Learn everything about Chateau Margaux, First Growth, with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn all the best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau Margaux History, Overview
It’s amazing when you realize that the birth of what we know of as Chateau Margaux dates back almost 1,000 years! In the 12th century, the property was known under the name of “La Mothe de Margaux,” which was reserved for use by royalty. However, vineyards were not yet part of the estate in those days.
The successive owners of La Mothe de Margaux were various people of noble birth. When the Lestonnac family took over, the estate started resembling the property we know of as Chateau Margaux today. Pierre de Lestonnac, over a ten-year period, from 1572 to 1582, restructured the property and moved it from growing grain to producing wine.
The vineyards of Chateau Margaux were fully developed in the 1600’s by the d’Auledes family. By the end of the 17th century, Chateau Margaux grew to 265 hectares. One-third of that acreage was cultivated for grapes to produce wine. The remainder was devoted to parkland, greenery, and trees.
Chateau Margaux is one of the few vineyards to have remained relatively unchanged for centuries. To illustrate that point, by 1680, the vineyards consisted of 75 hectares of vines. Today, 350 years later, the vineyards are almost the same size with 80 planted hectares of vines, just like it was in 1700.
Chateau Margaux is a traditional Bordeaux chateau. In some ways, they are slow to move into new technology. They take their time to make sure each step forward is the right step forward.
Yet, interestingly, modern winemaking started at Chateau Margaux. This was due to a man named Berlon who was the first winemaker at Margaux to vinify red wine grapes and white wine grapes separately. At the time, the red and white vines were co-planted in the same plots.
Berlon never picked fruit early in the morning, as the grapes would be covered with dew making the wines dilute in color and flavor. Instead, he picked later in the day to gain the most flavor and concentration in the wines.
Berlon was one of the first Bordeaux vineyard managers to understand the importance of soils and differences in terroir found in various parcels, as each imparted a different quality and characteristic.
Following the confiscation of the estate during the French revolution, Chateau Margaux was allowed to fall into a dilapidated state in the vineyards, cellars and marketplace. In fact, prices for their wines fell by more than 50%! In 1810, the new owner, the Marquis de la Colonilla reinvigorated the estate and hired the architect Louis Combes to design a new chateau and cellars that are still used today at Chateau Margaux.
The Louis Combes designed chateau is one of the rare examples of the neo-palladian style in France. Louis Combes genius was placing around the chateau all the necessary buildings to produce their wine and manage the estate, making the property functional and stunningly beautiful.
The Pillet-Will era for Chateau Margaux was marked by the struggle for financial survival. The financial problems were brought on by recession and phylloxera. The attack of phylloxera decimated their vineyards. Most of their vineyards needed replanting. It took almost 2 decades for the vineyard to come back into full production.
Because the young vines did not produce the level of grapes needed to make a First Growth quality wine, the tradition of selling part of the production as a “second wine,” 1906 marked the official debut of ‘Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux’. Although this wasn’t the first time Chateau Margaux made a selection for the Grand Vin. In fact, that took place as far back as the 17th century.
Prior to 1906, the wine was labeled “2eme vin,” to let customers know it was not Chateau Margaux. The first official vintage for Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux was in 1906.
Pierre Moreau introduced bottling the wines of Chateau Margaux starting in 1924 as a guarantee of authenticity for buyers. The depression caused the chateau to stop estate bottling until 1949. The Ginestet family was extremely successful negociants bought a portion of Chateau Margaux in 1934. They purchased the remaining shares and became the sole owner of Chateau Margaux in 1949. It was under the Ginestet ownership that the vineyards were improved and increased, bringing back original holdings of the estate during the time of the 1855 Classification.
Chateau Margaux The Modern Age
The Ginestet family was forced to sell Chateau Margaux in 1977 to Andre Mentzelopoulos, due to mounting debts brought about in part by the plunging prices for Bordeaux wine in the 1970s. It might seem amazing to us today, but the estate was on the market for almost 2 years before it was purchased by Andre Mentzelopoulos for about $16 million dollars, 72 Million French Francs at the time.
Andre Mentzelopoulos earned his fortune starting out as a grain trader to India and Pakistan before purchasing a chain of grocery stores founded by Felix Potin. He was also the owner of the famous wine merchant, Nicholas. After the death of Andre Mentzelopoulos in December 1980, his daughter, Corinne Mentzelopoulos took over running Chateau Margaux.
Her young age perhaps prevented her from fully appreciating what was needed to manage Chateau Margaux. But she was assisted by the famous Bordeaux oenologist, Emile Peynaud and Philippe Barre the estate director, who were both among the first additions to the team at Margaux made by the new owner.
Renovations were undertaken to modernize the winemaking facilities and cellars which were completed in 1982. Replanting of certain sections of the Left Bank vineyard started taking place shortly after being purchased by Andre Mentzelopoulos and a program to increase the density of the vineyard plantings was also taking place.
Paul Pontallier
In 1983, Paul Pontallier, an agricultural engineer with a doctorate in enology joined the team at Chateau Margaux, becoming the technical director at only 27 years of age, the same age as Corinne Mentzelopoulos. In 1986, Chateau Margaux became one of the first estates to practice green harvesting, reducing their yields while increasing concentration in their wines.
The smart, and charming Paul Pontallier served as the director of Chateau Margaux for 30 years. Corinne Mentzelopoulos entered into a partnership with the Agnelli family, the owners of Fiat. That partnership ended in 2003. For a period of time, Corinne Mentzelopoulos was also one of the largest shareholders of the Perrier water company before focusing on Chateau Margaux exclusively.
2009 was a historic vintage for Chateau Margaux. That same year, they also added a gravity fed reception area and new vats.
When the fruit is brought in, they hand sort one more time with smaller teams to make sure only the best fruit is used. When asked if they considered adding optical sorters, Paul Pontallier answered, “No. Sorting takes place in the vineyard.”
That being said, while Paul Pontallier was not a big fan of Optical Sorting, in 2011 and 2012, the estate continued experimenting with Optical Sorting technology. But it is not used on a regular basis as they prefer manual sorting. Margaux employs over 300 people to work the harvest. That number includes 5 teams of 30 people per team to handle the sorting.
Additionally, starting with the 2009 vintage, as an experiment, about 1% of the grapes used to produce the Grand Vin were whole cluster vinified, meaning that the stems were still on the berries.
With the 2009 harvest, for the first time, the team at Chateau Margaux used 50 vats for 40 plots, allowing the chateau to vinify plot by plot and when needed. In fact, they even vinified within specific parcels, giving their wines much more precision. This was accomplished with the addition of 8 wood vats and 20 stainless steel vats.
In 2015, Chateau Margaux completed a massive renovation of their cellars. The project, headed by the Pritzker prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster, was the first substantial modernization of the famous cellars of Chateau Margaux since the original cellars were constructed in 1810!
The stated goal was to maintain the integrity of the original design of the outward appearance while creating a modern, state-of-the-art facility for the interior. It worked perfectly! There is a new building that is being used for the production of the red as well as the white wine of Chateau Margaux.
A new grape reception area was added. There is also a gleaming, new laboratory, and the famous bottle library was also completely updated and redesigned. Part of that update included a new glass-walled, tasting room overlooking the historic wine bottles stored at the chateau.
Chateau Margaux also created new facilities for the cooperage. Visitors are now being welcomed in a new reception area as well. Sadly, not much more than a year after the renovations were completed, Paul Pontallier, the long-time director of Chateau Margaux died in March 2016. Paul Pontallier passed away.
To honor the extraordinary relationship with Pontallier, the 2015 Chateau Margaux, the final vintage produced with the aid of Paul Pontallier features a special, etched, screen-printed, black label highlighting the new cellars designed by Norman Foster.
This one-time-only label takes on additional importance as the design also celebrates the 200th anniversary of the chateau, as well as the recognition that 2015 is perhaps the best vintage ever produced at the fabled estate! Under the label, close to the bottom of the bottle, there is a line of print that says, “Hommage a Paul Pontallier.”
Organic farming is practiced at Chateau Margaux. In fact, 2017 was farmed using only organic methods. Experiments are also taking place with a small, 1-hectare parcel of Cabernet vines farmed with biodynamic farming techniques.
Philippe Bascaules was brought back to Chateau Margaux to replace Paul Pontallier in 2017. Philippe Bascaules was previously the technical director for Chateau Margaux. In fact, it was Paul Pontallier that hired Philippe Bascaules in 1990.
Philippe Bascules left Margaux in 2011 to work as the director for Inglenook, in Napa Valley. Philippe Bascaules will continue working with Inglenook while at Margaux. Sebastien Vergne will remain the Technical Director for Chateau Margaux.
The Character and Style of Chateau Margaux Wine
The style of wine produced by Chateau Margaux at its best, blends elegance, purity of fruit, harmony, and finesse. If wines were actors, perhaps it could be described as having the charm, style, finesse, and elegance of Cary Grant.
This suave wine is not light. It is rich, full-bodied, and offers cassis, truffle, and haunting scents of violets. There was a reason America’s third President and first serious wine collector favored Margaux. In 1787, he said, “Chateau Margaux is one of the top 4 Bordeaux wines”. Over 200 years later, his words still ring true.
The best vintages of Chateau Margaux are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2000, 1999, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1986, 1985, 1983, 1982, 1959, 1953, 1929, 1928, 1921 and 1900. As you can see, Chateau Margaux is a remarkably consistent wine.
Since 1990, Chateau Margaux has been one of the most consistent producers in all of Bordeaux, making one of the top wines year after year.
However, even though the vintage is just a baby, clearly 2015 Margaux is in contention for the best vintage in the history of the estate! Chateau Margaux ages extremely well. In the top vintages, the wines can age and evolve for 50 or more years!
Chateau Margaux Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The 82 hectare Chateau Margaux vineyard is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc for the red wine grapes.
This shows a marked increase in the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the vineyards. The final blend on average usually contains close to 85% Cabernet Sauvignon in most vintages.
The vineyard is now divided into 80 parcels. Unlike many Bordeaux estates, most of their vineyards are close to the chateau. The vineyard is basically in three sections. They have vines planted close to and surrounding the chateau, hillside parcels that are just due north and vines planted close to the church, which is just a bit south.
Their best terroir is a 25-hectare parcel on the peak of their plateau, with its deep gravel soils. Those vines are in a specific walled in a parcel known as the Enclos, and one additional plot, Puch Sem Peyre.
The sizeable 262-hectare estate of Chateau Margaux has a total of 82 hectares under vine for the production of red wine. This is almost the exact same size as it was during the time of the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, as well as for more than 100 years before that!
The remaining land that is suitable for cultivation is devoted to greenery, park-like gardens, and forestry.
On average, the vines are kept at 35 years of age. However, there are parcels with very old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, which are more than 80 years of age! The old vine Merlot and Petit Verdot vines are close to 60 years of age. The oldest Merlot vines are planted in clay soils situated close to the front of the estate, next to the Church.
It is important to note that Chateau Margaux is in the process of slowly changing the orientation of their vines in an effort to minimize the effects of climate change. Between 1%-1.5% of their vines are now being planted from their south-west exposure (which maximized sun and ripeness) to a north-east exposure, which provides cooler, more shaded conditions.
Most of the work in the vineyards is managed using only organic farming. 2017 was the first vintage where 100% of the vines for the Grand Vin were farmed 100% organically. A large portion of the grapes used for the production of Pavillon Rouge is also farmed using only organic methods.
White Wine Grapes at Chateau Margaux
11 hectares of vines planted to 100% Sauvignon Blanc are located west of the famous chateau in the commune of Soussans, which is where you find more limestone in the soils and a cooler, micro-climate. Those vines are devoted to the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Margaux, “Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux.”
There are a few vines of Semillon in the vineyard that are not included in Pavillon Blanc in most vintages. At most, a minor portion is included roughly once every ten years or so. The wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc. It is interesting to note the extremely low yields, which are close to 10 hectoliters per hectare. This is because most of the production is sold off in bulk.
Today, their white wine is a small part of the estate’s production, However, it is interesting to note that in the 1700s, a large portion of the vineyard was devoted to white wine grapes.
The terroir for their white wine is prone to problems from frost. So, to protect the white wine vines used for Pavillon Blanc, Chateau Margaux uses a frost protection system that sprinkles water on the vines during potential, frost-inducing weather.
Something else that has helped to continue elevating the quality of the white wine has been the introduction of organic farming techniques used for the Sauvignon Blanc. Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux made its debut with the 1921 vintage. However, white wine was produced at Chateau Margaux at least as far back as 1900.
Chateau Margaux Winemaking
To produce the red wine of Chateau Margaux vinification takes place in vats that are a combination of wood and stainless steel. They have 24 wood, 150 hectoliter vats and 95 stainless-steel tanks that range from 5 hectoliters to 180 hectoliters.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in vats, except for the press wine, which is undergoing malolactic fermentation in the barrel. The red wine of Chateau Margaux is aged in 100% new oak for 18-24 months, depending on the quality and character of the Bordeaux vintage.
A large percentage of the oak barrels used to age their wine are produced at Chateau Margaux. Chateau Margaux is one of the few Bordeaux estates with their own cooperage on the property. Chateau Margaux has been involved in making sure that consumers purchase only, genuine bottles of Margaux since 1989. In that year, they began laser etching their bottles.
In 2011, Chateau Margaux strengthened their anti-counterfeiting program with the addition of using the prooftag system.
Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux
To produce the dry white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Margaux, Pavillon Blanc, which is always made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the grapes are whole-cluster pressed, with no skin contact. Alcoholic fermentation starts in stainless steel tanks before the wine is moved for the remainder of the vinification and aging to 33% new, French oak barrels.
There is no malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged on its lees with stirring in 33% new, French oak barrels for 7-8 months before bottling. Close to 2,500 cases of Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux are produced each year.
Starting with the 2022 vintage, Chateau Margaux made a big commitment to increase the quality of their white wine when they introduced a second wine for Pavillon Blanc, Pavillon Blanc Second Vin.
The wines of Chateau Margaux have continued to show marked improvements since the Mentzelopoulos family took over. The quality took another giant leap once Corinne Mentzelopoulos was placed in charge. Part of the reason is the increased severity of selection.
To give you an idea of what is taking place today, versus just a few decades ago, during the 1980s, the production of the Grand Vin was more than 20,000 cases.
By the 2000 vintage, the production of the Grand Vin slid below 17,00 cases. The portion of the Grand Vin continues decreasing due to selection. To fully illustrate this, on average, Chateau Margaux produces the following amounts of their wine today:
Chateau Margaux – 12,000 cases per year
Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux – 16,000 cases per year
Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux – 1,600 cases per year
As you can see, the amount of Grand Vin has been reduced by close to 40%. Today, even less of the Grand Vin is produced now that Chateau Margaux introduced a third wine, Margaux de Margaux starting with the 2009 vintage. There is a fourth wine produced from red grape varietals which is sold in bulk to negociants.
When to Drink Chateau Margaux, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Margaux is not a wine to drink on the young side. The wine is usually far too tannic, powerful, and reserved during its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 3-6 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Chateau Margaux is usually better with at least 15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Margaux offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 18 and 60 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Margaux with Wine, Food, Pairings
Chateau Margaux is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Margaux is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Margaux is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
The white wine of Chateau Margaux, Pavillon Blanc can be paired perfectly with all types of seafood, shellfish, sushi, sashimi, veal, chicken, pork, and assorted cheeses.
Château Margaux Wine Tasting Notes
100 Vintages 2,033,043 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
|
2023
Château (Margaux)
In competition for wine of the vintage, with a single swirl, you find roses violets, lilacs, black, with red cherries, espresso, cocoa, and boysenberries in the haunting aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is silky, velvety, energetic, and lively. Instead of the weight and intensity found in the 2022, the 2023 focuses on its purity, refinement, length, vivacity, and sensual textures. The seamless finish resonates for 60 seconds, leaving you with lingering waves of incredibly sweet, and pure cherries. Part of the reason for the success of the vintage at Margaux is due to the combination of the amount of rain, and even more importantly, the timing of the rains, which helped the vines reach a better level of maturity. It is interesting to note that macerations were slow, and easy, with some vats taking 28 days due to the lower ABV levels. The wine blends 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. 13.1% ABV. 3.61 pH, 15% press wine. 41% of the crop was placed into the Grand Vin. Picking took place September 11-October 6. The length of the harvest was due to intermittent periods of rain during the harvest, so picking stopped and started, which is another key to the success in 2023. Drink from 2030-2065. 98-100 Pts. 3,119 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2023
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux (Bordeaux)
White flowers, pomelo, white peach, green apples, and tangerine create the perfume. The palate continues with that theme. It takes a second before the fruits sneak up on you and starts to pop in the finish, leaving with you layers of sweet, vibrant, crisp, juicy, citrus, and green apples, with a complicating touch of chalk on the the backend. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.13. ABV. 3.15 pH. Harvesting took place only in the mornings, from August 23 - August 30. Drink from 2025-2038. 95 Pts. 2,060 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2023
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Flowers, and spice, along with black cherries, tobacco wrapper, and plums spring from the glass. Elegant, refined, soft-textured, and fresh, the silky-textured, cherries are vibrant, bright, and lifted, with length, and purity. The wine was made from blending 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. 13.3% ABV. Drink from 2027-2043. 92-94 Pts. 2,371 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2022
Château (Margaux)
The bushel of red and black fruits initially get your attention before discovering all the violets, white flowers, cedar, and cigar box aromas in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is silky, sensuous, rich, and almost viscous. The fruit comes in layers, and does not stop building in intensity. The wine is poised between weight and lift, with an energetic finish delivering a powerful wall of cashmere-textured, red and black fruits that hold your focus for at least 60 seconds. This is a unique style for Chateau Margaux that is difficult to compare with previous vintages due to its levels of ABV and concentration. But I love it! The wine blends 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. All the Petit Verdot was placed into Pavillon Rouge. 14.6% ABV, is the highest ABV in the history of the estate. 3.61 pH. Yields were barely 25 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced using only 40% of the harvest. Picking took place September 8 - September 28, making this one of the earliest starts to a vintage in the history of the estate. Drink from 2030-2065. 98-100 Pts. 5,353 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2022
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Lemon chiffon, lawn grass, pears, vanilla, white peach, and tangerine skin nuances form the core of this wine. The wine is forward, sweet, creamy, and pure, with a buttery accent on the long, fruit-packed, fresh, vibrant backend. The wine will be a pleasure to enjoy on release and over the following decade or longer. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.13.4% ABV. 3.18 pH. Yields were only 14 hectoliters per hectare, so not much of this wine was made. If you are a fan, act quickly. This is the white wine of the vintage! Drink from 2024-2037. 97-97 Pts. 4,214 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2022
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Opening with its bouquet of flowers, it is impossible not to notice the spicy red and black fruits in the nose and on the palate. Concentrated, elegant and fresh, with vibrancy, and creaminess in the textures on the palate. The finish shows intensity and lift in the black raspberries, cherries and red plums with a touch of pepper and paprika on the back end of the finish. The wine was made from blending 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, 14.8% ABV. Drink from 2025-2040. 93-95 Pts. 4,668 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2021
Château (Margaux)
Black cherry, blackberry, spice, violets, and with just a hint of oak which will shortly become fully integrated into the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, creamy, vibrant, elegant, and fresh. It is the lift to the fruit paired with the refined, creamy tannins that is the signature of this vintage. The wine is on the discreet side and warrants a bit of swirling before you become involved with this beauty. Give it 5 years or so and it will be even better. The wine blends 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, pH 3.64. The Grand Vin was produced using only 36% of the harvest. Picking took place September 24 - October 13. Drink from 2029-2060. 2,377 Views Tasted Jul 2, 2024Deep garnet in color, the wine opens with lilacs, spice, black currants, tobacco leaf and a hint of cedar in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is elegant, polished, silky, fresh and reserved in character. Classic, (In a good way) there is lift, vibrancy and poise to the fruit on the mid-palate, leaving you with a supple, refined, discreet, almost formal finish. Give it 5 years or so and it will be even better. Clearly, this is one of the wines of the vintage! The wine blends 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, pH 3.64. The Grand Vin was produced using only 36% of the harvest. Picking took place September 24 - October 13. Drink from 2029-2060. 96-98 3,030 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2021
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux (Bordeaux)
Ginger snaps. white flowers, grapefruit, orange rind, and spice with hints of white peach, and green apples to fill out the perfume. On the palate, the wine is crisp, and lively, blending white peaches, pomelo, and salty, green apples. Lovers of white Bordeaux wine should be all over the gem. It is one of the best vintages of Pavillon Blanc that I have tasted. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 13.3% ABV. Drink from 2024-2037. 1,871 Views Tasted Jul 2, 2024 |
|
2021
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
White flowers, yellow citrus and orange rind with a hint of white peach. green apples and spice nuances are all over the place here. The wine shows a lushness and rich character that is equally fresh, crisp and vibrant on the palate and in the finish. In fact, it is almost racy in its attitude. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 13.3% ABV. Drink from 2024-2037. 95-95 2,585 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2021
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Quite floral in nature, the nose exudes white and purple flowers, black cherries, spice, and just a hint of espresso. The palate is medium-bodied, vibrant, crisp, and chalky, with a sweetness to the lifted, chewy red fruits with a touch of citrus in the finish. The wine blends 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% ABV, 13.5 pH. Drink from 2025-2037. 1,811 Views Tasted Jul 2, 2024Flowers and black raspberries with touches of spice and herbs create the nose. On the palate, the wine is elegant, forward, vibrant and refined with a touch of juicy plums in the finish, You can enjoy The wine was made from blending 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% ABV. Drink from 2023-2035. 91-93 2,691 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2020
Château (Margaux)
It is the elegance of the wine, silkiness in the tannins, and the purity in the fruits that form the character in this wine. On the palate, you find layers of sweet, refined, cherries, red plums, and black raspberries tasting like they were picked at the perfect moment and eaten in the vineyard. Texturally, the wine is incredible. The fruits are velvety, creamy, fresh, long, and rich. Everything is in balance and harmony. The finish is seamless giving you a wine that is effortless to taste. The wine blends 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV, 3.68 Ph. Drink from 2030-2060. 5,419 Views Tasted Aug 21, 2023The purity of the fruit in the nose is striking. From there you move to notes of allspice, tobacco, roses, truffle, smoke, roasted plums, cherries and currants. Incredibly sensuous, silky and fresh, the fruit literally coats your palate with layers of velvet and silk textured berries. Intensely concentrated, weightless and effortless to drink, the wine seamlessly glides across your senses and holds with you for at least 60 seconds. This is a prodigious vintage of Chateau Margaux. The product of an early vintage, picking took place September 10 to September, 30. Yields were 36 hectoliters per hectare, with the Grand Vin produced from only 36% of the crop. The wine blends 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV, 3.68 Ph. 98-100 Pts 9,601 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
|
2020
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Flowers, incense, cherries, and licorice aromas create the nose. Supple, fresh, and lush, with silky tannins, and layers of sweet, ripe, elegant, red berries that leave a lasting impression. The end note is fresh, balanced, long, and pure. The wine was made by blending 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2023-2045. 2,216 Views Tasted Aug 21, 2023Right off the bat you find an array of flowers before moving on to the ripe, red berries, dark pit fruits, black plums and earthy nuances. Refined, elegant, soft and supple, there is freshness and purity to the fruits, along with length and precision on the palatemaking this a contender for the finest vintage of Pavillon Rouge that has been produced yet. Give this 5-7 years of age and enjoy it over the following 15 years or so. The wine was made from blending 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2 Cabernet Franc. 94-96 Pts 5,417 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
|
2019
Château (Margaux)
This could be the most sensual vintage of Chateau Margaux ever produced. The palate is pure silk and velvet with an incredible sense of purity and refinement. Utterly seamless, the wine glides over your palate builds, lingers, and expands for well over 60 seconds. If you have ample disposable income, buy this wine, it will be a legendary wine in the years to come. Drink from 2029-2065. 8,190 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Dark garnet with purple accents in the hue tells you the wine going to be concentrated. The nose, with its showy aromatic display of lilacs, roses, herbs, cigar box, blackberries, dark red pit fruits, gun powder and violets informs you the wine is complex. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, silky, and seductive. It starts off discreetly before moving to its sexy side. The layers of sweet, fresh, vibrant, black and red fruit come on strong and keep on going long after the wine has left the glass. The wine blends 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, reaching 13.9% ABV. The Grand Vin was produced using only 37% of the harvest. Picking took place September 18 - October 10, making this a fairly leisurely harvest. 98-100 Pts 11,555 Views Tasted Jun 13, 2020 |
|
2019
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Flowers, cherries and plums are the first things you notice before you get into all that silky, elegant, refined layers of ripe red, sweet, lifted fruits. Medium-bodied, elegant, luscious and fresh, this is a gorgeous Pavillon Rouge that is a scaled-down version of Chateau Margaux. The wine blends 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.2% ABV. 93-95 Pts 4,063 Views Tasted Jun 13, 2020 |
|
2018
Château (Margaux)
Perfectly poised between opulent and refined, rich and elegant, this is a beautiful example of Chateau Margaux with intense notes of lilacs, violets, cigar box, red fruits and espresso. The palate has concentration, but there is also freshness and depth of flavor, so the silky textured wine is light on its feet and effortless to drink. The seamless finish provides great energy, soft, silky tannins and a gorgeous sense of purity to the fruit that does not want to quit. Made from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, 14% ABV. 15,456 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Deep in color with an intense, dark ruby hue, the nose offers violets, lilacs, espresso, wet earth and cigar wrapper along with ripe, deep red fruits. There is freshness and soft, silky vibrant tannins. The wine feels quite powerful in the moment and its classic design reminds me of 2005. This is not going to be fun to taste young but with Chateau Margaux patience is always a virtue. Made from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 14% ABV. The Grand Vin was produced using only 36% of the harvest. Picking commenced September 17, finishing October 13. 97-99 Pts 15,684 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
|
2018
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Fresh, bright, crisp and juicy, the lemons, grapefruit and green apple are made even better with a deft touch of orange rind and honeysuckle. Creamy, juicy and crisp with a lemon drenched finish, this is ready now and can age for at least 10-15 years with ease. 2,842 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Honeysuckle, green apple, orange rind and pomelo scents are available with no effort. The wine is sweet, bright, fresh and juicy, displaying a combination of yellow tropical fruits and citron on the palate and in the finish. 3,509 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
|
2018
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Elegant, refined and aromatic with easy to find notes of flowers, smoked herbs, cigar box and ripe, red fruits. Medium-bodied, soft, fresh and silky, everything feels incredibly balanced on your palate. This is going to need 3-4 years of aging before it is ready to drink. The wine was made from blending 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% 4,803 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Medium-bodied and elegantly styled, the wine is composed of ripe red berries, flowers and cherry pipe tobacco nuances. Silky, refined and lifted, there is more volume, density and tannins than usual here with a gorgeous purity to the fruit. This is going to need 3-4 years of aging before it is ready to drink. The wine was made from blending 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. It is hard to believe this is a second wine, as it is better than any vintage of Margaux from the 60s and 70s and with some exceptions -- the 80s! 92-94 Pts 6,048 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
|
2017
Château (Margaux)
Dark ruby in color, the wine is silky and seductive. This is not a powerful wine, instead a velvet and satin texture with complexity and length. On the palate, the wine beguiles you with its sweetness, lift and sumptuous qualities. This vintage contains a record amount of tannins for the estate yet these tannins are so ripe and soft, you’ll barely notice them. This gem will have the ability to age for several decades. Made from a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.7. The Grand Vin was produced using only 37% of the return. The harvest commenced on September 18 and finished October 3 and the average yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. Bravo for Philippe Bascules, the managing director who supervised this sublime production from start to finish. 13,807 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
|
2017
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Lightly honeyed citrus rind, traces of vanilla, pomelo and the peelings of green apple grab your attention right away with a parade of invigorating citrus flavors. There is length and acidity giving the wine buzz and endurance. 3,378 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
|
2017
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
This medium-bodied wine, quite floral in nature, generates the perfect forum for the gently smoked, red fruits and pure cherry found on the nose and in the palate. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. 3,585 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
|
2016
Château (Margaux)
A bright, red, fresh vintage, the wine provides lift, energy and a nice pop in the red berries. Silky, elegant, lifted and long, there is a gorgeous purity to the black raspberry, black currant and red berry palate. You are going to need to wait for this beauty to develop, as the wine has a lot of structure and freshness that needs to round out. The wine was made from a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. 14,427 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019Deep ruby with purple accents of color around the rim of the glass, violets, lilacs and roses are the first scents you notice before moving to the red and black plums, tobacco and a hint of licorice in the bouquet. Light on its feet but don't let that fool you, it’s impossible not to feel the purity and elegance. The wine displays an incredible clarity of fruit with a finish that dawdles on your palate, moving from red fruit to black fruit and back to sweet, red berries again. The finish has an incredibly supple, refined quality that leaves you yearning for another sip. It was early in the morning and I can assure you, I finished my glass without spitting a drop! The wine was made from a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot reaching 13% ABV with a pH of 3.6. Yields were high, but it's important to note, the Grand Vin represents only 28% of the harvest, which took place September 23 to October 18 -- one of the longest harvests in the estate's storied history. 23,438 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
|
2016
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Ruby red in color, this is what Japan must smell like when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Followed by an array of sweet plum and earthy notes, this medium-bodied wine is elegant and sophisticated with sweet, fresh red berries in the finish. Balance, finesse, refinement is its mantra. The wine was produced from a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, reaching 13% ABV with pH of 3.6. Of the harvest, 26% was used for Pavillon Rouge du Margaux. 6,367 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
|
2016
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Just squeezed lemons, hints of flowers, tropical accents, green apple and a few drops of honey make this a delicious, round, sweet, fresh, character driven, white Bordeaux wine. 3,868 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
|
2015
Château (Margaux)
Deep, shiny, dark ruby in color, this rocks as soon as the wine is out of the gate, or should I say out of the bottle and into your glass. Cherry blossoms and lilacs make it seem as though you are in a flower shop. On the palate, the wine is rich, full bodied and concentrated, yet the wine is light on its feet. There is a purity in the fruit that is off the hook. There is a sensuous, textural quality that makes it so you cannot help but take another sip, to make sure the experience is real, and because it is so good! The wine is a testament to Paul Pontallier, as this is in some ways, a culmination of his life's work. 18,144 Views Tasted May 21, 2018The color of a dark, blood red ruby, this wine makes a powerful opening statement. On the nose, the luscious inhale as the door to the flower shop opens, a row of Spanish cedar cigar boxes still filled with a stash of Cohiba, the not-too-sweet aromatics of cherry pipe tobacco -- all combined with cherries, licorice, forest floor, creamy espresso and blackberry liqueur. On the palate, the wine melts into a buttery wealth of fresh fruit, gratifying tannins and a finish that saunters, taking it’s time to linger close to 60 seconds while slowly expanding at the same time. Rich without being heavy, this wine is aristocratic and refined. This wine is deceptively easy to taste, and if it puts on weight during the aging period, which it probably will, it should hit triple digits. Produced from a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.65. 13.5% is the highest level of ABV ever recorded at Margaux; the previous high was 13.1%, achieved in 2010. This represents 35% of the harvest. The picking took place from September 18 to October 6. 98-100 Pts 11,624 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2016 |
|
2015
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Floral notes, honeydew, citrus peel, orange marmalade, green apple and lemon wax on the nose. The wine is rich, full bodied, silky and long, with freshness, vibrant energy and a refreshing blast of lemon, lime and tangerine in the honeyed, spicy finish. 2,975 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2016 |
|
2015
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Cherries, anise, tobacco and cigar box notes rise amid a floral background to create an incredibly elegant, refined, fresh, long and sweet wine. Lift, purity of fruit, substance and length make this the best vintage of Pavillon Rouge I have ever tasted -- a testament to Paul Pontallier. The wine was produced from a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.% ABV with pH of 3.67. Of the harvest, 23% was used for Pavillon Rouge du Margaux. This wine is better than any vintage of Margaux produced in the 1970's and with 2-3 exceptions, that same thing goes for the 80's too! 93 - 95 Pts 4,566 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2016 |
|
2014
Château (Margaux)
Showing more aromatic complexity after just a few additional months in bottle, truffle, herbs, cedar, lead pencil, and dark, red fruits are impossible to avoid. Medium full bodied, with soft, polished tannins, elegant styling and a freshness to the lingering, sweet, red, spicy fruits. This should drink well relatively early for Margaux. Perhaps another decade will be enough for this wine to begin showing well. 6,459 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017A complex array of coffee, thyme, flowers, plums, smoke and licorice aromas are on display. Medium/full bodied, silky soft and slightly high toned, with its palate of red fruits with exotic, citrus accents, this vintage focuses on the appeal of the freshness, length, complexity and spice character, as well as the elegant, textures and purity in the fruit. 6,327 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2017A complex array of coffee, thyme, flowers, plums, smoke and licorice aromas are on display. Medium/full bodied, silky soft and slightly high toned, with its palate of red fruits with exotic, citrus accents, this vintage focuses on the appeal of the freshness, length and spice character, as well as the elegant, textures. 5,346 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2017A valentine of dark chocolate and roses melded with the aromatics of licorice, blackberry and cocoa create a complex perfume. The wine is elegant with a refined character, supple tannins and a burst of fresh cassis, cherry and cocoa that builds on the palate. The most striking quality to this wine is the clarity of fruit in the finish. While this vintage lacks the weight and density found in vintages like 2009 and 2010, the length is quite similar. Produced from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13.2% ABV with a pH of 3.68. This represents 36% of the harvest. 95-97 Pts 13,490 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2015 |
|
2014
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Continuing to charm, with its fresh, just squeezed yellow, citrus peel and floral notes. The wine is fresh, bright and invigorating with nuances of honeysuckle and pomelo that stick right through the finish. 2,355 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018Yellow citrus and honeysuckle with green apples are right out in front. Bright, fresh and invigorating, the lively finish has more that fresh citrus, with just a drop of honey. Interestingly, during the initial attack, the fruit seemed mute, but the wine and fruit just kept on going and building. The finish really lingers with its freshness and tension. 3,233 Views Tasted Jul 12, 201799% of nose is devoted to sweet, yellow citrus fruits, pomelo and apple. The remaining 1% reminds me of Chartreuse. Refined, fresh and sweet, with just a dab of honey dripped over the juicy Meyer lemons in the finish. The wine was produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The harvest took place September 8 to September 13. 2,706 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2017With a nose of lemon, grapefruit, orange and honeydew, this wine is lively and bright with fresh-squeezed lime, Meyer lemon and citrus peel. The finish is long, dazzling and quite fresh. The wine was produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 94 Pts 3,223 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2015 |
|
2014
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Floral, with earthy, red cherries and just a hint of tobacco on the nose. In the mouth, the wine is pure, fresh, elegant and lively. Medium bodied, with lots of freshness and elegant ed cherries, a few more years will even more silky qualities to the wine. 4,471 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017Earthy red fruits, and a hint of cocoa lead you to a wine with freshness and spicy red fruits with minerality. Medium/full bodied, with elegant tannins and freshness, give this a few years to come around, as it will gain in softness and nuances. 4,207 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2017Blending the sophisticated aromatics of floral, dark chocolate and fresh boysenberry, this medium-bodied wine is forward and fresh. It delivers a crisp, vigorous cassis finish and is filled with refined charm. The wine was produced from a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot and reached 13.5% ABV. 91-92 Pts 5,496 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2015 |
|
2013
Château (Margaux)
A lighter style of Chateau Margaux, due in part to the lack of Merlot in the blend offers a perfume of flowers, red fruits, spice, earth and a hint of tobacco. Soft, smooth, and easy to drink, with a noticeable lack of depth in the mid palate, this is a wine to drink in its youth, while waiting for vintages like 2010 and 2015 to mature. 6,836 Views Tasted May 25, 2016Floral, tobacco, black cherry, vanilla and kirsch open to a refined and elegant wine, which is surprising due to the high level of Cabernet Sauvignon as well as the vintage’s characteristics. Medium bodied and silky with pure, sweet fruit, this is a very good wine that will offer pleasure young. For the first time in the recorded history of the estate, no Merlot was included in the blend. From a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with a pH of 3.65. From yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare, the wine represents 38% of the harvest. This is one of the stars of the vintage. 92-94 Pts 9,857 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
|
2013
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
From 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the wine reached 13.1% ABV. The wine is produced from 40% of the harvest. Grapefruit, orange, honeysuckle and fresh citrus rind grab your attention, while the fresh and sweet lemon core refreshes as it lingers. 92 Pts 4,322 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
|
2013
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Medium bodied, finesse style of Margaux with a focus on its fresh, sweet, red fruits, floral charactereistics and early drinkability. 4,022 Views Tasted May 25, 2016With earthy, floral, spearmint and black cherry aromas, the wine segues into a soft, polished texture and a forward, elegant finish brimming with black cherry and cocoa. From a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvginon, 10% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. 90-92 Pts 5,458 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
|
2012
Château (Margaux)
Medium-bodied, structured, almost round, close to soft, but the tannins and the wine remain firm, reserved, and reticent. There is a strong, green olive and herbal note in the finish that does not want to go away. Those looking for more classic-styled vintages will probably like this even more than I did. At the end of the day, and the bottle, this is a wine to like, not love. 5,863 Views Tasted Jul 5, 2021Cedar wood, truffle, earth, tobacco, flowers and fresh berries can be coaxed out of the nose, but it takes effort as the wine is ready for sleep. Fresh, soft, smooth, silky and polished, give this a decade or more to open and come together. 8,668 Views Tasted Nov 15, 2015Blending 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with coaxing flowers, blackberries, cassis, gravel, fennel, coffee bean and mint. Refined and structured, with plush, polished tannins, tangy black cherry notes add to the fresh, persistent and elegant finish. 93-95 Pts 7,545 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
|
2012
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Fresh, crisp, ripe, citrus notes complicated by floral elements, forward and ready to go, with sweet, lemon and lime notes in the crisp, slightly honeyed finish. 3,760 Views Tasted Nov 15, 2015Honeydew, cantaloupe, grassy, citrus scents pop with little effort. Fresh, lively, peppy and sweet, lemon and lime flavors produce a persistent finish. 92-94 Pts 3,375 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
|
2012
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Flowers, cherries, cocoa and smoke create the inviting nose. On the palate the wine is medium bodied, fresh, bright and crisp, with a sweet and tart, elegant black cherry finish. 4,834 Views Tasted Nov 15, 2015From 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The wine offers earth, tobacco, and cassis notes, finishing with a spicy and crunch cassis-filled finish. 88-91 Pts 6,386 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
|
2011
Château (Margaux)
Blending 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, along with equal parts Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the wine is ruby in color. With delicate, complicated scents of violets, mocha, smoke, truffle, blackberry, cassis and an array of spices, the wine is soft, refined and elegant. It’s lacking the volume and darker berries found in the 2010 or 2009. Yet this is a very suave, fresh, pure, cassis-filled Margaux. 94-95 Pts 9,204 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
|
2011
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
From 100% Sauvignon Blanc, this is packed with fresh lemon, hazelnuts, flowers, grapefruit and citrus. Fresh, rich, balanced, sweet and clean, the wine finishes with a long, citrus-filled finish. Very balanced and clean. This will be bottled in June. 93-94 Pts 3,235 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
|
2011
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Franc and 2% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13% ABV. The wine represents 28% of the harvest. More of the wine was relegated to the third and fourth wines of Margaux. The wine opens with floral, black raspberry, mocha and earthy scents. Medium-bodied, with soft, fresh red berries, the wine ends with sweet cassis and cherry. 89-91 Pts 8,116 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
|
2010
Château (Margaux)
The perfume teases you with its depth and intensity of what’s to come with its aromas of violets, smoky oak, licorice, earth, vanilla and mélange of dark berries. From the first sip, the wine coats your palate and taste buds with pure, fresh, rich, thick, polished blackberries, silky tannins and a finish that builds and expands for close to 60 seconds! The wine continued to build and expand in the glass for the two hours we spent with the wine over lunch. 16,179 Views Tasted May 8, 2013Deep purple in color, the wine offers a pungent nose of violets, cassis, smoke, oak, tobacco, earth and fresh picked blackberries. This rich, concentrated, velvet drenched, lush, opulent wine coats your palate with layers of pure silk. The long, precise finish is filled with crème de cassis, boysenberry and plums. 17,452 Views Tasted Jul 19, 20122010 Margaux - A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the wine is defined in part because of the effective low yields. Only 38% of the harvest was included in the Grand Vin. The rest of the harvest was divided as follows. An equal portion of 38% went into Pavillon Rouge. The remaining wine was divided between their third and the new fourth wine. 210 marks what could be the lowest production ever recorded in Chateau Margaux. . Deep ruby on color, with an enticing perfume filled with smoke, cedar, cassis, violets, oak, tobacco, spice and black raspberries. But that’s not where the excitement is found. In the mouth, pure elegance, silk, satin and velvet, incredibly plush, refined, polished and long, this intensely pure Cabernet Sauvignon based wine remains on your palate for at least 60 seconds. 2010 Chateau Margaux exemplifies precision, purity, balance and elegance with a seamless finish. Everything is in balance with perfect harmony. 98-100 Pts 10,060 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2011 |
|
2010
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Already drinking well, with its sensuous textures and layers of sweet, ripe fruits, the wine is clean, fresh, rich and even sexy. It’s amazing to consider, but this second wine of Margaux is better than any wine produced in the 1960’s, 1970’s and for several vintages made in the 80’s as well. In part, some of this is due to the creation of the new third wine, Margaux de Margaux, which affords this wine a much better selection. 10,202 Views Tasted May 8, 2013With a perfume filled with roses, chocolate, blackberry and licorice, the wine feels sauvé in texture. This round, fresh, cassis and black cherry filled wine offers a lot of Margaux character and charm. 92-94 Pts 4,643 Views Tasted Jul 19, 2012Pavillon du Rouge Smoke, cassis, oak and violets, this wine combines delicate textures, with sweet, soft berries, black and red fruits and silky tannins make up this charming Margaux. 91-93 Pts 4,474 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2011 |
|
2010
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Not showing as well from the bottle as it did from the barrel, the wine offers fresh, lively, waxy lemons, grapefruit, spice and floral notes. Refreshing and mineral driven, this is already drinking well. 4,542 Views Tasted May 8, 2013 |
|
2009
Château (Margaux)
If you are wondering what heaven in a glass feel, smells and tastes like, look no further. This is everything a great wine needs. The texture is pure silk and velvet. And speaking of purity, the fruit delivers that in spades. The sensual texture really brings everything together. If you have a bottle and can wait another decade, as good as this is today, it will be even better! 6,385 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2019Pure lush, sensual sexy textures leave your speechless. Powerful, yet light on its feet, everything is in balance and harmony Layers of opulent, silky, perfectly ripe fruits end with sensations of sweet, black cherries and chocolate that lingers for close to 60 seconds. If I had the money, I'd be all over this wine. I hope my richer friends buy this so I can taste it over the next several decades. 11,065 Views Tasted Oct 31, 2013Truffle, blackberry liqueur, licorice, black cherry, flowers, molten earth, tobacco smoke and 5 spice. There is richness and purity if fruit that is hauntingly beautiful. Refined, powerful and intense, this opulent wine is pure silk and velvet. The supple finish tastes like perfectly ripe fruit just picked from the vine at the exact moment to obtain maximum ripeness. From a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and equalt parts Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, there is not a single hard edge to be found. Flawless and sensuous, I finished every drop in my glass! If I had time, I would have stayed and finished the bottle. 11,348 Views Tasted May 4, 2012Complicated aromatics of sandalwood, spice, earth, boysenberry, tobacco, smoke and dark berries require little effort to be discovered. On the palate, this opulent, sexy, rich, supple wine feels like pure silk as it drapes over your palate. Fresh, pure and intense, this majestic Bordeaux wine expands on your palate for close to sixty seconds! The wine will be bottled in August. 10,674 Views Tasted Jul 19, 20112009 Margaux pops from the glass with aromas of spice, incense, espresso, cassis, and juicy dark berries. Full bodied and intense. According to Paul Pontallier, the wine is more tannic than both the 1986 and the 2005. Neither the tannin nor ABV dominates because of the concentrated sweet fruit. The wine finishes with a purity and essence of cassis and dark berries. 98-100 Pts 12,250 Views Tasted Aug 26, 2010 |
|
2009
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Silky and seductive, from a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, this ripe, fresh wine features supple tannins and a sweet, lush, blackberry, plum and spice filled finish. Enjoy it now, or over next 10-15 years. 7,633 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
|
2008
Château (Margaux)
2008 Margaux opens with a complex perfume of fresh flowers, minerals, cassis, earth, forest floor, cedar and coffee scents. Full bodied and concentrated with round tannins, opulent textures and ripe fruit, this stylish wine ends with a long, polished sexy wave of rich textures. 96 Pts 8,435 Views Tasted Jul 20, 201008 Château Margaux is deep colored with light purple accents. Cassis, floral, oak, baby fennel and blackberry aromas are easy to find. Quite concentrated, but light on its feet, this is a wine of freshness and refinement. The long finish is clean, and expresses a lot of purity in the mouth. 95-97 Pts 8,450 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
|
2007
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
With a beautiful, gold hue, the nose serves up earth, fresh herbs, citrus rind and pears. Luscious in texture, with energy and depth, the wine is sweet, fresh and still delivering fresh citrus fruits, along with the additional, secondary complexities. The wine is quite long in the finish. 4,724 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017Honeysuckle, flowers, lemon, grapefruit, roasted nuts and vanilla custard scents are found in the perfume. Rich, ripe, round and fresh, this white Bordeaux wine produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, ends with a fat, spicy, tropical fruit and fresh lemon oil finish. Even though the wine comes in at a surprising 15.5% ABV, there is no sensation of heat. Everything is in balance. 4,517 Views Tasted Oct 7, 2011 |
|
2007
Château (Margaux)
Ruby in color, the wine offers truffle, cigar box and red fruits. This is all about the secondary nuances and the soft, silky, elegant textures. Medium bodied, but with charming, red fruit characteristics, this is at full maturity. This is not a Margaux to make old bones, but in a blind tasting, no one is going to think this is from 2007. It's surprisingly much better than anticipated. 5,662 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017Light ruby in color, with a mature nose of spice, flowers and blackberries, this soft, refined, charming wine is already drinking well. The wine ends with a supple, cassis and black cherry filled finish. Give it 2-3 more years to gain additional layers of complexity. 10,185 Views Tasted Jul 19, 2011 |
|
2007
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
With a developed character, starting with the color, you can easily sense the earthy, herbal, secondary characteristics. Slightly past full maturity, the wine is soft, almost, almost light actually. There is still some fruit remaining in the finish, but if you holding any, you are best advised to drink up, before the remaining fruit fades. 5,618 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017 |
|
2006
Château (Margaux)
Still tightly wound, although it resists much of the stern tannins found in many of the other 2006 Medoc wines, the wine offers the start of its secondary aromatics with its tobacco, cherry, plum, spice, smoke and forest floor scents. Elegant, sophisticated and charming, give it another 5-10 more years to develop more secondary notes, soften and add more weight. The wine was produced from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, until this time, this probably set a record for the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. 7,270 Views Tasted May 25, 2016This kicks off with floral, chocolate and cassis on the nose. Very Cabernet feeling in the mouth. Tannic. This reminds me of a riper version of the 86. This will need serious cellar time 10,142 Views Tasted Jun 24, 2009 |
|
2006
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Light aromas of cherry blossom, earth and kirsch attract you to the medium bodied, elegant, finesse styled, red berry wine. This is ready for prime time drinking. 3,576 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018With a developed character, you can see this in the color, on the palate and in the nose, the wine is soft, elegant and refined, medium bodied, on the fresh, subtle side of the style range. This is probably drinking at peak and while there is no real hurry to drink it, there is no reason to age it any longer either. 3,172 Views Tasted May 25, 2016 |
|
2005
Château (Margaux)
Still youthful, the wine is intensely concentrated, full, deep and rich. Aromatically, this is off the hook with its floral nature, you also find spice box, herbs, tobacco leaf and a bushel of red and black fruits. Long, deep and intense, the fruit is sweet, ripe and fresh, finishing with vibrancy, length and purity. But time will make this a better experience, so give it at least 7 more years in the cellar and enjoy it over the next 3-4 decades after that. 5,891 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine. 17,788 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015With coaxing, I discovered a ripe core of elegant, stylish, blackberry, violets and cassis popping from the glass. Very fleshy with great purity of fruit. The finish seemed a bit oaky at this stage. Having had this wine multiple times, the wine is shutting down and should be allowed to rest for several years before tasting again. 14,901 Views Tasted Jul 21, 2008The nose was pure blackberry liqueur, flowers and spices. The palate experiences incredible layers of sweet, concentrated, sexy polished, ripe fruit finishing with a blast of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate and spice. This wine is very special. The texture is off the charts! This is incredibly fresh and lush with an amazing purity of fruit. This wine is absolutely seamless. 17,875 Views Tasted Jun 30, 2007 |
|
2005
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
With a nose of fresh squeezed citrus, honeysuckle, vanilla and grapefruit in the nose, the wine is fresh, lively and packed with sweet lemons that offer bracing acidity with sweetness. 5,137 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015 |
|
2005
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Soft, smooth and ready for prime time, with its elegant, fresh, cherries, floral and earthy profile. 7,577 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015Floral, dark cherry, earth and tobacco notes open to a ready to drink, fresh, soft textured Margaux wine that focuses on elegance and early drinkability. This is a very successful, second wine. 8,704 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
|
2004
Château (Margaux)
This bottle was rocking! The finest example of this I have ever tasted. There was polish, elegance, grace and finesse in its stylings. Silky tannins, fresh, dark red fruits, espresso, spice and floral essences were all over the place. There was richness, length and sweet, ripe fruits in the polished finish. I am sure another 5 years in the bottle, if you have patience will only add more to the wine. 4,926 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018A medium bodied, lighter. fresher style of Chateau Margaux that shows a lot of complexity in its floral, earthy, sweet red fruit and tobacco perfume. Soft, and polished in texture, the fruit is clearly ripe and fresh, I just wish there was more of it in this vintage. Forward in style, and already approachable, drink this elegant beauty now, while waiting for the more powerful vintages like 2000, 2003 and 2005 to mature. 5,637 Views Tasted Jul 7, 2017Truffle, tobacco, blackberry pie, spice, herb and forest floor aromas are starting to emerge. Soft with a polished texture to the medium/full bodied fruit, this is starting to open and drink well. Another 5-7 years will add even more depth and complexity to the wine. 6,531 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015 |
|
2004
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
Bright, crisp, fresh, lemon, lime flavors, medium bodied and a crisp, citrus finish. 5,623 Views Tasted Nov 30, 2014 |
|
2004
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Medium bodied, fully mature, with soft, delicate textures, sweet black cherries, floral and cigar box notes, this is a not a wine to age for further development. 3,486 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015 |
|
2003
Château (Margaux)
Flamboyant, opulent, rich, full-bodied, showy styled Margaux that is about as hedonistic as you can get. Precocious, so you can enjoy it today, or feel free to age it for another decade or 2, this is a gorgeous wine from start to finish. 4,740 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022Just a gorgeous wine that's a pleasure to drink. Opulent, flamboyant and showy, there is good concentration, length, lush textures and silky tannins. There is no touch of heat or overripeness. It's in a good spot today and there is plenty left in the tank for improvement. 6,971 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020Opulent, silky, lush and sensuous, the wine is concentrated, deep, long and yes, it is also fresh, The layers of perfectly ripe, velvet-textured fruits come at you in layers. The wine is refined and intense. 6,902 Views Tasted Feb 4, 2019Lush, sensuous, rich, opulent and perhaps decadent levels of perfectly ripe fruits are impossible not to get caught up in. Length, purity, seamlessness and textural delights are what you will find here. This is one of the top wines of a mixed vintage and a great Margaux. 6,575 Views Tasted Jan 12, 2018If you are a fan of Chateau Margaux, and you have the funds, this is a wine you need in your cellar! Pure silk and velvet textures, lush, opulent tannins, incredible depth of flavor, concentration and length, the perfectly ripe fruit that fills your mouth, is absolutely decadent. While young, there is such a wealth of ripe fruit and the tannins are so soft and polished, you can drink this now. Or, feel free to lay it down in your cellar for another decade. This is one of those unique wines that leaves you thinking about it, long after the wine has left your glass and gone to where it was intended to be. 7,964 Views Tasted May 6, 2016Truffle, coffee bean, licorice, spice, roasted blackberries and cherry blossoms. Pure , sensuality, with fruit drenched in velvet and silky tannins, with a long, fresh, sweet black cherry finish. This is still young and while the wine is delicious to drink today, this is going to get better and better with time. This is a contender for the wine of the Left Bank and of the vintage! 9,502 Views Tasted Dec 18, 2014Compelling in every way, 2003 Margaux has it all! A fragrance that grabs you with its smoke, caramel, truffle, blackberry, floral, forest floor and cedar wood scents. The thick, rich, silky palate pairs intensity and purity. The wine is deep, fresh and complex. This will be a legendary vintage in a decade or two. 10,254 Views Tasted Apr 27, 2013 |
|
2002
Château (Margaux)
From a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, this medium bodied wine is perhaps slightly more interesting on the nose than the palate. The pleasurable floral, cherry, tobacco, leaf and earthy nose lead you to a wine with some rusticity in the tannins in the crisp finish. More time could soften the wine, but I am not willing to bet the farm on it. If you were lucky like me and bought the wine as a future in 2003 for about $80 US dollars, you did great. But in today's world, there are better wines to buy. 9,838 Views Tasted May 7, 2014 |
|
2001
Château (Margaux)
More closed than the last time I tasted the wine, with coaxing, the silky, refined, fresh, sweet, red fruits made their presence known. Hints of florality, tobacco and kirsch, with wet earth add to the complexities. 90 minutes of air would add a lot to the wine today. 3,615 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018Silky, smooth and refined, this medium bodied effort is all about the refined textures and elegant character. It's lacking the depth and concentration of the top vintages, but its ability to be enjoyed young, along with its finesse style should not be overlooked. 5,704 Views Tasted May 7, 2014 |
|
2000
Château (Margaux)
Now, you are talking. This is a heat-stopping vintage of Margaux. The perfume, with its lavender, lilacs, currants, plums, cedar and tobacco hits you. But it is the rich, opulent, silky, sensuous, multi-layered palate presence with its seamless finish that steals the show. Drink this now, or age it for 2-3-4 decades! 6,241 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022What a wine! Mind-blowing in every sense of the word. The nose, with its explosion of earth, flowers, tobacco leaf, ripe red and dark fruits grabs you. But the magic happens as soon as the wine hits your palate, coating every inch of your taste receptors with layers of fruit that just do not quit. The finish moves past the 60 second mark with ease. This is stunning today and will be even better in 10-20 or perhaps more years. 9,591 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020One of the best bottles of this vintage I can recall tasting. This continues to soften, fill out and add nuances to the concentrated, lush, rich, full, floral, pure style of the vintage. With a genuine depth of flavor, rich, silky textures and soft tannins, the sweet, deep red fruits in the finish hang with you for close to 60 seconds. By 2025, this should enter its plateau of maturity and will offer pleasure for at least 40 more years after that. 9,787 Views Tasted Feb 4, 2019Absolutely beautiful from start to finish. There is a lot of tannin here. Yes, the tannins are incredibly silky, but they are still firm, holding the wine in check. Secondary aromas have started to emerge, but there a lot more room for development. Give this wine at least 5-8 more years and everything should fall perfectly into place. 7,732 Views Tasted May 6, 2016Clearly, this is not ready for its closeup, or prime time. It's hard not to be impressed with the elegant, silky tannins, velvety, sweet, ripe fruits, intense aromatics or the length of the finish, but similar to driving a Ferrari in traffic, this is just not running at its full potential. As a guess, 5-10 years are needed for well stored bottles. 8,194 Views Tasted Dec 3, 2015This is not quite ready, but that does not take anything away from the pleasure found here. Elegance, concentration, opulence and complexity are the hallmarks of this wine. The smoky, floral, earthy, fresh, sweet, ripe fruits are close to perfect. But it's the silky, cashmere textures and length that steals the show! If you like the fresh qualities of young Bordeaux, give it a few hours of air and enjoy the ride. If you're patient, and prefer more aged, secondary characteristics, wait a decade. Either way, you're in for a wild ride on the hedonism train. 7,877 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2015Violets, black raspberries, dark chocoalte and black cherry liqueur scents pop. Soft, polished, silk and velvet textures are made better by the multiple layers of fresh, ripe, pure berries. Still young, I'd wait another 5 - 10 years, but if you offered me a glass, I'd be all over it. 10,359 Views Tasted Oct 31, 2013This is an OMG wine. For people not familiar with my notes, that is short for Oh My God! What a wine. Cassis, violets, spice box, truffle, blackberries, cedar wood, cigar box and tobacco scents flood your senses. The wine is so silky, it must be felt to be believed. The wine is intense, long and pure. This was decanted about 2-3 hours before serving and improved in the glass for as long as the lunch lasted. 11,695 Views Tasted Mar 27, 2013Massive, intense, refined, pure, sensuous, powerful and concentrated with wave after wave of soft, elegant, deep layers of ripe dark berries, spice, flowers, truffle and earth, the wine really coats your palate with the essence of Margaux. Opened far too young, at least 10 more years are needed for the wine to begin showing what it's really made of. 17,891 Views Tasted Mar 14, 2012Can you say Rock Star? Oh My God, this is off the charts! The perfume explodes in your face with smoke, cassis, tobacco, mineral, floral, spice, earth and truffle scents. In the mouth, this perfect Bordeaux wine fills your palate with decadent fruit that offers perfect balance, harmony, length and depth in a long seamless finish. If you have the wine, don’t sell it. If you have the money, buy it! 27,585 Views Tasted Aug 12, 2010This is a rock star! There is no other way to say it. Intense aromatics of a mélange of spices, floral notes, perfectly ripe cassis, blackberry and tobacco introduce you to the wine. On the palate is where the wine takes off! Perfectly polished layers of pure, ripe fruit fill every nook and cranny of your palate. Everything is in balance with velvet like textures that conclude with an endless bath of ripe, black fruit and silky textures. The sublime finish is seamless. If this wine is already this stunning at 10, when fully mature, this will be off the charts. This is one of the finest vintages of Margaux I recall tasting. Life is too short not to taste this wine and hopefully have at least a few bottles of it in your cellar. 27,555 Views Tasted Mar 5, 2010This was so complex, concentrated and charismatic, it was almost surreal! Endless layers of aromatics are followed by wave after wave of a myriad of tastes and flavors as cascade every nook and cranny of your palate. This is so dense and rich, it’s almost off the charts! Absolutely compelling. Very deep and lush. This is already a legendary wine. 17,431 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
|
2000
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Soft, approachable, medium bodied and already open, this is a lighter style of Margaux that can be enjoyed today. 10,046 Views Tasted Mar 5, 2010 |
|
1999
Château (Margaux)
It has been far too long since I last popped a cork on this treat. It takes no effort to find the blackberries, flowers, cigar box, 5 spice, smoke, licorice, and currants on the nose. With 45 minutes in the decanter, the wine is fully open on the nose and on the silky, fresh, elegant blend of black and red fruits with their spice-filled character. The wine is vibrant and refined with a nice shot of dark chocolate that comes in on the backend of the endnote. Drink from 2022-2040. 5,050 Views Tasted Aug 14, 2022This is a very good wine and strong vintage for Chateau Margaux. Prices for all the First Growths have made most vintages far too expensive for people to buy. The best value in a Chateau Margaux is found in the 1999. With polished textures, supple tannins and a nose revealing tobacco, truffle, smoke, dark berries, forest floor and spicy aromatics, you can enjoy this bottle now, or age it for another decade or two without any trouble. 7,814 Views Tasted Aug 27, 2013Violets, tobacco, cocoa, coffee, creamy cassis, blackberry, cigar box and truffle get you instantly involved with the wine. In the mouth, the wine is silky smooth, with a rich, ripe, sweet, cassis, black cherry and wild strawberry jam finish. It's fun to drink now, but a few more years of bottle age will more complexity to the wine. The wine softened and fleshed out after 3 hours in the glass 8,448 Views Tasted Dec 22, 2012This combines red and black fruitswith cassis in the nose and palate. Very expressive, elegant and round. For Margaux, this will drink young. 5,272 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
|
1998
Château (Margaux)
Medium/full bodied, firm, tannic, masculine, structured style of Margaux. The perfume, with its floral, tobacco and black cherry aromas are more enticing at this stage of the game. The wine demands at least another 5-8 years in the cellar. With luck, the wine will soften as it evolves. 5,523 Views Tasted Aug 3, 2015 |
|
1997
Château (Margaux)
Medium bodied, elegant, softer style of wine, which is stronger on the nose, with its earthy, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco, forest aromas and hint of floral notes, than on the lighter fruited palate, which shows its warm, cherry notes, herbs, and wet earth well. Splash decanted, the wine was much better than expected from such a difficult vintage, especially at only a few weeks shy of its 21st birthday. 6,779 Views Tasted Nov 14, 2017 |
|
1996
Château (Margaux)
This could hit triple digits in a few years. It continues filing out, gaining in complexity, richness, and texturally, additional layers of silk and velvet on the palate are the order of the day. This stunning wine is showing beautifully today, and while pricey, it is the best deal for a mature vintage of Chateau Margaux in the market today. Drink from 2023-2055. 4,415 Views Tasted Dec 4, 2023Drinking beautifully today, this has everything you could ask for in a great vintage of Margaux. Soaring, floral, tobacco and red berry aromatics, full, rich, concentrated layers of ripe, sweet, red fruits, silky, velvet-textured tannins and a long finish. This is simply great wine. 6,461 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022Close to the sweet spot, this sexy, sensual, silky velvet-textured beauty has it going on. Concentrated, full-bodied, intense, balanced, long, fresh and complex, it is hard to find a better wine. There is so much pleasure here, it's impossible not to finish your glass and fill up for more. 8,734 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020Stunning! That is the only word this tasting note really needs. But for those that like more detail, this is intensely concentrated, opulent, silky and fresh. The fruit is perfectly ripe, pure, sweet and offers lift and length. Elegant from start to finish, this has entered into maturity, but there is no hurry to drink it. I am sure the 96 Margaux will provide pleasure and positive evolution for at least another 25-35 years, if well stored. 7,071 Views Tasted Nov 13, 2018About 2 hours of air, and this really exploded into everything you were hoping it would be. Rich, silky, plush, polished, and fresh, with layers of perfectly ripe, sweet, opulent fruits that tasting and felt great were impossible not to enjoy. This is really getting close to optimum drinking here. 8,417 Views Tasted Jun 25, 2017With bottle age, every wine turns out different. While still a stunning tasting experience, this bottle was not as ostentatious as other examples. Young, fresh, full bodied, silky and with great, purity of fruit, it lacked the expressiveness found in the best bottles. 9,383 Views Tasted May 6, 2016Silk and velvet tannins, ripe, pure, fresh, sweet, vibrant fruits, a perfume of violets, tobacco, cassis, blackberry and earthy notes and a finish that does not quit. What more can you ask for? This is close to ready. It is going to get better and better for a long time, but at close to 20 years of age, this is starting to enter its prime time drinking window. 8,869 Views Tasted Jul 10, 2015Now we're talking my language! Packed with licorice, coffee bean, coconut, cassis, blackberry, earth and floral characteristics. Intense, concentrated, long and powerful, this still young wine will really turn on the charm with another 5 - 10 more years in the bottle. 11,839 Views Tasted Mar 30, 2014After a string of perfect bottles of Margaux, this particular bottle was good, but not great. And definitely no performing at the level it is capable of. It seems to lack the polish and precision normally experienced in this wine. Once again, with the passage of time, there are no great wines, just great bottles. 10,001 Views Tasted Aug 27, 2013Showing deep ruby with bricking at the edges on the color, this stunning Chateau Margaux is filled with complex aromas of Cuban cigars, truffles, flowers, spice, ash, blackberries, tobacco, cassis, stone and fennel. In the mouth, the wine gushes over your palate with sensations of sweet crème de cassis, tobacco and roasted cherries. The silk and powerful finesse finish remains on your palate for over 60 seconds. This is already starting to show well at 15 years of age. This special Bordeaux wine has the fruit and structure needed to continue developing for at least another 20-30 or 40 years! 15,693 Views Tasted Jul 19, 2011Dark, opaque color, a complex, intoxicating perfume and layers of fruit that flow over your palate and senses! Absolutely compelling juice. Very primary, this was opened for educational purposes. In 15-20 years when fully mature, this will be an “Oh My God” wine and tasting experience! 8,253 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
|
1996
Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux Blanc (Bordeaux)
With a hint of gold in the color, the wine offers butterscotch, honeysuckle, lemon, lime and buttery notes in the perfume. The sweet citrus finish delivers, softly textured, yellow fruits, apple, honey and vanilla notes. Fully mature, it is not often I get to taste 22 year old bottles of Pavillon Blanc. 2,725 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018 |
|
1996
Pavillon Rouge du Château (Margaux)
Fully developed, the secondary notes of tobacco leaf, kirsch, spice and cedar are easy to find. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied, and shows notes of green herbs and leaf, along with the light, red cherries. Better on the nose than the palate, this needs to be consumed sooner than later, to retain the remainder of the fruit. 4,568 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018 |
|
1995
Château (Margaux)
Firm, masculine, hard style of Margaux with ample, ripe, fruits, great aromatics, but the tannic spine will take at least another decade to soften, that is if it does. The finish has a touch of greeness in the endnote. I own some, but I am not sure this is going to change much, we will have to wait and see, which is a lot to ask, considering it is already 27 years old! 3,461 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022Firm style of Chateau Margaux, that seems like its a modern-day version of their 1986. As time evolved in the decanter and glass, the wine filled out, softened, gained in aromatics and generosity. Full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, this is still quite tannic. Give it another decade and the wine should be markedly better, else allow it 3-4 hours of air, so it can flesh out and open. 4,655 Views Tasted Aug 27, 2019At 20 years of age, the wine is starting to wake, although it still needed the help of 2-3 hours of air. The nose offers a floral, fruit filled perfume. Medium/full bodied, the wine has more of a softness than lush quality to its texture. The wine is fresh, ripe and youthful. If you have a bottle, I'd wait another 5 years, hoping for more development. 5,528 Views Tasted Aug 22, 2015Earth, oak, caramel, blackberry, violet and black cherry scents are found in the perfume. Very tannic with a slight austerity to the style. This young, concentrated wine needs a lot of time before fleshing out. 13,664 Views Tasted Jun 30, 2009 |
|
1994
Château (Margaux)
Firm and austere, or are those terms just polite ways of saying classic? Much better results are found here on the nose, with its floral, tobacco, earthy, red berry characteristics. Bright, crisp red fruits and green herbs are sensed in the finish. More time will probably not add much here. A few hours of air did help a bit. On the other hand, if you really love those older, classic vintages from years gone by, this wine should be in your wheelhouse. 8,150 Views Tasted Nov 13, 2017 |
|
1993
Château (Margaux)
Past full maturity, this is starting to fade. If you have a bottle, pop a cork for the remainder of the bright, red, sweet, overly fresh core of red berries, earth, tobacco and leafy forest characteristics. The wine is soft, as well as crisp in the finish. Drink up as the fruit is only going to continue to decline from here. 4,643 Views Tasted Nov 13, 2018 |
|
1990
Château (Margaux)
Full-bodied, rich, opulent, elegant, vibrant and concentrated, the wine kicks off with violets, tobacco leaf, wet earth, currants, blackberries, forest leaf and a touch of spice. If that wasn't enough to seal the deal, the velvet-textured, multiple layers of silky-textured fruits that stick with you will own your palate. This is one of those stunning wines that sticks with you long after the night is over. 5,926 Views Tasted Oct 15, 2021At 30 years of age, this is in its prime time window. The nose is all about the secondary nuances of cedar, tobacco, leaf, wet earth, flowers, spice and red fruits. Complex, concentrated, fresh, bright and with a hint of green herb and olives in the backend to accompany the bright red fruits, this is just a fabulous drinking experience. 5,542 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020There are so many times when this magic elixir is perfect, but this bottle came up just a but short. The nose, with its floral, tobacco, wet earth, cherry and cassis was on fire. However, while the silky tannins were in perfect order, the wine finished just a tad short. Still, this was a stunner, even if it was just a bit on the shy side. 6,386 Views Tasted Feb 4, 2019Clearly, the best bottle of this elixir I've tasted in years. Voluptuous, ostentatious, silky and complex, there was the length and depth you need, with the patina of age, to make everything come together. Decanted about 1 hour, as soon as you took the initial sip, you knew you were not in Kansas in anymore. From that first sip, the wine coated your palate with this incredible texture of silk, with more than enough fruit to coat your palate. The finish must have stuck with me for over 60 seconds. 8,320 Views Tasted Nov 16, 2017Lush, sexy, silky, voluptuous and drinking extremely well, this is a beauty. The tobacco, violet and dark cherry nose, full bodied, palate, and opulent finish were really showing well. If you've been thinking about popping a bottle, while there is no hurry, there is no reason to wait either. 6,577 Views Tasted Mar 6, 2017This bottle was stunning in every sense of the word from start to finish. Power, elegance, grace, purity of fruit, silky tannins and aromatics that do not quit, with a finish that expands in flavor, with velvet textures. This is a rockstar wine that should be experienced at least once in your life. 9,700 Views Tasted May 6, 2016This is consistently a stunning wine and this bottle was no exception. Violets, dark chocolate, plum, espresso, tobacco and truffle scents fight for your attention. Rich and dense on the palate, the wine leaves you with a concentrated blast of fresh, sweet, ripe, dark fruits and velvet textures. The bottle was decanted about 2 hours prior to serving. 7,064 Views Tasted Dec 12, 2015Another example of a very good bottle of a wine that can hit 100 Pts, but didn't. At close to 26 years of age, that is to be expected. Still, the nose, with its tobacco, herbs, cigar box, blackberry, cedar and earthy components was working it. The palate was elegant, soft and round, but lacked the voluptuous qualities the best bottles show. This can be enjoyed now, or age it for more complexity. 7,315 Views Tasted Aug 25, 2015Close to perfect in every way.... This is pure silk and velvet on the palate. The fruit just feels great as it coats your palate with flavor and velvety sensations. The wine really lingers, leaving you with a smile on your face and empty glass wishing you could fill it one more time. This is showing great today and will only get better and better as time marches on. 9,129 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2014Wow, what a sublime example of Bordeaux. Rich, sensuous, ripe, plush, polished and silky, the fruit stay with you long after the wine has left your glass. You drink this now, as it's just showing so much charm and complexity. You can drink it in 10 years, or if you have kids, in 20 years, it will be even better. This is pricey, but it's Margaux at its best. 9,372 Views Tasted Aug 10, 2014This sexy beast delivers the goods in spades with its sensuous personality, silky textures and long, expansive finish. This is so good now. But my money says it's going to be even better in 5-10 years. 8,895 Views Tasted May 7, 2014This deserves an award for the most consistently stunning wine of the decade. Almost every bottle has been sheer perfection and this was no exception. The wine is packed with perfectly ripe, silky fruits with the texture of polished berries. The finish builds in intensity and with time in the glass, more complexity keeps getting added to the wine. If you want to know why Chateau Margaux is one of the world's great wines, if you have the money, this is the vintage to buy. 12,278 Views Tasted Oct 31, 2013Wines at this level are failed by words or scores. They must be tasted at least once in your life to understand greatness in a Bordeaux. When this wine hits your palate, it feels like each berry was polished by hand, one at a time to an absolutely, pure, velvety texture. This is so smooth, it could slide uphill. The aromatics are mind blowing with their their length and complexity. Perfect in every way, wines do not get better than this. They can be equally as good, but different, but they do not get better. 11,715 Views Tasted Aug 28, 2013Chocolate, violets, creme de cassis, oak, tobacco, smoke and cherry blossoms grab your attention. Full bodied, rich and concentrated with layers of velvety soft fruit, this luscious Bordeaux wine ends with layers of opulently textured, ripe, spicy dark berries, black raspberry and cassis. This bottle may not have been a perfect example, as I've tasted better examples of this wine on previous occasions. 15,909 Views Tasted Jul 16, 2012Perfection in a bottle. Those 4 words convey all you need to know about this Bordeaux wine. That is, if you're not interested in details. But for anyone interested in the experience... Intense aromatics offered flowers, truffles, ripe, jammy berries, earth, stone, licorice, smoke and exotic spices. The silk drenched layers of decadent, opulent, pure, sweet, fruit caress your palate and linger for at least sixty seconds. What makes 1990 Chateau Margaux unique, is the rare ability to please hedonistic, pleasure seekers and tasters looking for an intellectual experience. At 21 years of age, this Bordeaux wine has moved from adolescence to the beginning of maturity. There is no better example of Margaux that is drinking as well as this wine is today. 21,417 Views Tasted Sep 14, 2011Served blind, my comments were, “Great nose and a beautiful rich texture that quickly drops off in the finish”. I added, “I bet this was a really good bottle, that either suffered in storage at some point, or the cork did not offer a good seal”. I was shocked to see this was 1990Chateau Margaux! With all notes, especially as our bottles age, provenance is more and more important. It’s sad tasting wines that should be great, yet they don’t deliver due to poor handling. One more negative about the bottle, the wine deteriorated in the glass after 90 minutes. 12,869 Views Tasted May 5, 2010Cedar, cassis, wet earth, truffles and floral aromatics put a smile on your face. Similar to 89 Haut Brion, this is an extremely concentrated wine. This is pure silk and velvet. Tasting this makes me think each berry was polished one at a time giving it an incredible sense of opulence. The tannins are amazingly soft. This was marries power with elegance and grace. The seamless finish appears endless. There is not a hard edge to be found. 12,199 Views Tasted Feb 11, 2009Elegant, refined, plush and opulent in personality. This black fruit, violet, cedar, tobacco scented wine pairs with textures of pure silk and velvet. Opulent, concentrated and starting to open, this is a sublime tasting experience. 8,904 Views Tasted Dec 10, 2007The nose is off the charts as well as the palate. This is so rich and concentrated with decadent, ripe fruit, you can either drink it or eat it. Simply amazing! This is pure liquid silk. 10,375 Views Tasted Oct 11, 2003 |
|
1989
Château (Margaux)
Ready to go, the wine is soft, refined, elegant and while it is not on the concentrated side, the fruit is polished, silky and complex. Drink over the next decade for maximum enjoyment. 6,058 Views Tasted Nov 13, 2018With light bricking to the color, the medium/full bodied, elegant charmer, serves up its tobacco leaf, Asian spice box, cedar, cherry and leafy forest scents with ease. The wine is soft and silky, with elements of green notes on the backend, of the earthy, sweet, red fruit finish. There is no real hurry to drink this, but I doubt there is any reason to hope for further development. 4,272 Views Tasted Feb 25, 2018Full mature, medium bodied and elegant, this is more interesting on the nose, with its tobacco, floral, truffle, cherry and forest floor perfume, than on the palate, as it's on the lighter side for Margaux. Lots of freshness, but lacking the depth and luxurious textures found in the best vintages, there is still a lot to like here. But it is not going to get much better from here. If you have a bottle, pop a cork. 6,403 Views Tasted May 6, 2016Medium bodied, lighter style of Margaux that is drinking nicely today. The texture is soft, the fruit is close to crispy, finishing with some dryness in the tannins coupled with herbal notes and cassis. This is not worth the money it trades for today. 6,357 Views Tasted Aug 10, 2014Fully mature, with a nose filled with tobacco, earth, cherries, forest floor and cigar box notes, the wine is soft, silky and polished. But there is a lack of depth and length that keep this refined, elegant Margaux from being exciting. Don't get me wrong, this is a good wine that I liked. But it needed to be a wine I loved... 8,522 Views Tasted Feb 17, 2013Rife with chocolate, plum, tobacco, earth, floral, cassis, spice and black cherry aromas. Elegant, rich, sensuous textures and a luscious cassis and dark berry finish led me to believe it was a very good Pomerol. When it turned out to be 1989 Chateau Margaux, I was happy because the wine has gained complexity and depth over the past several years. As good as this is drinking now, it's only going to get better. 12,022 Views Tasted Mar 25, 2011Tobacco, spice, black cherry, blackberry, and truffles with hints of floral notes made up the complex perfume. The wine displays a soft texture, but it lacks the concentration found in the top years. The wine finishes with notes of ripe black fruit and plums. This is a finesse style of Margaux that is maturing early. 9,872 Views Tasted Jun 20, 2009 |
|
1988
Château (Margaux)
The wine lacked charm, elegance and density found in great Margaux. Close to mature, it might soften up, but, it's not going to get much better. This is an old school styled wine that others will like more than I did. 6,399 Views Tasted Feb 26, 2008 |
|
1987
Château (Margaux)
It's not a bad wine as there was clearly some pleasure to be found. There was a sense of refinement, but it lacked the depth, concentration and complexity expected from a First Growth. Served double blind, once its identity was revealed, clearly the wine looked and tasted much older than its true age. If you have some remaining in your cellar, I'd drink it sooner than later as the wine is only going to continue on the downhill course of life. 7,653 Views Tasted Oct 28, 2012 |
|
1986
Château (Margaux)
Better on the nose than on the palate with its austere, rustic edge to its tannins, there is a wealth of ripe fruit, but the finish is a bit rough around the edges. This is best for tasters longing for days gone by. Give it air, and, or time. Drink from 2022-2040. 4,106 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2022Most wines improve with age, provided they have all the right stuff. Here, you have a wine with all the right stuff, but the hard nature of its tannins and austere character is becoming the dominant force in this wine. This is an old school classic with a stern nature, great nose, power and hard tannins that overwhelms the fruit. If the austere nature of the vintage captures your fancy, you will like this a lot more than I did. 4,870 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020The wine, or at least this bottle seems to have become more tannic over the years. With 4 hours of air, the wine retained its tannic spine. Powerful, full-bodied, dense and aromatic, the wine fills your mouth with ripe, fresh, bright, earthy, red fruits. The finish is long and while somewhat strict, there is a regal air to the fruits. But you find a bit of a stern character in the ending that is always going to remain a part of the experience. 4,747 Views Tasted Aug 15, 2019A very good wine, but clearly in the style of the 1986 vintage, with is classically styled leaning. The nose, with its earthy, cedar, smoke, tobacco, cassis and cherry is more interesting than what you find on the palate, which offers a powerful, full bodied, deep essence of dark, red fruits. Time will help add more nuances here, but if you are going to pop a cork today, give it a few hours of air. You and the wine will be happier. 6,586 Views Tasted May 30, 2017Firm, structured and tannnic, this needs time in the decanter. But even with air, this is always going to be on the strict side. Aromatically, it is a beauty. There is a wealth of ripe, sweet, fruits, but there is a tannnic bite to the finish. 7,029 Views Tasted Dec 16, 2016More complete on the nose, with its earth, cedar, tobacco, black and dark red fruit profile than on the palate. The wine is concentrated, but it's not exactly charming, instead it's more of a tannic, structured, big, masculine style of wine for Margaux. There is quality, but the style is old school and it's important to note, this needs 3-4 hours of air, or another 10-15 more years in the decanter. 5,629 Views Tasted Mar 19, 2016This wine needs decanting to soften its tannins and masculine side. With air, the earthy, tobacco driven nose, pairs perfectly with the ripe, but masculine styled red and black fruits that leaves you with some dusty textures in the finish. This is still evolving. Time and air will help improve the experience. 6,950 Views Tasted Aug 25, 2015This is a very good wine, but it's always going to have this tannic spine that even with 4 hours of decanting, remains part of its character. The fruit is there, as are complex aromatics and concentration of flavor, but it lacks the soft, sensuous side of Margaux at its best. This is a good wine, in a more classic style that has the potential to become one of the better 1986 wines with more age. 8,412 Views Tasted Aug 10, 2014I liked this wine. But the dryness in the tannic finish was more pronounced than in other bottles I've tasted. There was a lot to like with its layers of cassis, dark berry, truffle and tobacco personality. This is a what some tasters might call classic in style. I own a few bottles and I'm waiting another 5 - 10 years, hoping, or is that praying the tannins soften. 9,222 Views Tasted Oct 30, 2013Served blind, I was more than surprised to find this was a 1986 vintage. The tannins, fruit and acidity were in balance. The tobacco, cassis, earth, espresso, smoke and blackberry filled perfume was alive and well. There was a softness to the texture and a richness of flavor. The wine also seemed to be at least 10-15 years younger. This was the best bottle of 1986 Margaux I've tasted in years as it displayed none of the typical austere qualities found in most Bordeaux from the 1986 vintage. I own a few bottles of this and based on this tasting, I have high hopes that for consumers with enough patience to wait another decade, this will be a truly sublime vintage of Chateau Margaux. 10,750 Views Tasted Aug 2, 201286 Margaux is developing along the lines of many 86 Bordeaux, The lean, austere side of the vintage is being to upstage the elegant leanings of even Chateau Margaux. Complex aromatics start the off, but on the palate, the wine feels lean, masculine and austere. This stern style of Margaux is powerful, the level of the hard tannins, detracts from the tasting experience. Perhaps this will change course and become more pleasurable with time, the wine does not seem to be heading in that direction. 93 Pts 16,005 Views Tasted Dec 12, 2010The nose is treated to an orgasmic display of aromatics. Coffee, licorice, truffles, black fruits, cassis and floral scents are easy to discern. The texture is incredibly dense, rich and concentrated. Layers of opulent, rich, ripe Margaux fruit coat your palate in a finish that lasts :45 seconds! This is not an austere wine, but, the finish retains a tannic edge which will probably remain a part of its brawny, old school personality. 6,553 Views Tasted Sep 2, 2009This is a very masculine and beefy styled wine. Huge, deep and concentrated, but with a very hard, tannic, brawny and beefy nature. I get the quality, but, this the wines austere, tannic nature is not something I seek in a wine that I look to for elegance. Perhaps time, another 15 or more years will soften this powerful wines edges. 6,515 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2008This bottle was in a beefy and masculine style with a complex perfume of cedar smoky black fruits, flowers and cassis. This example of 86 Margaux was not user friendly. Like all the top 86’s, it needs at least another decade to shed its tannic cloak. I prefer the 83 & 85 at this point 6,585 Views Tasted Mar 14, 2007Very expressive, uniquely floral. Very concentrated with gobs of ripe fruit. This is one of the few Bordeaux winesx from the 1986 vintage that is not austere in style. 6,622 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2006 |
|
1985
Château (Margaux)
A fully mature gem that meshes its classic styling with layers of ripe, silky, elegant, red fruits, tobacco leaf, cigar wrapper, dried flowers, and spice. The finish is simply lovely with its refined edge. No decanting needed, this gem is ready for primetime when you are. Drink from 2024-2035. 1,911 Views Tasted Jun 22, 2024At age 30, this is in the perfect place to experience its soft, silky, fresh, sweet, red and black fruit pleasures. Elegant, medium/full bodied, with a complex nose and regal, cherry toned finish, there is no reason to pull a cork if you have a bottle. This bottle showed a bit better than some examples as it came directly from the chateau and had not been moved since it was bottled. 4,504 Views Tasted Jul 4, 2015A pronounced smell of violets, black raspberries, earth, tobacco and cherry open to a soft, voluptuous, round wine. Probably close to fully mature, this is drinking in its sweet spot. The only minor drawback might be a bit of rusticity in the tannins and a hint of green herbs in the otherwise, sweet, cherry finish. 6,462 Views Tasted Mar 30, 2013Earth, smoke, tobacco, cassis, herbs, truffle, tobacco and an odd sensation of tomato created the aromatics. The wine is sweet, soft and round, but there was a bit of roughness to the tannins with a minor touch of green in the cassis and blackberry dominated finish. Even with its faults, or virtues, depending on what you like in a wine, this charming Bordeaux wine is ready to drink and offers a lot of pleasure. 8,088 Views Tasted Aug 15, 2012This is the perfect time to catch this medium/full bodied wine. With its tobacco, truffle, smoke, forest floor, blackberry, leaf and earthy perfume, soft, elegant, refined textures and long, sweet, velvety finish, this is drinking beautifully today. I'd drink it over the next 10-15 years. 7,346 Views Tasted Feb 24, 20125 Spice, truffle, cassis, tobacco, olives, blackberry and forest aromas lead to a soft textured entry. On the palate, this fully mature, plush Margaux wine is concentrated with elegant layers of round, dark berries, hints of red fruit and a minor touch of greeness in the finish. I'm not sure this has much room to improve, but this delightful Margaux should remain at this level for at least another 15 or more years. 11,991 Views Tasted Oct 17, 2011Coconut, herbs, cherry, tobacco and earthy scents are easy to find. This concentrated, fully mature Bordeaux wine offers a long, blackberry, spice and cassis filled finish. But some rusticity in the tannins takes away from the otherwise outstanding Bordeaux wine. 10,640 Views Tasted Aug 12, 2010Cassis, black fruits and cedar aromas greet your nose and the rich ripe fruit please your palate. Very silky and rich, but, lacking the concentration of the great years. 5,281 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2009The perfume is intoxicating and the palate enjoys a long, concentrated finish of silky, dense, ripe fruit. Very classy. This will last and continue evolving for at least another 20 years 5,349 Views Tasted Apr 18, 2008This wine combined the floral Margaux notes with velvety, Pomerol textures. Rich, fleshy, opulent and graceful. Still young, this will get better with age. 5,440 Views Tasted Jul 15, 2006 |
|
1983
Château (Margaux)
Chateau Margaux is the wine of the vintage. The perfume, with is essence of dried and fresh flowers, cherries, plums, currants, earth, forest leaves and tobacco wrapper is backed up by the wines intensity, purity, length and silky, sensuous textures. No decanting needed. Pop, pour and enjoy this stunner for several more years. Drink from 2023-2040. 3,844 Views Tasted Oct 2, 2023Drinking at peak, once again, I am having a hard time picking a favorite between the 82 and the 83. But today, both are great. So here, you find a violet-infused, cherry, plum, tobacco leaf and cigar wrapper core. Full-bodied, rich, supple, fresh and elegant, the earthy, red-toned finish is long, refined and supple. 4,841 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022The nose is striking with aromas of lilacs and violets on full display. The wine is rich, supple, poised and polished. Full-bodied, concentrated, silky and expansive, the voluptuous finish seamlessly goes on and on. Fully mature, this is at its apogee where well-stored bottles could remain for up to another decade. 4,649 Views Tasted Mar 2, 2021A stunning wine drinking in its apogee. The perfume pops with flowers, tobacco leaf, cedar chest, wet earth, herbs and red berries. There is ample weight, concentration, length, complexity and freshness to keep any taster busy. Texturally, the wine is soft, silky and rich, with a finish loaded with sweet fruits. 5,653 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020This could be the finest example of 83 Margaux I recall tasting, at least in ages, everything was as it should be. The lilac filled nose also boasted ripe, red fruits, earthy, floral and forest floor notes with cigar box in the perfume. Full-bodied, with a fabulous depth of flavor, the wine provided energy, length, complexity and a lush, sensuous, velvet-textured finish. Perhaps if well-stored, there is a moderate amount of improvement available here, but if you have been itching to pop a bottle, there is no reason not to scratch that itch! 5,913 Views Tasted Dec 31, 2019I can never seem to make up my mind about which wine is better, 1982 Margaux, or is it the 1983? They seem to alternate, as to which is on top. Mature and ready for drinking, the wine is full bodied, concentrated and rich, displaying all its floral, tobacco, blackberry, earth and fresh cherry charms. There is a touch of greeness in the finish, but there is so much going on with the wine in every other sense, it's hard to notice. Drink this beauty, or age it, either way, you are in for a treat. 6,071 Views Tasted May 6, 2016With age, clearly some bottles are better than others and this was a very good bottle. From a magnum, the wine was floral, soft, concentrated, deep and complex, with a length and depth, this delivers a lot more and could serve up even more in the future. 6,994 Views Tasted May 8, 2014This was a good, but not great example of 1983 Margaux with its cocoa, chocolate mint, truffle, cassis, tobacco, cedar wood and ash character. The wine was soft and polished, finishing with a sweet and tart black and dark red berry finish. Drink now, or let it age another decade. 7,923 Views Tasted Oct 30, 2013The second bottle of this wine in a week. I am a lucky man. Both bottles were similar in character. Over time, this cassis, forest, floor, truffle, tobacco and blackberry scented wine is developing rustic qualities to the mouth feel. This is still an outstanding wine, but it’s not developing positive traits with time. 11,462 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2012Floral, truffle, earth, cassis, tobacco and cedar wood make up the perfume. Full bodied and concentrated, the tannins are a little rustic, which takes away from this normally, elegant, refined wine. 11,638 Views Tasted Mar 25, 20121983 Margaux for the third time two weeks. I'm not complaining. My comment is a cross between sharing and bragging. Each bottle has been different, which is natural when a wine is only days away from its 28th birthday. This bottle had a tight nose that needed coaxing and swirling to reveal the earthy cedar, blackberry, cassis and fennel aromas. On the palate, the wine felt soft, round and regal. However, the finish lacked the length necessary to be considered a great wine. This was a very good Bordeaux wine. But it was not a great bottle of Chateau Margaux. 12,011 Views Tasted Dec 20, 201083 Margaux is a baffling wine. At times, it's an elegant, floral expression of Margaux and on other occasions, it shows increased rusticity and hard tannins. Sadly, this bottle displayed more of the later than the former characteristics. With an earthy, truffle, cassis and tobacco laden nose, the wine felt rustic and beefy on the palate, with an austere leaning in the cassis filled finish. 94 Pts 11,998 Views Tasted Dec 12, 2010Refined power describes this lovely bottle. With decanting, aromatics of black fruit, cassis and floral notes with hints of tobacco and forest scents are easy to find. More powerful than 83 Palmer, but not as elegantly complex, the lengthy, black fruit filled finish is pure, but shows a bit of rusticity. Still young, additional bottle age will only make this already outstanding wine get better and better 7,032 Views Tasted Dec 10, 2009With its concentrated aromatics with hints of black cherry liqueur and cedar is a stellar wine. M concentrated than the 82 as well as tannic. This wine was produced in a very powerful style. 6,950 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2008Earthy forest notes, flowers and cassis. Very concentrated and full bodied perfectly combining depth with complexity. Still youthfully tannic. The palate enjoys copious amounts of ripe black, red and blue fruit dipped in chocolate. 6,942 Views Tasted Feb 17, 2007The perfume was intoxicating, candied fruit, flowers, truffles, wet forests and cedar notes that continued to expand in the glass. Very dense, opulent and extremely concentrated. Viscous, chewy, sensuous, decadent, black fruit filled every nook and cranny of you palate. This will evolve and improve for another 20-25 years or more if well stored. 7,869 Views Tasted Jan 12, 2005 |
|
1982
Château (Margaux)
Elegant, and refined, the wine kicks off with a blend of violets, tobacco, red and black currants and cedar. Texturally, this is simply gorgeous with its multiple layers of sweet, ripe, silky fruits. Drink from 2023-2035. 3,268 Views Tasted Sep 5, 2023Often, I have difficulty deciding over 1983 Margaux, or 1982. Of course, each bottle is different. But over the years, more often than not, I have preferred 1983. Not today! This bottle was pure silk and velvet on the palate. Rich, full, deep, long, and aromatic, with its blend of flowers, tobacco, sweet cherries, and earth, it is was impossible not to be transfixed by the wine. On the palate, all those supple, seductive layers of ripe, sweet fruits had me going from start to finish. Do not over decant, 30 minutes is just fine for this show-stopper. 3,461 Views Tasted Dec 5, 2021This bottle was a beauty. Silky in texture, with a floral, dark cherry, truffle and tobacco nose, the wine was concentrated, long and fresh. The finish felt as good as it tasted, with its depth, refinement and class. This is really drinking at close to peak today, where it should remain for years, if well stored. 6,120 Views Tasted Nov 16, 2017Elegant, soft, refined and floral, with a sweetness of fruit, secondary notes of cedar, tobacco, plums, cassis and earth. This bottle seemed slightly more advanced than previous bottles, but at this age, as you know, every bottle is going to be unique. 7,551 Views Tasted Mar 19, 20172 bottles of this were opened because the first example was corked. Bottle #2 was a beauty. Floral, earthy and loaded with sweet, dark, luscious, silky fruits, the wine is full bodied, rich, complex and feels like velvet on the palate. This is mature and ready for prime time drinking. 6,932 Views Tasted May 6, 2016Earthy, cedar wood, stone and dark cherries show on the nose. Full bodied, lush, polished and soft, this is a really good wine, or perhaps good bottle that is so close, but not quite there. Again, this is probably due to provenance, as I’ve tasted better bottles. 7,144 Views Tasted Jan 14, 2016Elegant, full bodied, sophisticated, regal and refined, the wine has length, purity of fruit and complexities that are showing their all. The floral, earthy nose definitely gets you going, but the completeness of the wine on the palate is where the wine really shines. Decanted about 90 minutes, the wine really strutted its stuff. 7,807 Views Tasted Dec 28, 2015This is the best bottle of 1982 Margaux I've ever tasted. It was pure silk and polished velvet in texture. The nose, with its tobacco, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco, cedar, cassis and floral notes were to die for. Lush, pure and opulent, this is really coming on strong. If you're lucky enough to have a bottle in your cellar, why not pop a cork? 6,599 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2015Beautiful aromas of fresh blackberry, smoke, tobacco, licorice, stone, floral and cigar box waft from the glass. Soft, lush, round and closing in on maturity, the wine ends with a sweet, ripe, fresh, clean, velvety finish. I remember when 1983 Margaux was the better wine. However, over the past few years, 1982 Margaux continues to improve while 1983 develops more rustic qualities. 9,275 Views Tasted Sep 3, 2012Violets, smoke, tobacco, cassis, blackberry and truffle aromatics grab your attention. The powerful, rich, elegant and sexy texture keeps your focus until the soft, silk and velvet textured, cassis filled finish kicks in. Everything is in balance and harmony in this sublime 82 Bordeaux. 16,085 Views Tasted Aug 12, 2010The floral, blackberry, truffle cassis, and Cuban cigar aromatics were accompanied by powerful waves of rich, silky, sexy back fruit. In 82, Margaux achieved perfect harmony between elegance and power. 5,569 Views Tasted Mar 2, 2009Powerful, concentrated and perfectly in balance. Rich, elegant and harmonious. There is a lot of depth and complexity to this wine. 5,614 Views Tasted Nov 12, 2008Deep, dark ruby color with scents of cassis, cedar, black raspberries and licorice. Very supple and opulent and not close to maturity 5,430 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2007 |
|
1981
Château (Margaux)
Holding on to life by a thread that is close to breaking, one could sense dry, cherry pipe tobacco, earth and floral notes, but the wine was very light on the palate, finishing with a short note of red berries. Drink up sooner than later. This wine was much better years ago. 7,667 Views Tasted Dec 17, 2013 |
|
1979
Château (Margaux)
Light ruby with bricking in the color, the wine is filled with cassis, spice, truffle, coffee and earthy notes. Refined in texture, this medium/full bodied wine is fully mature. The finish ends with cassis and spice flavors. There is no reason to age this wine any longer. It will not improve. This was my last bottle from the case. With a perfect fill, it was also the best of the 12. 8,841 Views Tasted Oct 24, 2010Fully mature it offers scents of flowers, black fruits, coffee and licorice notes. This has more weight and body than the Haut Brion, but less complexity on the nose. On the palate the wine is medium to full bodied. Ripe fruit flavors in an elegant finish. 4,460 Views Tasted Feb 22, 2004 |
|
1978
Château (Margaux)
The dull ruby color showed bricking in the color. The nose was filled with spice, earth, tar, leather, crushed stone and tobacco smoke. In the mouth, the wine showed some cassis with cranberry tartness and green flavors. This is probably in decline. There is no reason to hold this wine any longer. Drink up. 8,058 Views Tasted Oct 24, 2010A nose of earth, cassis, spices, black fruit and forest floor aromas. Nice palate presence, but the finish is not long or complex. Fully mature, this will not improve. I imagine it will remain at this level for a few more years before continuing to decline. 4,007 Views Tasted Jan 2, 2007 |
|
1976
Château (Margaux)
Well past its expiration date, the wine offers more on the earthy, cedar and tobacco stuffed nose, than on the light, bright, cherry, cranberry, earth and citrus filled palate. This needs to be drunk up. 5,833 Views Tasted Feb 2, 2020 |
|
1975
Château (Margaux)
Light, unripe, tannic and acidic, this rustic, tart, charmless wine was hard as well as hard to taste. 3,940 Views Tasted Feb 16, 2013 |
|
1970
Château (Margaux)
Past over the hill, the light, almost tart, red berry wine offers more tobacco, cedar, decayed leaf and olive notes than fruit. There is not much complexity here, and the finish is quite short. Drink up if you have any, before the remaining fruit fades away. 4,397 Views Tasted Oct 4, 2018 |
|
1966
Château (Margaux)
Medium bodied, with more secondary notes of tobacco, cigar box, forest floor, wet earth and green pepper, than red fruit. Fully mature, fading, but not faded away, this wine need consumption. 6,039 Views Tasted Dec 15, 2017Holding tightly on to the little bit of fruit remaining here, this is more about the aged, secondary notes of tobacco, cedar wood, cigar box, wet earth, ash and bits of cherry that poke through the tertiary aromatics than the last vestiges of fruit. Strict and classic in style, the wine is medium bodied, with a sweet and tart, earthy, bright, red berry finish. 4,483 Views Tasted Apr 24, 2017 |
|
1962
Château (Margaux)
1962 Chateau Margaux was not the star of the show. It was of a fading star. Its fruit was fading along with its charm. Earthy, smoky, tobacco and cranberry were most of what remained. 3,636 Views Tasted Oct 28, 2012 |
|
1961
Château (Margaux)
Medium/full bodied, elegant, refined, soft and silky, the wine relies on its freshness and delicate nuances, instead of power and structure. Complex, captivating and caressing on the palate, this is at or probably slightly past its peak of maturity. 5,267 Views Tasted Feb 2, 2020With a gentle side to the tannins, the medium/full bodied, fresh, earthy cassis filled wine felt as good as it tasted. Soft and refined, but lacking the level of depth and volume found in many of the vintages best wines, this is all about charm, balance and elegance. Fully mature, this does not have the stuffing for more evolution, if you are lucky enough to have a bottle, you should drink it. 6,833 Views Tasted Feb 4, 2019With a spice filled nose, filled with cinnamon, all spice, cassis, truffle and earth, the wine had some rusticity in the otherwise, soft, earthy finish. There is no reason to age this hoping for further development. 5,766 Views Tasted Sep 3, 2012Smoke, leather, 5 spice, cassis, soy, earth, tobacco and forest floor aromas were easy to find. Fully mature, medium bodied with soft textures, this elegant Bordeaux wine finishes with spicy, earthy, cassis filled flavors. 6,607 Views Tasted Mar 7, 2011 |
|
1959
Château (Margaux)
Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, refined, and silky, what the wine doesn't offer in depth, it makes up for it in its aromatics that combine dried flowers, cedar, tobacco leaf, and sweet red plums and cherries. This is a very good wine, but there is no reason to hold it for further aging. 3,783 Views Tasted Sep 16, 2021Fully mature, this is all about elegance, refinement, silky textures and the patina of age that provides its unique textural profile and secondary aromatics loaded with spice box, tobacco, cedarwood, wet earth and red cherries. Medium-bodied, with freshness, purity and sweetness in the cherries on your palate, this is a treat. 4,593 Views Tasted Apr 3, 2020Medium bodied, elegant, finesse styled wine with an intoxicating, floral, earth, tobacco and sweet, red berry perfume. Soft, silky and graceful on the palate, the wine was effortless to drink. Fully mature, this is not a wine that warrants or probably appreciates further cellaring. 4,356 Views Tasted Jul 5, 2017I've tasted better of this in the past. But as you know, wines with almost 60 years of bottle age are always going to be variable. the fruit was fading, leaving you with an experience that was better in the tobacco, smoke, cherry, herb and earthy nose, than on the palate, where you could feel and taste it drying out. If you have a bottle, you should be drinking this wine, holding it longer, is not in your best interest. 5,141 Views Tasted Oct 15, 2015Brick and tea colored with light ruby accents, which is correct for the age, the aromatics offer cassis, strawberry jam, tobacco, lead pencil and earth. Medium bodied with soft, light textures finishing with sweet red cherries. Holding this any longer is pushing your luck. 3,385 Views Tasted Oct 30, 2013Another point of reference in the provenance is everything, as this bottle showed great! Tobacco, smoke, cigar wrapper, gravel, fennel, plums, cocoa and boysenberry scents open to a soft, ripe, medium/full bodied wine that finishes with elegant, ripe, plush textures, spicy plums and cassis. This was much better than the previous bottle tasted year. 5,001 Views Tasted Sep 3, 2012Smoke, tobacco, cassis, floral, earth, forest floor and truffle scents lead to a medium bodied wine that ends with a spice, cassis and cranberry filled finish. 1959 was not a stellar year for Chateau Margaux and like most tastings from a 750 ml bottle of this wine, this was past its prime. Large formast should offer a better tasting experience. 5,581 Views Tasted Jul 16, 2011 |
|
1958
Château (Margaux)
Perhaps this is worth drinking if it's your birth year. But the wine is very light, metallic and short, though there is some bright red berries found in the finish. Drinkable, but not much else to say here. 2,586 Views Tasted Aug 16, 2019 |
|
1955
Château (Margaux)
Light, soft, silky and elegant, the fruit has started to fade. But it has not faded, so today, you find more secondary notes in the nose and on the palate, which delivers its last remnants of vibrant, red fruits, spice and herbs with tobacco leaf and cedar in the finish. 2,985 Views Tasted Apr 5, 2022Much better than the previous bottle tasted a few years back, which stands to reason, as bottles more than 20 years of age are quite variable. Silky in texture, with an earthy, cedar, dark red fruit and tobacco nose, the wine was past its peak drinking years, but still quite charming. 7,114 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2016The only people denying bigger is better, don’t have bigger to play with. 1955 Margaux in magnum is an impressive sight when placed on the table. Sadly, the wine did not live up to the visuals. Closing in on 60 years of age, the birck and ruby colored wine offered smoke, tobacco, truffle, spice, smoke, cassis and incense in the nose. Medium bodied and soft textured, the tired wine offered, light, silky cherries in the finish. Based on this bottle, I’d drink it sooner now if I had any as it’s only going to get worse. 10,128 Views Tasted Mar 26, 2012 |
|
1953
Château (Margaux)
Smoke, tobacco, forest floor, tobacco, thyme and red plums play nicely with all the truffle nuances in the nose. The wine is full bodied, soft, and has depth, along with concentration, leaving you with beautiful, sweet, earthy, tobacco smoke. Young for its age, no decanting is needed, just pop and pour. This is what great, fully mature is all about! 8,156 Views Tasted Nov 13, 2017OK, so it's starting to fade. When I get to that age, I'll probably be starting to fade as well. But that did not detract from the complex aromas, with its molasses, brown sugar, earth, cherry blossom and cigar box scents. Soft, silky, elegant and polished, it's time to drink up as this delicate beauty is only going to continue slowly dropping fruit from here. 5,825 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2015Exotic floral perfume with spices, truffles, cassis and wet forest scents. But, to me, where the wine really takes off is on the palate… Like syrup of Margaux, this very concentrated, multi layered, opulent wine oozes over your mouth, tongue and every other taste receptor you can think of. This is so sexy, silky rich and dense. Dry Port is an apt descriptor. Utterly compelling wine. The wine continued improving in the glass for over an hour. It might have continued evolving if we were able to resist its charms for any longer. 7,213 Views Tasted Dec 28, 2010This brick tinted, ruby colored wine displayed a beautiful profile of strawberry jam, fresh raspberries, cedar chest and spice aromatics which were further propelled because of the red and black fruits. Interestingly, the wine displayed more red than black fruits. However, the star of the show was the amazing, silky, voluptuous mouth feel. Extremely elegant and sophisticated. 5,275 Views Tasted Jun 15, 2006 |
|
1947
Château (Margaux)
With a beautiful nose offering a cornucopia of scents ranging from cigar smoke, truffle, wet earth, spice, cherry blossoms and tobacco, the wine pure, silk and velvet on the palate. While the lacked the concentration found in the top wines of the vintage, the opulent, sensuous personality nad purity of fruit more than made up for it. The finish was pure, ripe, sweet, red and black cherries. 6,669 Views Tasted Oct 28, 2012 |
|
1945
Château (Margaux)
Perhaps this was not perfectly stored its entire life, (I have no reference sample to guide) the wine was much better on the aromatic side, with its smoke, tobacco, tart red berry, charcoal and burning campfire scents, than on the earthy, red berry palate. Still, it was a treat to taste wine that was made at the conclusion of World War 2. 4,153 Views Tasted Oct 6, 2018 |
|
1934
Château (Margaux)
Well past its prime. Still, it was easy to enjoy the soft, sweet, red fruits, earth and spice notes, elegant, refined textures and sweet, tobacco tinged, red cherries and red plums in the finish. There is no reason to hold this wine any longer. 5,748 Views Tasted Nov 10, 2017 |
|
1929
Château (Margaux)
Mind-blowing in every sense of the word. At 95 years of age, the perfume takes sticking your nose into the glass to find the dried roses, mint, tobacco, dried cherries, strawberries, and red plums. Medium-bodied, elegant, refined, soft, pure, lifted, vibrant, and while light, there is an incredibly sensual texture that hit all the right notes, again, and again. Wow, this a life-changing bottle. Speechless, and grateful. Drink now, and who knows. 1,755 Views Tasted Jul 31, 2024Much better than the previous bottle, this was earthy, packed with truffle, leafy tobacco, cigar wrapper, and bright red fruits. Opulent, exotic, and earthy on the palate, the kiss of the sunny vintage remains apparent. Drink from 2023-2030. 4,060 Views Tasted Sep 1, 2023One of those wines I never thought I'd see, and I am sure I will never see it again. What a treat. The nose was a bit maderized. But the palate rocked! The fruit displayed an exotic, silky, soft, creamy texture. The red fruits were bright, with loads of savory accents and a shot of tart cranberry in the end. This must have been amazing in its youth. 5,333 Views Tasted Apr 8, 2022Absolutely stunning in every sense of the word, the wine looked like a glass of tea, with bricks in it to make the color. This was pure silk and velvet, with the distinctive patina of age in its texture. Notes of cigar box, flowers and cherry blossoms, tobacco and pure sweet cherries filled your nose. The gentle, sweet, soft, spicy, red berry filled finish was a treat that really sticks with you. I might not ever see it again, but the memory will linger for years. 7,682 Views Tasted Apr 28, 2015 |
|
1928
Château (Margaux)
Just a few weeks shy of its 90'th birthday, this bottle was incredible! The wine had intensity, concentrated and slightly tough or austere tannins, but the nose, with its floral, sweet, cherry pipe tobacco, incense, wet earth, cedar and herb scents knocked me out. Masculine, but regal, the wine didn't move much in the glass, it just softened a bit and allowed more of the sweet, red fruits to shine through the advanced patina of age. 7,101 Views Tasted Nov 10, 2017Red, brown hue. Stewed fruit, leather, soy and earthy scents dominated the perfume. Deeply concentrated, very powerful. Amazingly young for a wine close to 80 years old! 3,319 Views Tasted Jul 1, 2006 |
|
1915
Château (Margaux)
Maderized, bricky in color, and quite bright, sharp, and crisp, with remnants of tart red fruits interspersed in the tobacco, and wet earth core. This is long past its prime. Still, tasting history is always a special treat. Drink yesterday. 1,396 Views Tasted Sep 1, 2023 |
|
1907
Château (Margaux)
One could argue that most of the fruit was gone, and the wine that remained was mostly tobacco and earth. But the texture showed class and the red fruits you did find had a softness to them, even though the flavors moved from red to tart. On the other hand, you should only hope to be in this good a condition as you approach 100 years of age. 3,990 Views Tasted May 8, 2014Much better on the nose than the palate with its complex, earthy, spice, smoke, tobacco, truffle, ash, forest floor and cigar box aromatics. The texture sported the patina of age with a gentle rustic texture, along with a spice, mineral and tart fruit finish that closer to cranberry than cassis. That being said, it was an honor to taste bottled history! How often do we get to taste wines that are over 100 years old? Served blind, even thought it clearly bereft of most of its fruit, I was sure it was decades younger. 4,855 Views Tasted Oct 28, 2012 |
|
1900
Château (Margaux)
With a perfume that was sensed from all four corners of the large, well appointed dining room, this legendary bottle of 1900 Chateau Margaux announced itself. Truffles, tobacco, floral, earth, sweet cherry and cedar aromatics bathed your nose. The wine offered a unique sensation, perfectly combining elegance, concentration and a light touch. Silk, satin and velvet textures played in your mouth, while ripe, spicy cherries, pipe tobacco, fresh strawberry and cassis flavors lingered on your palate. Everything was as it should be. This was my first experience with liquid history. With luck, it won’t be my last. 27,879 Views Tasted Jan 20, 2001 |
|
1893
Château (Margaux)
Rust with orange in color, the wine offers. Tobacco, earth, orange peel, cranberry, smoke, charcoal with a lot of VA. Thin, bright, acidic, sharp and dry cherry in the finish. Who cares? Keeping things in the proper perspective, that was the year Lizze Borden chopped up her family with an ax, Thomas Edison began making silent movies, Grover Cleveland was president and Hawaii still had a queen! I’m tasting bottled history with this wine as it’s almost 120 years old! It’s an honor and privilege to hold the bottle, swirl and sip a wine that was made two centuries ago. This is a rare privilege I will never forget! 6,020 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
|
1870
Château (Margaux)
This was a taste of history drinking a Bordeaux wine that was produced shortly after the civil war ended! The color of tea, potent, earthy, truffle, spice, tea, leather and tobacco notes were only the first scents to arrive. This elegant, soft, polished wine ended with a parade of fresh, ripe strawberries and raspberries in a rich syrupy texture. 10,314 Views Tasted Sep 28, 2006 |
