New owner, Syrian Simon Halabi, has instituted a severe selection process (only 35% of the production was utilized), resulting in what may be the finest Cantenac-Brown I have ever tasted. Halabi has given his staff carte blanche in order to get this estate back on track after a succession of good, but somewhat rustic, nearly overly tannic wines. The 2006 offers hints of lead pencil shavings intermixed with blueberry, blackberry, and pain grille aromas. The wine is dense, concentrated, and moderately tannic, with loads of pure fruit and medium to full body. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.

Tasted blind at Farr Vintners' horizontal, the 2006 Cantenac Brown offers a pleasant cranberry and raspberry coulis-scented bouquet with nicely integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with quite high acidity, fresh in the mouth, but rather steely and it seems to miss some depth on the otherwise elegant finish. The intentions are good here, but it does not quite pull it off. Tasted April 2016.

Tar, soot, earth, leather, blackcurrant confit and herb aromas. The vineyard fruit is there and so is the Margaux fragrance. Lots of pleasure here. Alc: 13%.

Classic, cassis, earth, ''sous-bois''. Cassis, forest floor, creamy, tannin, medium acidity, smooth tannins, long.