Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château, the 2003 Brane-Cantenac, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, has a rather monotone bouquet of smudged red berry fruit mixed with aniseed and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied, soft in the mouth with a one-dimensional finish that does not exactly compel another sip. This is the weakest vintage of the decade for the estate and bottles should be consumed in the near future. Tasted April 2015.