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History
Founded in the 18th century by the Gorce family, who gave it its original name, this great wine estate was producing one of the most highly, regarded wines of the Médoc well before the 1855 classification. The high price of its wines gave the estate its rank at the top of the second classed growths. It came as no surprise then, when the dynamic Baron of Brane, nicknamed the ‘Napoléon of the Vineyards,’ bought up the estate in 1833 after selling Brane-Mouton (known today as Mouton-Rothschild)! A viticultural pioneer of his time, he was well aware of the reputation and the huge potential of the estate’s outstanding terroir, located largely on the famous Brane gravel mound. In 1838, eager to leave his trace in history, he chose to rename the estate ‘Brane-Cantenac’.Sold in 1866 to the Roy family, who were also the owners of Chateau d’Issan, Brane continued to prosper. Before the First World War in 1914, its wine fetched the same prices as the first growths. The chateau was long known unofficially as the ‘First of the Seconds’. The Société des Grands Crus de France (a consortium of merchants and growers), which owned several prestigious estates such as Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange, bought Brane in 1920.
In 1925, Léonce Récapet and his son-in-law Francois Lurton took over the whole of Brane-Cantenac and the majority shareholding of Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of Francois) inherited Brane-Cantenac in 1956. Whilst carefully maintaining Brane’s fine reputation, he bought up numerous classed growth and cru bourgeois estates. By now one of Bordeaux’s most cherished viticulturists, Lucien Lurton left his estates to his ten children. His son Henri then took over the reins of the family estate. Having graduated as an enologist, his aim was to develop and enhance the wine’s pedigree quality, elegant aromas, complexity and balance, while maintaining a harmony that reflected the style of the vintage and the typicity of its wonderful terroir.Substantial work has been carried out over the last few years to improve the vineyard. With state-of-the-art equipment and the estate’s outstanding terroir, Henri Lurton has put to full use his savoir-faire and deep knowledge of the terroir, adopting permanently some of the most recent techniques, to take the wines of Chateau Brane-Cantenac to the highest possible level of quality. Chateau Notton
Chateau Notton is a family-run property owned and managed by Henri Lurton, who also owns Ch. Brane Cantenac in Margaux. The vinyard is located on a gravelly plateau in the heart of Margaux, between Chateau Desmirail (another Lurton family property) and Chateau du Tertre. This situation ensures optimal ripening of the estate is 30 hectares, planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 25 years. Ch. Notton is vinified in stainless steel and wood cuves and barrel-aged at Ch. Brane-Cantenac.
Nowadays’ owne
Henri Lurton
A worthy successor to Lucien, his father, Henri is similarly affable and discreet. Just like him, too, he has a real love of the land and vines. With ten years behind him at the helm of Chateau Brane-Cantenac and inspired by a great respect for his viticultural heritage and natural vine-growing techniques, Henri Lurton continues to seek a balance between the solid weight of the land and the delicate crafting of wine. Henri Lurton has a Masters in biology and a DEA in enology/ampelology, researching vineyard soils with Professor Seguin, as well as a diploma in oenology from the University of Bordeaux. To perfect his wine growing skills he worked in South Africa, Australia and Chile before returning home to devote his entire time to the family estate.
Technique Information
Location: Chateau Brane-Cantenac is located in the commune of Margaux in the Bordeaux region of Southwestern France (Appellation Margaux Controlee). Chateau Brane Cantenac is one of a number of chateaux lying close to the village of Cantenac, alongside Cantenac-Brown and Boyd-Cantenac.
Appellation: Appellation Margaux Controlee
Neighboring Chateau: Chateau Cantenac-Brown(3rd Growth of Margaux in 1855)
Chateau Boyd-Cantenac(3rd Growth of Margaux in 1855)
Acreage: 90 hectares (222 acres) divided into five plots; the “Plateau de Brane”, behind the chateau grounds, La Verdotte, Notton, Marin.
Soil: d deep “graves” from the quaternary era (Gunz and Mindel)
Grape Varieties: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.
Average age of vines: 25 years
Cultivation density:
6,600 (Plateau de Brane)plants per hectare
8,000 (Behind the chateau grounds and Notton) plants per hectare
Viticulture: Organic manuring; Adapted rootstocks: Riparia Gloire de Montpellier and 101-14; Medocain pruning; the grapes are picked by hand.
Winemaking: Alcoholic fermentation lasts between 6-10 days. Maceration lasts from20-28 days, 25-28℃. Fermentation occurs according to vineyard plot and uses barrel, cement and stainless steel containers.
Aging:
Chateau Brane-Cantenac (First Label): 18 months in barrels, using 50% new oak
Baron de Brane (Second Label): 12 months in barrels, using 33% new oak
Chateau Notton: 12 months in barrels, using 20% new oak
Margaux (Generic): 12 months in barrels, using 20% new oak
Yield: 45 hectoliters per hectare
Brands:
Chateau Brane-Cantenac(First Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Baron de Brane(Second Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Chateau Notton(A.O.C. Margaux)
Margaux(Generic)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Annual Production: 30000 cases per annum
Character:
Chateau Brane-Cantenac(First Label): The wines at Brane Cantenac now show more weight and concentration, although they still possess that haunting bouquet and quintessential elegance that characterise the wines of Margaux. The new vintages from Brane-Cantenac (since 1981) are admired for the very forward, minty, apple character which makes them accessible 5-6 years after bottling.
Baron de Brane(Second Label): Its name pays homage to the man who owned this land in the 19th century. The wine is a blend of vats that have been selected of their suppleness. It is aged just like the “Grand Vin”, but for a 12 months period.
Chateau Notton: A great Margaux wine that is produced on part of Brane-Cantenac’s estate. Chateau Notton reveals the fineness and the complexity of Margaux’s greatest soils. It owes its remarkable fruit notes to the vineyards. Henri Lurton and Chrstophe Capdeville use all their wine making skills to bring out its best qualities. It is aged in oak barrels for one year and racked every three months.
Margaux(Generic): This great Margaux wine is made at Brane-Cantenac’s estate. Produced from young vineyards, it has the fruit notes and the complexity of this exceptional soil. Benefiting from Henri Lurton’s wine making skills, it is aged in barrels for one year and racked every three months.
Best Vintages: Chateau Brane-Cantenac(First Label): 1989, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000
Awards: 2nd Grand Cru Classe in 1855 Margaux
Website: http://www.brane-cantenac.com/
Serving Suggestion
Cellar Humidity and Temperature: 75-90%, 14-18℃
Serving Temperature: 16-18℃
Optimum Drinking and Aging Potential: 5-8 years after bottling, evolve for 15-18 years, even 20 years.
Food Match:
Chateau Brane Cantenac(First Label):
Western Food: Goes well with red and white meat, hard pressed cheeses, grilled vegetables...A good beef steak or rack of lamb is also perfect. Pan-fried foie gras with red wine risotto, Game, Red meat, Strong cheeses, Baked Portobello with cheese & Parma ham Or Smoked Duck Breast, mesclum salad and black truffle.
Chateau Notton:
Western Food: Fillet mignon and other cuts of steak and red meats
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