Château Cantenac-Brown 2006

Subdued on opening, but with 30 minutes in a carafe it spills out rich pencil lead and liquorice notes, with blackberry fruits and smoky vanilla spice. Classic Margaux 2006, with fairly high acidity that emphasises a floral character, alongside refined tannins. Just beginning to evolve towards an older wine. An unusual vintage at Cantenac Brown, where they produced only 30% of the first wine, reflecting a new regime of greater precision in harvesting and sorting. 60% new oak. Drinking window: 2022-2040. Part of Bordeaux 2000s: the complete guide. Score – 93. (Jane Anson, decanter.com, June 29, 2022)