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For Bordeaux enthusiasts, La Folie de Cantenac Brown 2016 offers a chance to explore Margaux through a historical cuvée from a classified estate.
La Folie de Cantenac Brown belongs to the estate's historical range of wines made alongside its classified grand vin. It is worth noting that La Folie was subsequently renamed Sijac de Cantenac Brown, before the estate's second wine became known as BriO de Cantenac Brown. This makes the 2016 bottling an interesting piece of the château's history.
La Folie de Cantenac Brown 2016 is a red wine from Château Cantenac Brown, the historic estate classified as a Third Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Produced in the prestigious Margaux appellation on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, it offers an opportunity to discover the estate through a distinctive, fruit-driven expression of its terroir.
The name La Folie has an unusual origin. It draws inspiration from a decorative tower built in the nineteenth century, an architectural folly created for pleasure rather than practical purpose. A vineyard parcel at the foot of this tower gave the wine its name, connecting the cuvée to a particular corner of the estate and its history.
The 2016 Bordeaux vintage was shaped by a contrasting growing season. A wet first half of the year gave way to a warm, dry summer, followed by beneficial rain in September that helped the grapes complete their ripening. The result was a vintage widely praised for its combination of ripe fruit, freshness and fine tannic structure.
At Cantenac Brown, the harvest was carried out over an extended period, allowing the team to pick different grape varieties at their optimum maturity. The 2016 La Folie blend comprises 49% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc, bringing together Merlot's generosity, Cabernet Sauvignon's structure and Cabernet Franc's aromatic lift.
On the nose: The aromas combine ripe red berries and dark fruit with hints of vanilla, spice and fresh herbs. As the wine opens, the fruit becomes more expressive, developing towards compote-like cherry and plum, with subtle liquorice and peppery nuances.
On the palate: The initial impression is smooth and velvety, followed by a more concentrated, structured core. Ripe fruit is balanced by freshness, while the tannins provide definition without overwhelming the wine. Notes of dark cherry, plum and spice carry through to a savoury finish.
The finish: Persistent and fruit-led, with lingering notes of liquorice, pepper and gentle oak influence.
Now around ten years from harvest, the 2016 vintage offers the appeal of a Bordeaux that has had time to develop beyond its youthful primary fruit.
Château Cantenac Brown occupies an important place in Margaux's history. Its gravel-rich vineyard soils are particularly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, helping produce wines with aromatic complexity, structure and the capacity to evolve with age. The estate's Tudor-style château also reflects the property's distinctive nineteenth-century heritage.
La Folie de Cantenac Brown belongs to the estate's historical range of wines made alongside its classified grand vin. It is worth noting that La Folie was subsequently renamed Sijac de Cantenac Brown, before the estate's second wine became known as BriO de Cantenac Brown. This makes the 2016 bottling an interesting piece of the château's history.
La Folie de Cantenac Brown 2016 is well suited to roast lamb, grilled beef, duck breast and slow-cooked meat dishes. Its ripe fruit and savoury character also work particularly well with mushroom dishes, herbs and mature cheeses.
Serve at approximately 16–18°C. Allow the wine to breathe in the glass, or decant gently if it benefits from aeration. Given its age, taste before deciding how long to decant.
For Bordeaux enthusiasts, La Folie de Cantenac Brown 2016 offers a chance to explore Margaux through a historical cuvée from a classified estate. Its combination of ripe fruit, a Merlot-led palate, Cabernet structure and the freshness associated with the 2016 vintage makes it an appealing choice for a special meal or for those interested in the different wines produced by a great Bordeaux château.
Falstaff 91/100
Drinking window : 2021 - 2030
Vintage’82 Ltd has been the exclusive importer of Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) in Malta since 2025.
