1959 - Brane-Cantenac, Margaux

Deeper in colour than the 1961, incredible, although the aromatics are more subdued. Concentrated black fruits, undergrowth, smoked tea leaves, earth, broth, dried cranberry, . What a pairing, and what a joy to see that these wines that can still transport us at this age. Served out of magnum. Recorked in 1986. Carafe for sediment just before drinking. Lucien arrived in 1954, newly married to Marie-Jeanne Duvoisin.

The 1959 Brane-Cantenac, poured from magnum, is not dissimilar to the 1947 in the sense that there is an initial burst of fruit before oxygen gets the better of it. Red berry fruit, cigar smoke and singed leather unfold on the well-defined nose, with just a touch of VA on this bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with kirsch and peppermint, gently grippy and perhaps just a little saccharine in style (unlike the previous bottle I tasted in 2018). This is a fine 1959 Bordeaux, even if ultimately not as good as the 1961. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.