2014 Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, Bordeaux []

Château Brane-Cantenac is among the most reliable names on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, ranked a Second Growth in 1855.

The 2014 has immediate appeal on the nose, with black fruits, peppery spice, violets and cigar box aromas. It’s a delicious Claret to drink now, with inviting flavours of blackberry, plum and earthy complexity from bottle age. It also has the structure to age further, with fine tannins and refreshing acidity. The spicy note works very well with Ixta Belfrage’s porcini mushroom ragu, though you couldn’t go wrong with a simply prepared duck breast.

Charlie Geoghegan DipWSET, Berry Bros. & Rudd