Cantenac-Brown sold

Chateau Cantenac-Brown, the third growth Margaux estate, has been sold, it was announced today.

Formerly part of the Axa-Millésimes group, which includes such properties as Chateaux Pichon-Baron, Suduiraut and Quinta do Noval, Cantenac-Brown was bought by Syrian-born UK investor Simon Halabi for an unconfirmed sum.

As reported on decanter.com last year, Christian Seely, managing director of Axa-Millésimes, was in the process of selling the 42ha property for an undisclosed but ‘satisfactory’ figure.

Halabi and his family are worth an estimated £750m made from property investment and revaluation. He is ranked 56 on the Sunday Times Rich List.

Halabi said the acquisition was the ‘accomplishment of a personal passion’ before hinting loosely at future plans for the wine.

‘I have great ambitions for this wine that I cannot reveal at this time,’ he said.

Although Halabi owns multiple properties including the £260m Aviva Tower in the City of London, this is his first venture into wine.

The estate remains under the day-to-day management of Technical Director José Sanfins, who has been at chateau since 1989.

Written by Oliver Styles