2000 Brane-Cantenac, Margaux

2000. The millennial vintage. Cooler, wetter conditions earlier in the year eventually gave way to warm, sunny weather in August and September, allowing for good ripening of the grapes and a harvest under ideal conditions. Notwithstanding, at Brane Cantenac in order to produce the best possible wine for the vintage a much stricter selection than usual was made for the first wine (less than 30% of total production) and a higher proportion of Merlot was used (55%). A little more than 15 years later the results speak for themselves. The 2000 Brane Cantenac, Margaux is typical of the best wines of the vintage with generous ripe, sweet red and black fruits and admirable mid-palate weight. The wine offers a rich, sensuous texture with good underlying structure ‰ÛÒ lively acidity and firm, fine tannins. The wines from this 2000 vintage are beginning to diverge in terms of their development. Some are ripe and forward and ready to drink. Others can be enjoyed now but clearly have a long life ahead of them. Others still remain largely closed and will require additional cellaring before their full promise is revealed. Fortunately, the 2000 Brane Cantenac falls into the middle category. Though some signs of bottle age have begun to emerge, the wine is perhaps five to ten years away from the peak of maturity. Drink now or hold.