brane Cantenac and its second wine, Baron de Brane. Here are Christophe Rioux?s comments taken from the editorial on the Mines de Bacchus website, www.minesdebacchus.com "For the past 6 years, the Mines de Bacchus association, created by graduates of the prestigious MINES ParisTech, has been promoting oenology and regional products with talent. Having been invited by the association on several occasions, I am capable of assessing the progress that has been made: every year, the quality of the tastings improves, there is a wider variety of regions present, the association features Grands Grus Class?s, and a broader public is involved in the operations organized by Les Mines de Bacchus. Politicians, company directors, journalists, connoisseurs and novices, lovers of fine wines and good food all cross paths and discuss in the VIP corner of the Agriculture Show. At a time when gastro-anomy, i.e. the loss of food references, is threatening gastronomy, the Mines de Bacchus association offers an original tasting tour, a journey to Cockaigne, an homage to the horn of plenty. Program director specializing in luxury, including models of wines and spirits, gastronomy and fine foods, and author of a novel stigmatizing the standardization of consumption habits, I am particularly sensitive to the Mines de Bacchus approach, which advocates the French-style art de vivre. And like Apollinaire in his Alcools, it will now be possible to say, thanks to Mines de Bacchus, "je buvais a plein verre les etoiles" (I drank a glassful of stars). Christophe Rioux, teacher and writer, luxury product marketing expert

Dans le cadre de notre CYCLE GRANDES ECOLES, je me suis de nouveau déplacée.

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I recently travelled again in the framework of our GRANDES ECOLES CYCLE. This time, to the lovely Champagne region, to attend SUPdeCO REIMS on Monday March 1st. In spite of the cold local climate, I was warmly welcomed by the ACCES wine-tasting club, which is chaired by Arnaud de PADIRAC. After presenting our property to a very attentive public, we led a fine vertical tasting that showed representative vintages at various stages of their development. It was an enjoyable opportunity for sharing, packed with interesting questions and relevant comments! Brane enchanted its public! The next day, I headed to Lille for yet another tasting at Skema Business School Lille, where the GARGANTUESC group treated me like a queen! The organization was flawless, the room was packed (around 70 people) and the students were thirsty for information and eager to participate! We spent a lovely moment together (as proof, the event lasted more than 3 hours!!) and once again, Brane captivated an audience of young enthusiasts!! I would like to thank both schools for their hospitality! Here are a few photos filled with fond memories:

Nous avions bien noté que Didier Sanchez et son équipe de dégustateurs amateurs avaient remporté les Championnats de France et Européen de Dégustation à l'Aveugle 2009 de la Revue du Vin de France...

Nous lui avons donc proposé une verticale de Brane de 2000 à 2008 compris ... Nous n'avons pas encore le compte-rendu complet mais son email que nous reproduisons ci-dessous nous a réjouit! 

"Nous avons été surpris par l'élégance et la finesse du vin associé à de la pulpe, de la chair et une matière conséquente.

 

Un superbe vin qui représente bien l'AOC Margaux ! Un 2ème cru classé bien à son niveau.

 

Effectivement, nous ne le connaissions pas....

 

Le Cr est en cours.

 

Encore merci pour votre confiance. Et franchement, cela aura des conséquence très positive dans notre club (plus de 300 personnes) ainsi que sur Internet.

 

Oenophilement,

 

Didier Sanchez"

 

 

 

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We had taken note that Didier Sanchez and his team of amateur tasters won the Championnats de France et Europ�en de D�gustation � l'Aveugle 2009 de la Revue du Vin de France... And so we invited him for a vertical tasting of Brane, from 2000 to 2008 inclusive? We do not yet have his complete review but his e-mail that we have copied below delighted us! ?We were surprised by the wine?s elegance and finesse associated with pulp, flesh and an ample substance. A superb wine that stylishly represents the Margaux AOC! An impressive second growth wine. We were previously unfamiliar with it? The review is in progress. Thank you again for your trust. Honestly, it will have very positive repercussions in our club (more than 300 people) and on the Internet. Wine regards, Didier Sanchez"

One more week before the kick off the Primeur Week at the Hangar 14 for the wine merchants next week....

The anticipation is rising and the reputation of yet another mythical vintage is already going around!

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Plus qu'une semaine avant la première 'négoce' au Hangar 14 où les membres de l'Union des Grands Crus dévoileront leur 2009! 

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BRANE CANTENAC 2007 – 16.5

Robustes, herbes, lebhaftes Tannin, frisches, feuriges, fruchtioges Finale ; kann reifen. Ha an Härte und damit an Potenzial gewonnen. 2015-2022

 

Tannins charnus, vivants, finale sur le fruit, fraîche, dynamique. Peut vieillir. A gagné en matière et ainsi donc en potentiel.2015-2022

 

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BRANE CANTENAC 2007 ? 16.5 Robustes, herbes, lebhaftes Tannin, frisches, feuriges, fruchtioges Finale ; kann reifen. Ha an H�rte und damit an Potenzial gewonnen. 2015-2022 Fleshy, lively tannins, fruity finish, fresh, dynamic. Can age. Its substance and therefore potential have improved.2015-2022

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Jakarta Chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, Feb 25, 2010, Ch�teau Brane-Cantenac 1995 wins the competition.... "The taste of Margaux" dinner in Jakarta tonight and the winner is Brane-Cantenac 1995! CONGRATS... Our fan and friend Marita Kruger, wife of Agustin Que, Ma�tre of the Jakarta Chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, is pleased to inform us that Brane ?95 won the Margaux competition!...We are thrilled! Brane-Cantenac 1995: Harvest date: 18/09 to 29/09 - Yield: 45.9 hl/ha ? Blend: CS 48%, M 40%, CF 12% - % great wine in production: 33.3% The 1995 vintage that benefited from a mild winter and a hot, dry spring was expected to be very early at the time of budbreak. The season started with some spring frost that affected some sensitive parts of Gironde. Then, the summer of 1995 was hot and most importantly was very dry. Columnists described the year as fairly similar to 1976, 1982 and 1990, both in terms of the vine cycle (flowering and veraison dates) and summer weather conditions. Young vines that were poorly rooted suffered from this pronounced summer drought, while their elders benefited from these ideal ripening conditions. Immediately prior to harvest, uneven precipitation fell from September 6th to 19th, causing wine-makers a great deal of worry. However, it allowed plant activity to resume, which was necessary for maturation mechanisms to occur. The weather was particularly hot and dry in the end of September and the beginning of October, which was conducive to a perfectly ripe harvest but also ran the risk of overmaturity dreaded due to its devastating effects. In 1995, Brane Cantenac, in keeping with its policy, chose to harvest while preserving grape freshness and fruit, in order to produce balanced wines that would have the best possible ageing potential. The very positive outcome of the Jakarta Commanderie tasting confirms that this philosophy is capable of producing great vins de garde, contrary to some preconceived notions, widely developed by proponents of overmaturity. The more recent vinification of the 2009 vintage had the same difficulties: it is never by seeking excess that we achieve the balance that so elegantly characterizes our great wines? Stay posted on the www.invinoveritastoulouse.fr website for more comments in the near future