Noted in “1001 Wines You Must Try Before You Die” …this is a Margaux classic fine wine at its best.
This distinguished Margaux property takes its name from Baron Hector de Brane, nicknamed Napoleon des Vignes, who bought it it 1833, having sold Brane-Mouton in 1830. The property, at 222 acres is now the largest of the five second growths in Margaux, but it is almost certainly the original parcels of vines to the front of the château, on the magnificent Cantenac croupe (terrace), that contribute most to the wine’s breed, charm, delicacy and finesse.
The property has been in the Lurton family, one of Bordeaux’s most important land-owning dynasties, since 1925. Henri Lurton was born at the château, and since taking over from his father in the 1990s has been determined to prove that it is fully worthy of its second-growth status.
This particular fine wine we have available is the 1996 Château Brane-Cantenac - a magnificent blended Bordeaux wine;
Tasting: Red purple colour, oak and fresh redcurrants. Juicy ripeness oozing with new oak intermingled with liquorice, blackcurrant with a hint of smokiness. Very substantial and elegant in the mouth with excellent length.
Grapes: Merlot 55%, Cabernet Sauvignon 42%, Cabernet Franc 3%
Priced at only £110.00, buy Château Brane-Cantenac from Vin Vino Direct …click here
Lamb is a rich, fatty meat and so is best complimented by confident, well-structured robust reds which stand their ground.
or a heartier red 
The Cabernet is concentrated to the west of the vineyard, where there are well-drained gravel slopes, whereas the Merlot prefers the eastern edge where the limestone bedrock peeps out from beneath the surface gravels. The vines are planted at a density of 8,000 to 10,000 vines/ha, and have an average age of 35 years. Only those of more than 20 years provide fruit for the grand vin, 
And the wine….Tasting Notes: Beautifully elegant with a bouquet of fine, toasty, gamey notes, mingled with ripe fruits, particularly blackcurrants. The palate comes up to the high standard with its silky tannins, black fruits, excellent concentration and succulent length. This ’97 Cos d’Estournel is available exclusively from Vin Vino Direct, at only £115.00 per bottle – 
