John-Lewis Brown (1769-1851) acquired the estate in the early 19th century and decided to build in the village of Cantenac, a Tudor style chateau reminiscent of his Scottish origins.
The building is one of the most unusual in Médoc region and is surrounded by a remarkable English-style ground.

The quality of the wine was acknowledged in the 1855 classification, when Château Cantenac Brown was included into the growths.

The Bordeaux winemerchant and owner of several estates in Médoc, Louis Armande Lalande (1820-1894), extended the building, keeping the same architecture.

Extraction is easy, color and tannin develop with little effort. The grape seeds taste of hazelnut, and the berries are perfectly ripened ! All the elements to an exceptional vintage unite. From a beautiful flowering, to a long ripening time on all varietals, we had a healthy harvest due to radiant sun during the day paired with cool nights. Perfect alcohol, acidity, and round tannins: the balance is there. It’s harmonious and natural, without excess.

The quality of the wines is no accident: the predominantly gravelly slope in the village of Cantenac produces some of the best wines in the world and is location of many Crus Classes of Margaux. The soils, poor and generous at the same time, added to deep rooted vines and the vintners’ know-how lead to fine, elegant and perfectly balanced wines. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc produce subtle wines with an intense bouquet, well-suited for laying down. Merlot makes up the remainder of the vines and contributes to color, richness and roundness.

Critical Acclaim

D95
Decanter
Poised and precise, this is excellent quality with well-defined black fruits. It feels like the fruit is ripe but not overly so, carefully delineated by great freshness and touches of slate, rosemary and dark chocolate. The extremely precise nose slowly reveals itself, gaining in power. I loved this en primeur and it's even more striking today. A great job by the Cantenac Brown team, it lives up to the quality of their 2015. 49% of production went into the grand vin, matured in 60% new oak.
JS94
James Suckling
This has a very delicious and attractive nose offering ample dark berries and plums with cocoa and freshly cut bracken. The palate has a smooth, fan-like array of fine but sturdy tannins that carry very fresh and upbeat into the finish. Try from 2023.
WE94
Wine Enthusiast
Richly structured, this dense wine has solid tannins that balance with the black fruits. It is a complex wine, poised and confident while not losing sight of the Margaux elegance. Drink from 2025.
Editors' Choice
RP94
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2016 Cantenac Brown comes from a Margaux estate that has upped its game in recent years. It has an intense bouquet with floral aromas filtering through the black cherries, cassis and boysenberry notes, in an odd way almost Saint-Emilion in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. Silky smooth with very well-judged acidity, there is a sorbet-like freshness imbued into this Margaux and it just glides across the palate towards the quite sensual finish. This is certainly equal to the impressive 2015 Cantenac Brown. Rating: 92-94

JD93
Jeb Dunnuck
A solid step up and a brilliant Margaux, the 2016 Cantenac Brown checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot raised in 60% new French oak. Black cherries, currants, smoke tobacco, graphite, and hints of earth all emerge from this beautifully layered, medium-bodied, and concentrated 2016 that shines for its purity and precision, while still offering beautiful depth of fruit. Give it 3-4 years and enjoy this fabulous effort over the following 2-3 decades.
Rating: 93+
WS93
Wine Spectator
Quite dark in profile, with steeped boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry compote flavors forming a core that is coiled up with bramble, singed mesquite and anise notes. Lots of juicy energy through the finish, with a mouthwatering streak of graphite. Rock-solid. Best from 2023 through 2037.
CG91
Connoisseurs' Guide

On the slightly fuller end of the Margaux spectrum, the Cantenac Brown marries ample ripeness with lifting freshness on the nose and refuses to give in to weighty excess in the mouth. It is very rich, to be sure, but it counts fruity precision first among its gifts, and shows great stamina and staying power at the finish. It may not demand a decade of cellaring but is capable of handling that much and more with ease, and, as with any well-regarded claret from a good year, time will bring rewards that can be found by no other means than waiting.