The best vintage from Cantenac Brown in a while opens with a showy display of flowers, espresso, thyme, black cherries, plums, tobacco and earthy, aromatics. Richly-textured, with soft, polished tannins and a wealth of deep, ripe, sweet, fresh, dark, red fruits, the wine feels as good as it tastes. The round, supple finish delivers loads of fruits and a touch of chocolate in the endnote. Drink from 2027-2055.

This has subtle aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of just-picked violets, light vanilla, licorice and crushed stones. Forest-floor notes, too. Medium to full body, layers of firm tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Delicious crushed berries on the palate. Compact with a firm finish. Better from 2026.

Good expression on the nose full of bramble fruit aromas. Nicely framed, this has an initial ripe, jammy sweetness - raspberries and strawberries but also touches of dark black fruit and liquorice. Quite a suave style, concentrated but polished. I get the cooling effects, liquorice and mint at the end. Overall, lovely power and drive. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045

Plenty to grip on to with here, with textured damson and black cherry fruit. Feels deft and well-worked, with a confident tannic frame and enticing layers of espresso and black chocolate. Tristan le Lous is the new owner at this property as of this vintage, with José Sanfins remaining as CEO and Technical Director. 60% new oak, with 51% of overall production in this wine. Eric Boissenot consultant.

(94+ points) The 2019 Cantenac Brown is a brilliant wine from José Sanfins and his team. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, licorice, loamy soil, burning embers and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with terrific concentration, beautifully refined tannins and a seamless, elegant profile. Given its quality, this remains somewhat under the radar and is well worth a special effort to seek out. - William Kelley

The 2019 Cantenac Brown has a deep garnet-purple color. It sings of black cherry compote, wild blueberries, and dark chocolate, leading to hints of violets, underbrush, and menthol. The medium-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating blue and black fruits, with firm, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Classic Margaux. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2019 Château Cantenac Brown is terrific, surpassing the 2018. Lots of ripe black and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, leather, and crushed stone notes define the bouquet, and it's a rich, medium to full-bodied, juicy wine that has the fresher, lively style of the vintage yet still brings beautiful fruit. It doesn't have the tannin quality of the top wines in the appellation, but as I wrote after tasting it from barrel, it's one sexy Margaux. Give it just a few years and enjoy over the following 20 years.

Shows the hallmarks of the vintage, with steeped plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit paste flavors that are broad and lush, while singed wood, violet and anise notes filter in. Features underlying freshness, with finely beaded acidity providing support. A step ahead. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2035. — J.M.

(92+ points) The 2019 Cantenac Brown has a fragrant and pure bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and wild heather scents, very winsome. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy, and fine acidity. One of the more elegant and understated Margaux with a precise finish. I probably overlooked the nuances of this wine, which would explain my lower score than before, but I am convinced that bottle age will ensure its melioration. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. -- Neal Martin