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All Wines from Ch. Margaux
Inventory updated: Tue, Jan 21, 2025 04:02 PM cst
Our vintages of Ch. Margaux wine currently include: 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023
Flickinger Fine Wines' inventory of Ch. Margaux wine is listed below. We have an excellent and vast assortment of fine wines to choose from. If you do not see what you are looking for, give us a call and we can suggest another Ch. Margaux vintage or even another producer that we are sure you will enjoy.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Margaux |
1985 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns  |
$7,615.98 |
1 |
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NM 96 (12/2009): Tasted at the Claret Club -85 Dinner at -The Square-. Chateau Margaux remains one of the most compelling, indeed most delicious First Growths. Deeper in colour than its peers, there bouquet is vibrant and vivacious with succulent red fruits, date, a touch of iodine and violets and as before, further aeration reveals those classic pencil lead aromas. The palate is exquisitely balanced, focused and powerful and yet brilliant defined with a sublime talcum finish, a hint of exotic fruit on the finish. Divine. Drink now-2025+
WA 95 (10/2001): Approaching full maturity, this beautifully sweet Chateau Margaux has a dense plum/purple color and a huge, sweet nose of black currants intermixed with licorice, toast, underbrush, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannin and a fleshy, juicy, very succulent and multi-layered mid-palate, this expansive, velvety wine has entered its plateau of maturity, where it should remain (assuming good storage) for at least another 10-15 years. A very delicious, seductive, and opulent Chateau Margaux to drink over the next two decades. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015.
WS 93 (7/2014): Shows mint and savory notes out front, with a very elegant structure weaving gently around the core of dried cherry, red currant and pomegranate fruit. The long sandalwood and singed cedar finish is very stylish. A bit outpaced by '88 and '86 in this flight, but as a standalone wine this is very confident in its old age.—Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2024. |
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1986 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$7,779.99 |
1 |
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VM 98+ (2/2012): The 1986 Chateau Margaux was even more emotionally moving. Still incredibly youthful, it showed incredible focus and depth, all backed up by considerable structure. As hard as it may seem to believe, on this night the 1986 appeared to still be some years away from peaking. It was striking in every way. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97 (7/2016): The 1986 Chateau Margaux is one of the dark horses of the vintage. It has an exquisite bouquet that is now fully mature, with a mixture of red and black fruit, violets, pastilles and hints of cold stone. It blossoms in the glass, gaining intensity all the time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a more robust Margaux as you would expect given the vintage, clearly with firm backbone, more straight-laced than the 1985 or 1989. Yet there is wonderful delineation and focus here. If you seek strictness and classicism in a wine, then this is the place to come, plus there is superb mineralite and tension on the ferrous finish. Perhaps a little overlooked in recent years, the 1986 Margaux comes highly recommended for those who love the property. This is a wine finally coming of age.
NM 96 (2/2012): The Chateau Margaux 1986 is one of many great wines under Paul Pontallier during the 1980s, perhaps one overlooked compared to the 1982, 1983 or 1985. It has a glorious bouquet of blackberry, truffle, violets and wine gums that gains great volume with continued aeration. The palate is voluminous with great structure and dimension, real substance and power, allied to the finesse that is the signature of this First Growth. It retains that silky, glycerin-rich finish that lacquers the mouth, yet retains immense precision and clarity. This is how First Growth's ought to be. Drink now-2030+.
WS 95 (12/2013): This has matured fully but still clings to a slightly rugged feel, with a briar patch note framing the core of dried currant, blackberry and bitter cherry fruit. Twinges of alder, plum skin and cedar fill in the finish, which shows a decidedly grippy edge of smoldering charcoal. Impressive for depth and power, though this very tannic Margaux may never yield fully to the inherent elegance of its terroir. It can certainly handle more cellaring.Drink now through 2030. |
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1988 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,640.95 |
1 |
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WS 95 (12/2013): This has both sinew and flesh, with taut dried red currant, blackberry and plum skin notes that are forced to expand outward as the core of black tea, charcoal, plum paste and dark humus fills in quickly behind them. The charcoal-tinged grip carries the finish, with more bass than treble at first, but there's perfume here as well. Seriously long and the most overlooked of the truly great vintages here.—Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2025.
MB [**[**]] (11/2000): Tasting at the chateau in April 1989, Paul Pontallier informed us that the vines, from July 1988 were under stress which slowed their maturity. The vat sample was opaque, with intense violet rim; fragrant with fruit and spicy new oak. It was bottled late August- early September 1990 and I next tasted it mid-October. Still very spicy but lovely. At Manfred Wagner's first vertical in 1997, the '88, a double magnum (which we drank in our 'light lunch' break) had what I call an 'Italianate' nose, still very spicy and oaky; fairly sweet, a big, fruity, tannic wine. The following July it was Penning-Rowsell's turn, this time alongside its peers: crisp fruit, developing a scent which reminded me of a wet retriever after a day on the moors (actually I don't shoot, but was brought up on the now notorious Saddleworth Moor in Yorkshire). Delicious on the palate, with an interesting texture. I happened to be at Margaux, with friends, at vintage time, September 1998, lunching at a long table with the pickers. However, our simple but hearty fare was craftily supplemented with bottles of the '88. Though unready, with loads of grip, it 'went down a treat'. Most recently, noted at Wagner's second Margaux vertical: still pretty deep; crisp and fragrant, its nose this time reminding me not of damp dogs but thoroughbred stables (I don't ride these days either; but you know what I mean). What did surprise me was that it was softer and more fragrant than I had expected, though lean and astringent after the '89. Nevertheless, a very good wine with considerable length, and future. Possibly 5-star when fully mature. Try 2010-2020.
JS 93 (1/2011): Mineral and blueberry skin and flowers on the nose. It's full-bodied with minerals and silky tannins. Dusty and very pretty. Refined finish. I remember this being harder but it's finally coming around.
WA 93 (10/2016): The 1988 Chateau Margaux is a wine that was always overshadowed by the succeeding pair of vintages and like many 1988s, appeared rather conservative and lacked flair. However, I was gobsmacked by the performance of this wine at 28 years of age. Deep and clean in color, the bouquet is quintessentially Chateau Margaux with blackberry, potpourri, cedar and violets. It has wonderful clarity. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh as a daisy on the entry with a killer line of acidity that offsets those vibrant black and red fruits. There is energy here, vivacity, as if this Château Margaux suddenly realized its true potential after all these years. While it does not possess the length of the 1989 or 1990, there is such pleasure bound into this wine that you care little about that. Maybe I underestimated this wine for many years or perhaps it is a simple case of a "late bloomer." While the 1988 might not belong in the top echelons of releases from this First Growth, it might be considered the undiscovered gem of that prosperous decade for the chateau. |
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1989 |
Margaux (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$7,755.98 |
1 |
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WS 100 (4/2010): This is still just a baby, offering currant and berries, with dried flowers that turn to subtle cedar and dried fruits. Structured and full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and supersilky texture. This is so tight and powerful, but still backward. The palate builds and builds, with amazing tannins. A little chewy, this needs years still. You can drink it of course, but a waste now. '89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Best after 25,000 cases made.
NM 92 (11/2010): Tasted at Robersons’ 1989 Bordeaux horizontal. The Chateau Margaux ’89 has a rather curmudgeonly nose at first, initially disjointed but melding together with scents of blackberry, hawthorn and clay/wet cement. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, although this is not a complex Margaux. It has pert acidity and fine minerality, although it does not have the length or depth of Cos d’Estournel ’89 tasted alongside. The finish is a little foursquare and dominated by cedar and tobacco flavours that continue to lend it a Pauillac-like personality. Drink now-2020.
WA 90 (10/2002): Dwarfed by its younger sibling, the 1990, the 1989 Chateau Margaux has a dark plum/garnet color and a big, sweet nose of new saddle leather, toasty oak, and weedy black cherry and cassis fruit. The wine is medium-bodied, with relatively elevated tannins, Outstanding concentration and purity, but a somewhat clipped as well as compressed finish. This certainly Outstanding wine has put on a bit of weight in its evolution in the bottle, but it is hardly one of the most profound efforts from Chateau Margaux. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025. |
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1990 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$14,744.98 |
1 |
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WA 100 (6/2009): I had this wine both in Seoul, Korea in February, and from my cellar in December, 2008, and it was remarkable how identical the wines smelled and tasted. It offers an extraordinary aromatic display of spring flowers, camphor, sweet red and black fruits, a hint of licorice, and no evidence of its 100% new oak cask aging. Round and generous with low acidity, but an opulent, full-bodied richness that is fresh with laser-like precision, this stunning wine is just beginning to reach its plateau of full maturity, where it should remain for another three decades. A sensational effort, it is one of the legendary wines made at Chateau Margaux.
VM 98 (8/2002): Full ruby-red. Wonderfully perfumed nose combines redcurrant, plum, mocha, minerals and rose petal. Plush, fat and rich, with great sweetness and class. This has utterly compelling mouthfilling richness. Finishes smooth and endless, with great breadth. This wine showed fabulous potential from barrel, but this is the first truly Outstanding bottle I've had. Drink 2005 through 2035.
WS 98 (2/2005): Full-bodied, yet racy and refined, with blackberry and licorice character. Long. It keeps getting better and better. Hard not to drink now. In fact, I would, but it will age well for decades. '89/'90 Bordeaux non-blind horizontal. Drink now.
MB [****[*]] (11/2000): As many notes as Lafite. Crop thinning was severe in 1990- 30% of the new vine grapes were culled. Also first tasted in April 1991. The usual intense purple, new oak, lean, stylish, supple. Two years later, at a Ch Margaux masterclass at Christie's: ripe, rounded, with raspberry-like aroma. Elegant. Impressive. Lovely fruit noted at the MW tasting (1994) and perfect balance (1995). Rather easy going when hemmed in by some of the New World big guns in Eigensatz's tasting of the '90s (in 1996). Later that year, also blind, noting an almost Pomerol-like texture but touch of bitterness, its bouquet developing as only Margaux should (I nearly said 'can'), and wonderful fragrance in the mouth (blind again, 1998). But rather like the Lafite '90, though very fleshy, it was unready. Not even the charm of Corinne Mentzelopoulos, and certainly not the chicken consomme, could entice it fully out of its shell (Margaux dinner at Brooks's in London, April 2000). Five months later, at Manfred Wagner's vertical in Zurich: rich, biscuity nose, great depth; sweet, fleshy, full of fruit, excellent length. I rated the '89 fractionally higher. But the '90 was very good indeed and approaching cruising altitude. Drink 2010-2025. |
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1990 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$7,372.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2009): I had this wine both in Seoul, Korea in February, and from my cellar in December, 2008, and it was remarkable how identical the wines smelled and tasted. It offers an extraordinary aromatic display of spring flowers, camphor, sweet red and black fruits, a hint of licorice, and no evidence of its 100% new oak cask aging. Round and generous with low acidity, but an opulent, full-bodied richness that is fresh with laser-like precision, this stunning wine is just beginning to reach its plateau of full maturity, where it should remain for another three decades. A sensational effort, it is one of the legendary wines made at Chateau Margaux.
VM 98 (8/2002): Full ruby-red. Wonderfully perfumed nose combines redcurrant, plum, mocha, minerals and rose petal. Plush, fat and rich, with great sweetness and class. This has utterly compelling mouthfilling richness. Finishes smooth and endless, with great breadth. This wine showed fabulous potential from barrel, but this is the first truly Outstanding bottle I've had. Drink 2005 through 2035.
WS 98 (2/2005): Full-bodied, yet racy and refined, with blackberry and licorice character. Long. It keeps getting better and better. Hard not to drink now. In fact, I would, but it will age well for decades. '89/'90 Bordeaux non-blind horizontal. Drink now.
MB [****[*]] (11/2000): As many notes as Lafite. Crop thinning was severe in 1990- 30% of the new vine grapes were culled. Also first tasted in April 1991. The usual intense purple, new oak, lean, stylish, supple. Two years later, at a Ch Margaux masterclass at Christie's: ripe, rounded, with raspberry-like aroma. Elegant. Impressive. Lovely fruit noted at the MW tasting (1994) and perfect balance (1995). Rather easy going when hemmed in by some of the New World big guns in Eigensatz's tasting of the '90s (in 1996). Later that year, also blind, noting an almost Pomerol-like texture but touch of bitterness, its bouquet developing as only Margaux should (I nearly said 'can'), and wonderful fragrance in the mouth (blind again, 1998). But rather like the Lafite '90, though very fleshy, it was unready. Not even the charm of Corinne Mentzelopoulos, and certainly not the chicken consomme, could entice it fully out of its shell (Margaux dinner at Brooks's in London, April 2000). Five months later, at Manfred Wagner's vertical in Zurich: rich, biscuity nose, great depth; sweet, fleshy, full of fruit, excellent length. I rated the '89 fractionally higher. But the '90 was very good indeed and approaching cruising altitude. Drink 2010-2025. |
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1993 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,564.95 |
1 |
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| WA 89 (2/1997): Since 1978 there have been only two first-growths (or two of the so-called "big eight" of Bordeaux) that have been consistently excellent to superb - Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Margaux. Margaux's admirable consistency is well-displayed in the 1993-95 wines. An excellent dark ruby/purple color accompanies a soft, smoky, blackcurrant-scented wine. Although round, generous, sexy, and alluring, the 1993 does not possess enough length to justify an Outstanding score, but I would not be surprised to see that develop with another 2-3 years of bottle age. It is a beautifully made, elegant, rich style of Margaux that can be drunk now, or cellared for 15+ years. |
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1994 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,726.99 |
1 |
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NM 93 (7/2012): Tasted at 28-50 restaurant at the 1994 dinner. The Chateau Margaux was easily the best wine of the night of 1994 Left Banks and better than Mouton and even better than the same wine tasted at the property twelve hours earlier. The reason is the life-affirming minerality and precision that acts as its badge confirming its status. The palate is extremely well balanced, showing up its less refined tannins. Along with Latour this is probably the finest Left Bank wine of the vintage. Sheer class. Drink now-2022.
WA 91+ (10/2002): This largely forgotten vintage seems to have turned the corner in the last year or two. Because of strict selections made at the top chateaux, the wines always had density, but the level of tannin was frequently too high, and the type of tannin was more green and astringent. Chateau Margaux’s 1994 has always been one of the candidates for the “wine of the vintage." The wine still has a dense plum/purple color and a big, sweet nose of black fruits intermixed with licorice, camphor, vanilla, and a hint of flowers. The wine is dense and powerful, but the tannins have softened and do not seem as hard and intrusive as they did in the late nineties. This wine will last for decades and hopefully become even more seamless, although it is hard to believe all the tannin will gradually dissipate. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.
WS 91 (9/1997): Something special happens in the seamless blending of subtle spicy, buttery notes with the solid, crisp citrus flavors in this beautifully balanced and vibrant white wine. Much better than previously reviewed. Drink now through 2000. |
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1995 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$7,196.98 |
2 |
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WS 97 (11/2014): This still broods seriously, with dark plum, currant and blackberry fruit, studded with charcoal, singed tobacco and cedar notes and backed by a serious grip of roasted earth. The gorgeously long finish is driven by old-school tannins, with the smoldering edge going on and on. A brick house of a Margaux, with more charcoal than graphite, more austerity than elegance and more power than refinement.
VM 95 (9/2018): The 1995 Château Margaux is a vintage perhaps unfairly over-shadowed by the imperious 1996. That is unfair because the late Paul Pontallier crafted a great First Growth this year. It has a very impressive, quintessential Margaux bouquet that is undimmed after 23 years: black fruit, graphite, crushed violets and a touch of tobacco. If anything it becomes more and more pure with aeration and demonstrates exquisite delineation. The palate is very finely balanced. No, it does not have the intensity, the crystalline nature of the 1996 and yet there is a femininity and a finesse here that sweeps you off your feet. It is entertaining the possibility of secondary flavours but it remains focused on the red and black fruit, tensile on the almost balletic finish. Bon vin!
WA 95 (2/1998): Bottled very late (November 1997), the 1995 has continued to flesh out, developing into one of the great classics made under the Mentzelopoulos regime. The color is opaque ruby/purple. The nose offers aromas of licorice and sweet smoky new oak intermixed with jammy black fruits, licorice, and minerals. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with extraordinary richness, fabulous equilibrium, and hefty tannin in the finish. In spite of its large size and youthfulness, this wine is user-friendly and accessible. This is a thrilling Margaux that will always be softer and more evolved than its broader-shouldered sibling, the 1996. How fascinating it will be to follow the evolution of both of these vintages over the next half century. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2040. |
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1996 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$8,873.97 |
1 |
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WA 100 (10/2016): The 1996 Chateau Margaux, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, must be a strong contender for wine of the vintage. It offers everything you desire from this First Growth. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation and freshness on the nose, understated at first and then blossoming with mineral-infused black fruit, hints of blueberry, crushed stone and violet. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, a wine where everything seems to be in its right place. Blackberry, crushed stone at the front of the mouth, just a touch of spice towards the finish that shows supreme control. This is a Margaux that seems to light up the senses. It was Outstanding in its youth...something that has not changed one bit over the intervening two decades. This may well turn out to be the Left Bank pinnacle of the 1990s.
VM 96+ (8/2002): Bright full ruby. Pure, perfumed aromas of cassis and violet. Dense and tactile in the mouth; a huge, chewy wine with major extract but also considerable refinement. Almost painfully backward today, and a bit less perfumed than it was in the year or so after the bottling, but the huge tannins show no hardness. Another great expression of cabernet sauvignon from the '96 vintage. Drink 2015 through 2040. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 95 (7/2014): Fully formed now, with a rush of steeped currant and black tea notes that are melded with a backdrop of anise, sandalwood, bergamot and charcoal. The long, suave finish lets the perfume linger, with a weighty feel. This seems to mark the start of the refinement of tannins; despite the power, this is all grace and elegance. |
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1996 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,436.97 |
1 |
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WA 100 (10/2016): The 1996 Chateau Margaux, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, must be a strong contender for wine of the vintage. It offers everything you desire from this First Growth. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation and freshness on the nose, understated at first and then blossoming with mineral-infused black fruit, hints of blueberry, crushed stone and violet. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, a wine where everything seems to be in its right place. Blackberry, crushed stone at the front of the mouth, just a touch of spice towards the finish that shows supreme control. This is a Margaux that seems to light up the senses. It was Outstanding in its youth...something that has not changed one bit over the intervening two decades. This may well turn out to be the Left Bank pinnacle of the 1990s.
VM 96+ (8/2002): Bright full ruby. Pure, perfumed aromas of cassis and violet. Dense and tactile in the mouth; a huge, chewy wine with major extract but also considerable refinement. Almost painfully backward today, and a bit less perfumed than it was in the year or so after the bottling, but the huge tannins show no hardness. Another great expression of cabernet sauvignon from the '96 vintage. Drink 2015 through 2040. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 95 (7/2014): Fully formed now, with a rush of steeped currant and black tea notes that are melded with a backdrop of anise, sandalwood, bergamot and charcoal. The long, suave finish lets the perfume linger, with a weighty feel. This seems to mark the start of the refinement of tannins; despite the power, this is all grace and elegance. |
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1997 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,493.97 |
1 |
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VM 91 (6/2000): Medium red-ruby. Confectionary aromas of raspberry, cocoa powder, mocha and sexy oak; more evolved than either the '99 or '98, even considering its extra year of age. Fat, sweet and harmonious; offers lovely balance but just misses out on the density and depth of a great year. Finishes with firm but very suave tannins; this must be one of the longest '97s.
WA 90 (4/2000): Undoubtedly a success for the vintage, this immensely charming, dark ruby/purple-colored wine exhibits floral, black currant, and smoky, toasty oak aromas. There is admirable richness, excellent ripeness, not a great deal of density, or superb concentration, but plenty of finesse, suppleness, and character. It can be drunk young, or cellared for 12-15 years. |
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1998 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,966.97 |
2 |
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VM 92+ (6/2001): Medium ruby. Cool, floral aromas of red berries, violet, cocoa powder, graphite and spicy oak, along with a whiff of smoked meat. Juicy, sharply delineated and austere; a classic, adamantly dry claret with superb intensity and grip. This is beginning to close up, unlike the '99. But really expands on the very long, perfumed finish. Tannins are dusty but even. Stephen Tanzer.
WA 91 (4/2001): The 1998 Margaux's color is a dense ruby/purple. The wine is tannic and austere, but elegant, with notes of asphalt, blackberries, acacia flowers, and sweet, toasty oak. Subtle, rich, nicely-textured, and medium-bodied, it is built for the long haul. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.
WS 91 (12/2013): Shows a lightly taut feel, with plum skin and cherry pit notes melded into the core of damson plum, blackberry and mulled cherry fruit. Shows the estate's telltale black tea and lilac hints through the finish, with lovely grace and charm that wins out over the sinewy structure. Drink now through 2020. |
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1999 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,205.99 |
5 |
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WA 95 (10/2016): The 1999 Chateau Margaux has been the standout First Growth since I first tasted the wine from barrel. Now reaching its plateau of maturity, it has an understated nose at first, armed with impressive mineralite with a gorgeous graphite seam. The definition and precision here is top class. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth in texture, very harmonious and assured, surprisingly with some new oak still to be fully assimilated into the wine. The signature Margaux traits of crushed black cherries and violets comes through towards the finish, suggestions of raspberry reserve and desiccated orange peel enhancing the long finish. Perhaps I might temper my initial enthusiasm for the 1999 Château Margaux...but only slightly. It comes highly recommended. Tasted May 2016.
VM 93 (5/2002): Medium ruby. Expressive aromas of black raspberry, Cuban tobacco and grilled nuts; a bit more red fruit in character than either the 2000 or the 2001. Silky, seamless and enveloping, but the wine's excellent vinosity gives its creamy fruit very good definition. Consistent from start to finish. Tannins are substantial but fine, allowing the fruit and floral flavors to linger impressively. Along with Latour, an early candidate for the wine of the vintage. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 93 (12/2013): This has a rather friendly, fleshy feel, with a plump core of crushed plum, currant and cherry notes out front, backed by bergamot, lilac and sandalwood accents. Not superdense, but with lovely mouthfeel and a balance that carries the finish gracefully. A beautiful wine in a vintage where most of the Medoc struggled. Drink now through 2022. 16,665 cases made. |
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2000 |
Margaux (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,399.97 |
1 |
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JD 100 (3/2019): Tasted from magnum, the 2000 Château Margaux is a prodigious, flawless wine that shows the elegance and seductive hallmark of the estate paired with incredible density, depth, and richness. Its still-ruby/purple color is followed by sensational notes of crème de cassis, spring flowers, lead pencil, and sandalwood that develop beautifully with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, opulent, and seamless, with a multi-dimensional, layered texture, it has a massive mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s drinking brilliantly today, and there’s certainly no need to delay gratification, but it’s going to continue evolving for another 3-4 decades. Bordeaux (or red wine, for that matter) doesn’t get any better. The 2000 is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot brought up new barrels.
JS 100 (4/2014): The 2000 Margaux kicked off a string of great wines. The aromas are spellbinding, with notes of raspberry and strawberry. The palate is incredibly silky yet structured. Impeccable balance.
WA 99 (2/2017): Tasted blind, the 2000 Chateau Margaux was a reminder of the peaks that the millennial vintage could reach. Noticeably deep in color, the bouquet rivets you to the seat with copious red berry fruit, clove and truffle, hints of cedar emerging with time. As the aromatics open and aerate, the fruit profile seems to darken and manifests blackcurrants and bilberries. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin. There is immense depth and symmetry conveyed by this First Growth, quite masculine for the estate with a gentle but insistent grip. It is a brilliant wine that flirts with perfection. Afford it another 3-4 years if you can, because it will last decades. Tasted November 2016.
VM 99 (9/2021): The 2000 Château Margaux has always been one of the stars of the millennial vintage. A dozen or so bottles over the years, starting with my first encounter from bottle with the late Paul Pontallier, have never disappointed. Philippe Bascaule did not decant this bottle, although it does deserve an hour’s aeration before serving. Deep in color with little aging on the rim, it has a very intense bouquet, sophisticated and almost aloof. Oddly, it reminds me of the 2000 Latour in its sense of aristocracy and breeding. The palate is medium-bodied with gorgeous, rounded, pliant tannins that frame the multilayered red fruit. Always a Margaux with considerable backbone, the 2000 has mellowed in recent years, though it has lost none of its complexity or ethereal balance. There is substance but not sinew, and the silky-smooth finish fans out gloriously. A brilliant Château Margaux from beginning to end. It’s difficult to find fault with this magnificent wine. Neal Martin.
WS 98 (6/2016): This continues to be a jaw-dropper, with beguiling lapsang souchong tea, singed sandalwood and fresh bay leaf aromas slowly wending along, while the core of pure cassis, raspberry reduction and warmed fig notes sits on a throne of perfectly embedded charcoal and tar-laced tannins. And with all the heft, there's a beautifully long iron note to give the finish cut and elegance. Just dreamy. Best from 2018 through 2040. |
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2001 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,357.97 |
1 |
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WS 95 (1/2018): Suave from the start, with beguiling tea, singed sandalwood and lilac notes backed by alluring, gently steeped red and black currant fruit. The long finish has an alder edge that stays in lockstep with the fruit, ending with a minerally echo. Drink now through 2030. 10,833 cases made.
NM 94 (10/2016): The 2001 Chateau Margaux continues to evolve in impressive fashion. The nose feels sensual, veering towards red rather than black fruit, with disarming purity and perhaps showing more floral/violet character than the 1999. Both display tremendous precision and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, edgy and tensile with crisp acidity, so fresh and vital in the mouth. Tasted next to the 1996 Château Margaux, it is clear to see that the 2001 is several steps behind, yet the way it fans out with such confidence and brio on the finish assures that this has a prosperous future.
VM 93 (6/2004): Enticing aromas of boysenberry, cedar, espresso and roasted oak. Sweet, lush and broad in the mouth, with sappy berry and espresso flavors. This boasts the pliant texture and near-perfect balance of the vintage's best examples. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins. Like so many 2001s, this is easy to taste today but may well close down in the coming year or so. "The 2001 is a smiley wine," says Pontallier, "while the 2002, though a bit stiff today, has more power and excellent aging potential. But neither ranks among our greatest vintages." |
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2003 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,418.99 |
1 |
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WA 93 (3/2017): Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2003 Margaux is fully mature on the nose. There is ample fruit here, well defined for the vintage with blackberry and cedar, this bottle demonstrating a subtle fungal character that I have not discerned in previous bottles. There are faint scents of rust iron piping that develop with further aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly dry tannin, offering more fruit than the 2003 Valandraud it was paired with: feisty black pepper and allspice finish with a decent aftertaste. There might be better bottles than this, even so, there is probably not another Margaux that touches this First Growth. I see no harm in broaching bottles now and over the next ten years. Tasted December 2016.
VM 93 (9/2007): (70% monastrell and 30% cabernet sauvignon) Ruby-red. Sharply focused raspberry, cassis and floral aromas are complicated by zesty minerals and a suave cocoa quality. Sweet red berry and cherry flavors are strikingly pure and deep, with fine-grained tannins adding shape and firmness. The mineral character repeats on the impressively long, juicy finish. There are plenty of $100 wines that can't match this.
WS 92 (12/2008): Ripe, fresh fruit flavors of black cherry and boysenberry mingle with toast and sweet vanilla notes from oak in this modern red. Has well-integrated tannins and lively acidity, with a lip-smacking finish. Monastrell (Mourvèdre) and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2014. 1,125 cases made.
JS 97 (3/2011): A wine with spices, meat, and very ripe fruit on the nose, with hints of dried flowers. Full bodied, and deeply layered, with loads of fruit and spices. Long and decadent, very complex. |
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2004 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$9,130.97 |
1 |
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NM 95 (11/2009): Tasted at the Margaret River Cabernet tutorial. A deep black/garnet colour. The nose has stupendous definition and clarity, with that ethereal sense of controlled power and intensity, scents of dark cherry, pencils shavings and cedar all with wonderful definition and focus. The palate is medium-bodied, superb acidity, quite austere with cedar and tobacco, fine tannins, quite sharp and a little earthy on the finish. This is just a baby but should be considered a great success for the vintage. Drink 2012-2030.
VM 94 (6/2007): Bright red-ruby. Knockout nose features boysenberry, currant, cedar, graphite and mocha. Suave, gentle and sweet, already displaying ineffable inner-mouth perfume. The 17% merlot component injects a silky component, and the oak element adds a complementary sweetness. Complex, lush, horizontal finish saturates the mouth with flavor. It was not clear to me in April that the 2006 would exceed this-and it will certainly take longer to reach full maturity in bottle.
WA 93 (6/2007): The supple-textured 2004 Chateau Margaux is reminiscent of the 2001 or 1999. It exhibits a superb blue/purple color to the rim as well as sweet aromas of flowers, blueberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and smoke, superb fruit intensity, medium body, classic elegance, and silky, sweet tannin in the long finish. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more.
WS 93 (3/2007): Subtle and complex aromas of crushed raspberry, milk chocolate and cigar box. Full-bodied, silky and refined, with layers of fruit and seductive tannins. Very long. A Margaux with finesse and reserve. Best after 2011. 12,500 cases made. |
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2004 |
Margaux (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,677.99 |
1 |
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NM 95 (11/2009): Tasted at the Margaret River Cabernet tutorial. A deep black/garnet colour. The nose has stupendous definition and clarity, with that ethereal sense of controlled power and intensity, scents of dark cherry, pencils shavings and cedar all with wonderful definition and focus. The palate is medium-bodied, superb acidity, quite austere with cedar and tobacco, fine tannins, quite sharp and a little earthy on the finish. This is just a baby but should be considered a great success for the vintage. Drink 2012-2030.
VM 94 (6/2007): Bright red-ruby. Knockout nose features boysenberry, currant, cedar, graphite and mocha. Suave, gentle and sweet, already displaying ineffable inner-mouth perfume. The 17% merlot component injects a silky component, and the oak element adds a complementary sweetness. Complex, lush, horizontal finish saturates the mouth with flavor. It was not clear to me in April that the 2006 would exceed this-and it will certainly take longer to reach full maturity in bottle.
WA 93 (6/2007): The supple-textured 2004 Chateau Margaux is reminiscent of the 2001 or 1999. It exhibits a superb blue/purple color to the rim as well as sweet aromas of flowers, blueberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and smoke, superb fruit intensity, medium body, classic elegance, and silky, sweet tannin in the long finish. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more.
WS 93 (3/2007): Subtle and complex aromas of crushed raspberry, milk chocolate and cigar box. Full-bodied, silky and refined, with layers of fruit and seductive tannins. Very long. A Margaux with finesse and reserve. Best after 2011. 12,500 cases made. |
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2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$8,035.95 |
1 |
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JS 100 (11/2010): The nose on this seems more concentrated than the 2000, and the purity of fruit is stunning, with blueberries, raspberries, fresh flowers, and hints of licorice. This is perfect and complete. Full bodied, with notes of forest berries and wild raspberries, this is thick and velvety with perfectly polished tannins. You can really feel the density on this, more than the tannic structure. This is a sleeping beauty that will be utterly captivating when it awakes. Don't touch this until after 2015.
VM 99 (4/2021): In two recent tastings the 2005 Château Margaux has been nothing less than magnificent. A wine of stunning perfume and inner sweetness, the 2005 gradually opens to reveal layers of red-toned fruit intermingled with floral accents. It's as if all the classic Margaux signatures have been amped up in a huge way. Dehydration on the vine concentrated the fruit, but also the impression of tannin and acid, such that the 2005 retains huge fruit density along with plenty of brightness as well. Vibrant and beautifully layered, the 2005 Grand Vin is off the charts and easily one of the wines of the vintage. Readers who own it or can find it are in for a real treat. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (6/2015): The first-growth 2005 Château Margaux (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot), a lavish fragrance of blackcurrants, velvety new saddle leather, spring flowers and spice soars from the glass. The wood is already totally concealed beneath the cascade of fruit in this medium to full-bodied, pure and majestic wine. This concentrated, dense, but nevertheless strikingly elegant, multi-layered wine has a finish of 45+ seconds. It builds incrementally to a crescendo and finale. This is a stunner that can be approached already, but promises to be better in another 5-10 years and last at least 25 or more years.
WS 97 (12/2017): Still very tight, but there are whispers of alder, bay leaf, tobacco and singed sandalwood aromas here. They give way to a beautifully silky and refined, but extremely concentrated, core of cassis and blackberry fruit that has gained a lightly mulled hint. The long finish shows echoes of dark earth and iron that bring you back for more. A beauty, with a long way to go. Best from 2025 through 2045. 10,833 cases made. |
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2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$8,207.99 |
1 |
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JS 100 (11/2010): The nose on this seems more concentrated than the 2000, and the purity of fruit is stunning, with blueberries, raspberries, fresh flowers, and hints of licorice. This is perfect and complete. Full bodied, with notes of forest berries and wild raspberries, this is thick and velvety with perfectly polished tannins. You can really feel the density on this, more than the tannic structure. This is a sleeping beauty that will be utterly captivating when it awakes. Don't touch this until after 2015.
VM 99 (4/2021): In two recent tastings the 2005 Château Margaux has been nothing less than magnificent. A wine of stunning perfume and inner sweetness, the 2005 gradually opens to reveal layers of red-toned fruit intermingled with floral accents. It's as if all the classic Margaux signatures have been amped up in a huge way. Dehydration on the vine concentrated the fruit, but also the impression of tannin and acid, such that the 2005 retains huge fruit density along with plenty of brightness as well. Vibrant and beautifully layered, the 2005 Grand Vin is off the charts and easily one of the wines of the vintage. Readers who own it or can find it are in for a real treat. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98+ (6/2015): The first-growth 2005 Château Margaux (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot), a lavish fragrance of blackcurrants, velvety new saddle leather, spring flowers and spice soars from the glass. The wood is already totally concealed beneath the cascade of fruit in this medium to full-bodied, pure and majestic wine. This concentrated, dense, but nevertheless strikingly elegant, multi-layered wine has a finish of 45+ seconds. It builds incrementally to a crescendo and finale. This is a stunner that can be approached already, but promises to be better in another 5-10 years and last at least 25 or more years.
WS 97 (12/2017): Still very tight, but there are whispers of alder, bay leaf, tobacco and singed sandalwood aromas here. They give way to a beautifully silky and refined, but extremely concentrated, core of cassis and blackberry fruit that has gained a lightly mulled hint. The long finish shows echoes of dark earth and iron that bring you back for more. A beauty, with a long way to go. Best from 2025 through 2045. 10,833 cases made. |
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2008 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,483.97 |
1 |
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JD 97 (2/2019): One of the wines of the vintage, the 2008 Château Margaux is a beauty and has everything you could want from a wine. A huge nose of cassis, Asian spices, dried flowers, and incense all soar from the glass, and on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and pure, with ripe tannins and a great finish. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot made from an incredibly strict selection (only 36% of the production made it into the top wine), this elegant, regal, incredibly classic Chateau Margaux is thrilling today, but will drink well for another 20-30 years.
WA 94 (5/2011): This is a stunning Chateau Margaux, made in a sexy, up-front, elegant style, with deep creme de cassis fruit intermixed with spring flowers, a solid inner core of richness and depth, but again, very sweet tannins as well as striking minerality and elegance. One of the most seductive Chateau Margauxs given its recent bottling, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot should drink beautifully for the next 25-30 years. Remarkably, a mere 36% of the entire production was selected for the 2008 Chateau Margaux.
VM 94 (2/2018): The 2008 Château Margaux has an attractive bouquet of mulberry, red plum, briary, a hint of rose petal rather than its signature note of violets. It gains intensity with aeration, but to my surprise it feels quite forward for a 10-year old First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite Pauillac in style thanks to that graphite seam that surfaces towards the finish. It is a precise, classic Château Margaux that really delivers its intensity in the final quarter. I came away with the impression that it just does not quite slip from fourth to fifth gear. Neal Martin.
JS 94 (12/2010): This is so subtle and refined on the nose with amazing perfumes of rose petal, blueberries and blackberries. Full but very tight and fresh with a lovely length that goes on and on. Starts off slowly with a solid core of fruit, then grows denser and denser. This is shy at first, needs at leat five years of bottle age.
WS 91 (11/2014): Shows a lightly sinewy edge, with coiled notes of damson plum, red currant preserves, rooibos tea, singed balsa wood and iron, lacking the vintage's typical crisp edge. The fine-grained finish is approachable already, but this will age gracefully and should develop a more perfumed than rich profile. Drink now through 2020. |
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2008 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,030.98 |
1 |
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| |
JD 97 (2/2019): One of the wines of the vintage, the 2008 Château Margaux is a beauty and has everything you could want from a wine. A huge nose of cassis, Asian spices, dried flowers, and incense all soar from the glass, and on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and pure, with ripe tannins and a great finish. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot made from an incredibly strict selection (only 36% of the production made it into the top wine), this elegant, regal, incredibly classic Chateau Margaux is thrilling today, but will drink well for another 20-30 years.
WA 94 (5/2011): This is a stunning Chateau Margaux, made in a sexy, up-front, elegant style, with deep creme de cassis fruit intermixed with spring flowers, a solid inner core of richness and depth, but again, very sweet tannins as well as striking minerality and elegance. One of the most seductive Chateau Margauxs given its recent bottling, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot should drink beautifully for the next 25-30 years. Remarkably, a mere 36% of the entire production was selected for the 2008 Chateau Margaux.
VM 94 (2/2018): The 2008 Château Margaux has an attractive bouquet of mulberry, red plum, briary, a hint of rose petal rather than its signature note of violets. It gains intensity with aeration, but to my surprise it feels quite forward for a 10-year old First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite Pauillac in style thanks to that graphite seam that surfaces towards the finish. It is a precise, classic Château Margaux that really delivers its intensity in the final quarter. I came away with the impression that it just does not quite slip from fourth to fifth gear. Neal Martin.
JS 94 (12/2010): This is so subtle and refined on the nose with amazing perfumes of rose petal, blueberries and blackberries. Full but very tight and fresh with a lovely length that goes on and on. Starts off slowly with a solid core of fruit, then grows denser and denser. This is shy at first, needs at leat five years of bottle age.
WS 91 (11/2014): Shows a lightly sinewy edge, with coiled notes of damson plum, red currant preserves, rooibos tea, singed balsa wood and iron, lacking the vintage's typical crisp edge. The fine-grained finish is approachable already, but this will age gracefully and should develop a more perfumed than rich profile. Drink now through 2020. |
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2009 |
Margaux (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,287.97 |
1 |
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JS 99 (3/2019): This marathon runner is currently in the no-man's land between youthful vitality and mellow maturity. There's a very serious tannin structure here, but it needs a lot longer to fully resolve. Very tight and closed. A perfect wine usually. But not today. Try in 2020.
WA 99 (2/2012): A brilliant offering from the Mentzelopoulos family, once again their gifted manager, Paul Pontallier, has produced an uncommonly concentrated, powerful 2009 Chateau Margaux made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As with most Medocs, the alcohol here is actually lower (a modest 13.3%) than most of its siblings-. Abundant blueberry, cassis and acacia flower as well as hints of charcoal and forest floor aromas that are almost Burgundian in their complexity are followed by a wine displaying sweet, well-integrated tannins as well as a certain ethereal lightness despite the wine's overall size. Rich, round, generous and unusually approachable for such a young Margaux, this 2009 should drink well for 30-35+ years.
VM 97 (3/2019): The 2009 Château Margaux is blessed with a stunning nose that delivers intense blackberry and cranberry scents, crushed rose petals and touches of slate. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, taut and quite linear with an effortless and precise finish that is a pure joy. You have the sense of a Château Margaux that is only beginning to show what it can do. Brilliant. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting. Neal Martin.
WS 97 (12/2013): This offers gorgeously caressing fruit, with steeped plum, blackberry and red currant notes, finely embroidered with accents of rooibos and black tea, tobacco leaf, alder and sandalwood. Delivers loads of fruit, with the structure already melded into the core of fruit-but that's the vintage style. A stunner, though I still find the '10 a full step ahead. Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Best from 2018 through 2035. |
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2010 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,947.95 |
1 |
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JS 100 (2/2013): This was phenomenal from barrel and remains so. The aromas are spellbinding. It smells like a bouquet of pink roses and then goes to currants, berries and citrus. Full body, with wonderfully refined tannins. It starts discretely and then grows to different levels and dimensions like a slow but big high tide. The texture is so beautiful. Try it in 2020 or beyond.
WA 99 (2/2013): The 2010 is a brilliant Chateau Margaux, as one might expect in this vintage. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend hit 90%, the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and only 38% of the crop made it into the Chateau Margaux. Paul Pontallier, the administrator, told me that this wine has even higher levels of tannin than some other extraordinary vintages such as 2005, 2000, 1996, etc. Deep purple, pure and intense, with floral notes, tremendous opulence and palate presence, this is a wine of considerable nobility. With loads of blueberry, black currant and violet-infused fruit and a heady alcohol level above 13.5% (although that looks modest compared to several other first growths, particularly Chateau Latour and Chateau Haut-Brion), its beautifully sweet texture, ripe tannin, abundant depth and profound finish all make for another near-perfect wine that should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
WS 98 (3/2013): A mouthwatering tobacco leaf note leads the way, quickly followed by steeped black currant and fig fruit, with dark tar and ganache on the back end. Roasted alder and juniper hints hang in the background. Extremely backward, with a firm, tannic structure, this is girded for the long haul. Judging from the finely beaded acidity and lilting echo of lilac that peeks in now, this should acquire sensational aromatics and incredible grace with age. Best from 2018 through 2040.
VM 95+ (8/2013): Saturated ruby-red. Deep aromas of blackberry, licorice and bitter chocolate, complicated by nuances of loam and coffee extract. Dense, thick and sweet, but with harmonious acidity giving shape and lift to the pungent cassis, spice and tobacco flavors. Youthfully chewy wine with terrific underlying structure and a very long, sappy finish featuring broad tannins and a hint of licorice. This has improved considerably since the Primeurs, but I still think the 2009 Margaux is the superior wine. |
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2010 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,038.99 |
1 |
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JS 100 (2/2013): This was phenomenal from barrel and remains so. The aromas are spellbinding. It smells like a bouquet of pink roses and then goes to currants, berries and citrus. Full body, with wonderfully refined tannins. It starts discretely and then grows to different levels and dimensions like a slow but big high tide. The texture is so beautiful. Try it in 2020 or beyond.
WA 99 (2/2013): The 2010 is a brilliant Chateau Margaux, as one might expect in this vintage. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend hit 90%, the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and only 38% of the crop made it into the Chateau Margaux. Paul Pontallier, the administrator, told me that this wine has even higher levels of tannin than some other extraordinary vintages such as 2005, 2000, 1996, etc. Deep purple, pure and intense, with floral notes, tremendous opulence and palate presence, this is a wine of considerable nobility. With loads of blueberry, black currant and violet-infused fruit and a heady alcohol level above 13.5% (although that looks modest compared to several other first growths, particularly Chateau Latour and Chateau Haut-Brion), its beautifully sweet texture, ripe tannin, abundant depth and profound finish all make for another near-perfect wine that should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
WS 98 (3/2013): A mouthwatering tobacco leaf note leads the way, quickly followed by steeped black currant and fig fruit, with dark tar and ganache on the back end. Roasted alder and juniper hints hang in the background. Extremely backward, with a firm, tannic structure, this is girded for the long haul. Judging from the finely beaded acidity and lilting echo of lilac that peeks in now, this should acquire sensational aromatics and incredible grace with age. Best from 2018 through 2040.
VM 95+ (8/2013): Saturated ruby-red. Deep aromas of blackberry, licorice and bitter chocolate, complicated by nuances of loam and coffee extract. Dense, thick and sweet, but with harmonious acidity giving shape and lift to the pungent cassis, spice and tobacco flavors. Youthfully chewy wine with terrific underlying structure and a very long, sappy finish featuring broad tannins and a hint of licorice. This has improved considerably since the Primeurs, but I still think the 2009 Margaux is the superior wine. |
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2011 |
Margaux (6.0 L) ex-Negociant |
$4,800 |
1 |
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WS 94 (3/2014): This has a restrained core of steeped plum, blackberry and anise, studded with tobacco and roasted cedar notes. The structure is silky but persistent, with an almost-succulent feel through the finish, while warm bergamot, singed cedar, vanilla and sanguine hints define the finish. Discreet today, but shows the balance and precision to unfold slowly with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.
JS 94 (1/2014): Fabulous aromas of flowers with hints of strawberries and currants. Extremely aromatic. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a racy finish. It is very finely structured but chewy and austere. I like the tension to this. Try in 2018.
WA 93 (4/2014): The renowned Chateau Margaux's 2011 boasts a dark ruby/plum color as well as a fragrant perfume of spring flowers, sweet, supple, well-integrated tannins, medium body, and the elegance and nobility expected from a great first-growth. Although it is not as powerful or concentrated as the 2009 or 2010 (no 2011s are), it possesses finesse, elegance, purity and suppleness. The wine is surprisingly approachable already yet should keep for 15-20 years.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, herbs and licorice. Spicy and taut, with dark fruit and herb flavors offering decent flesh and grip; seems to be shutting down. Finishes long and smooth: this really is a considerable step up from the Pavillon Rouge. I like this wine's tension but hope that it develops more sweetness of fruit and length with another five or six years in the cellar. Ian d'Agata. |
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2011 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,960.98 |
8 |
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WS 94 (3/2014): This has a restrained core of steeped plum, blackberry and anise, studded with tobacco and roasted cedar notes. The structure is silky but persistent, with an almost-succulent feel through the finish, while warm bergamot, singed cedar, vanilla and sanguine hints define the finish. Discreet today, but shows the balance and precision to unfold slowly with cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.
JS 94 (1/2014): Fabulous aromas of flowers with hints of strawberries and currants. Extremely aromatic. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a racy finish. It is very finely structured but chewy and austere. I like the tension to this. Try in 2018.
WA 93 (4/2014): The renowned Chateau Margaux's 2011 boasts a dark ruby/plum color as well as a fragrant perfume of spring flowers, sweet, supple, well-integrated tannins, medium body, and the elegance and nobility expected from a great first-growth. Although it is not as powerful or concentrated as the 2009 or 2010 (no 2011s are), it possesses finesse, elegance, purity and suppleness. The wine is surprisingly approachable already yet should keep for 15-20 years.
VM 91+ (7/2014): Deep ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, herbs and licorice. Spicy and taut, with dark fruit and herb flavors offering decent flesh and grip; seems to be shutting down. Finishes long and smooth: this really is a considerable step up from the Pavillon Rouge. I like this wine's tension but hope that it develops more sweetness of fruit and length with another five or six years in the cellar. Ian d'Agata. |
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2012 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,797.97 |
1 |
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WA 96 (10/2016): Tasted blind at the 2012 Southwold tasting, the 2012 Château Margaux has a taut, linear, pencil lead-infused bouquet with pure blackberry and boysenberry scents, an undercurrent of tobacco that surfaces after five minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity, a life-affirming sense of balance with well-integrated new oak towards the finish. I concur with Robert Parker that his has become more structured and masculine in bottle, yet there is pedigree here from start to finish, a sense of effortlessness that is seductive. This is a top-class wine from the late Paul Pontallier and his team.
WS 95 (3/2015): Bay leaf and menthol hints lift a core of crushed plum and warm cherry confiture notes while the background fills steadily with black tea, singed alder and iron elements. Turns a little darker on the finish, with a coating of bittersweet cocoa powder and roasted vanilla bean accents, while the minerality stays buried for now. Remarkably dense and packed, yet refined. Needs some time to unwind. Best from 2018 through 2030. 10,833 cases made.
VM 94+ (4/2016): The 2012 Margaux is beautifully polished and suave in the glass, with pliant fruit and plenty of finesse, all in a classic, mid-weight Margaux style. Inward and tightly wound, the 2012 is clearly holding back much of its potential. The 2012 has a stony, mineral-infused energy that is going to require at least a few more years in bottle to fully unwind, while the 100% new oak is a bit pronounced at this early stage. Grilled herbs, smoke, graphite and sage add further nuances on the savory, delineated finish. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (2/2015): Wonderful aromas of flowers such as roses, violets, strawberries and a hints of wet earth. Wet stones as well. Full to medium body, very firm tannins and a long, racy finish. Minerals and chalk on the aftertaste. Needs three to five years to soften. Better in 2020. |
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2013 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,411.97 |
1 |
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| |
JS 94 (2/2016): A firm and tight Margaux with structure and elegance. Full bodied and tight. Lovely silky tannins and layers of texture and flavor. Currant and chocolate undertones. 94% cabernet sauvignon, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. Drink in 2018.
WS 91 (3/2016): This is velvety and suave, with alluring fresh plum, sleek cassis and warmed raspberry coulis flavors that are nicely melded together, picking up rooibos tea, singed sandalwood and mineral accents through the lovely finish. Refined and approachable already, but has enough range and length for cellaring. A wine of style. Best from 2017 through 2025. 10,833 cases made.
WA 91 (10/2016): The 2013 Château Margaux has an attractive bouquet that compared to fellow recent vintages appears earthy in style (as it appeared in barrel), offering a mixture of black and red fruit, bay leaf and cedar. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes through strongly - no surprise given that there is 97% of the final blend! The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a pleasing seam of acidity. It is not the greatest Château Margaux that the late Paul Pontallier ever made, but it is commendable for the vintage and there is a sense of harmony and composure towards the finish with hints of black pepper and mint lingering on the aftertaste. Enjoy this over the next 15 years, though I am not sure it has the substance to warrant maturation for a longer period. |
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2013 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,462.97 |
1 |
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| |
JS 94 (2/2016): A firm and tight Margaux with structure and elegance. Full bodied and tight. Lovely silky tannins and layers of texture and flavor. Currant and chocolate undertones. 94% cabernet sauvignon, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. Drink in 2018.
WS 91 (3/2016): This is velvety and suave, with alluring fresh plum, sleek cassis and warmed raspberry coulis flavors that are nicely melded together, picking up rooibos tea, singed sandalwood and mineral accents through the lovely finish. Refined and approachable already, but has enough range and length for cellaring. A wine of style. Best from 2017 through 2025. 10,833 cases made.
WA 91 (10/2016): The 2013 Château Margaux has an attractive bouquet that compared to fellow recent vintages appears earthy in style (as it appeared in barrel), offering a mixture of black and red fruit, bay leaf and cedar. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes through strongly - no surprise given that there is 97% of the final blend! The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a pleasing seam of acidity. It is not the greatest Château Margaux that the late Paul Pontallier ever made, but it is commendable for the vintage and there is a sense of harmony and composure towards the finish with hints of black pepper and mint lingering on the aftertaste. Enjoy this over the next 15 years, though I am not sure it has the substance to warrant maturation for a longer period. |
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2014 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,395.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (1/2017): The purity of cabernet sauvignon fruit is what impresses here. Subtle and energetic plum and currant aromas follow through to a gorgeously harmonized palate of wonderful fruit and an ultra-long finish. Current bush and light earth adds to the complexity. Lasts for minutes. Drink in 2022.
WS 95 (3/2017): This is solidly packed, with layers of warm fig bread, plum compote and black currant preserves, carried by a silky yet substantial structure. As the fruit plays out, the anise, black tea and singed alder notes in the background come into clearer focus, giving this remarkable range. Everything glides beautifully through the suave, gently toasty finish. Best from 2020 through 2035. 10,835 cases made.
JD 95 (11/2017): The grand vin from the Mentzelopoulos family and late manager Paul Pontallier is the 2014 Château Margaux which checks in as a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, as always, raised in 100% new barrels, and represents a scant 36% of the total production from the estate. A regal, classy, and nuanced beauty, its ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a terrific perfume of cassis, licorice, spicy oak, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla. With a beautiful core of sweet fruit, ripe, polished tannin, no hard edges, and a great finish, this full-bodied 2014 shows the classy, elegant style of the vintage brilliantly. Give bottles 5-7 years and it should deliver plenty of pleasure over the following three decades.
WA 95 (3/2017): The 2014 Château Margaux represents 36% of the year’s total production and is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Affording the glass five to ten minutes to open, the aromatics are very similar to those expressed out of barrel, those dark cherries and violets, tightly wound at first but unfurling beautifully and seemingly with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin and it appears to have fomented a little more finesse during its elevage. There is wonderful mineral tension and dash of spiciness on the persistent finish. There remains some tightness here, the implication that this is a Château Margaux determined to give long-term pleasure. Therefore, do not be afraid to give it a decade in the cellar.
VM 94 (3/2018): The 2014 Château Margaux, has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry, graphite and light violet aromas. This feels very refined, very Margaux as banal as that sounds. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite precise tannin. This is an unreservedly understated First Growth, more masculine then I remember from barrel and just after bottling, firming up a little for the long-haul. In some ways, the higher Cabernet Sauvignon renders this a little more Pauillac-like in flavour profile, although it has the finesse that is synonymous with this estate. Excellent. Tasted at the property. Neal Martin. |
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2014 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,099.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (1/2017): The purity of cabernet sauvignon fruit is what impresses here. Subtle and energetic plum and currant aromas follow through to a gorgeously harmonized palate of wonderful fruit and an ultra-long finish. Current bush and light earth adds to the complexity. Lasts for minutes. Drink in 2022.
WS 95 (3/2017): This is solidly packed, with layers of warm fig bread, plum compote and black currant preserves, carried by a silky yet substantial structure. As the fruit plays out, the anise, black tea and singed alder notes in the background come into clearer focus, giving this remarkable range. Everything glides beautifully through the suave, gently toasty finish. Best from 2020 through 2035. 10,835 cases made.
JD 95 (11/2017): The grand vin from the Mentzelopoulos family and late manager Paul Pontallier is the 2014 Château Margaux which checks in as a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, as always, raised in 100% new barrels, and represents a scant 36% of the total production from the estate. A regal, classy, and nuanced beauty, its ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a terrific perfume of cassis, licorice, spicy oak, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla. With a beautiful core of sweet fruit, ripe, polished tannin, no hard edges, and a great finish, this full-bodied 2014 shows the classy, elegant style of the vintage brilliantly. Give bottles 5-7 years and it should deliver plenty of pleasure over the following three decades.
WA 95 (3/2017): The 2014 Château Margaux represents 36% of the year’s total production and is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Affording the glass five to ten minutes to open, the aromatics are very similar to those expressed out of barrel, those dark cherries and violets, tightly wound at first but unfurling beautifully and seemingly with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin and it appears to have fomented a little more finesse during its elevage. There is wonderful mineral tension and dash of spiciness on the persistent finish. There remains some tightness here, the implication that this is a Château Margaux determined to give long-term pleasure. Therefore, do not be afraid to give it a decade in the cellar.
VM 94 (3/2018): The 2014 Château Margaux, has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry, graphite and light violet aromas. This feels very refined, very Margaux as banal as that sounds. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite precise tannin. This is an unreservedly understated First Growth, more masculine then I remember from barrel and just after bottling, firming up a little for the long-haul. In some ways, the higher Cabernet Sauvignon renders this a little more Pauillac-like in flavour profile, although it has the finesse that is synonymous with this estate. Excellent. Tasted at the property. Neal Martin. |
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2015 |
Margaux |
$1,275 |
1 |
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| |
JD 100 (11/2017): The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years.
JS 100-100 (4/2016): The greatest Margaux ever made. More than perfection. Full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins. Black currant, mineral and floral character. It starts slowly and seems almost endless on the palate. Seamless. I want to sing! This is the wine that Margaux never made in some of the classic vintages like 1961, 1959 and 1945. Maybe it's the 1900 all over again? Breathtaking.
WA 98-100 (4/2016): The 2015 Château Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all together representing 35% of the total production at the estate. Raised entirely in new oak, it has a lucid garnet color. The bouquet is aimed directly at the senses - there is no dilly-dallying about, as it almost knocks you off your stool with its intense mineralite embroidered into this iridescent, graphite-tinged nose. The focus and penetration here ranks among the finest that I have tasted at this estate since first coming here in 1997. The palate is astonishingly well balanced, perfectly poised with super-fine tannins wrapped around pure blackberry, bilberry, graphite and cedar fruit. Like the Pavillon Rouge this year, there is a Pauillac-like sense of authority and aristocracy, leavened by Margaux-inspired femininity that completes that standout 2015 on the Left Bank. Beg for a bottle and worry about the cost later. Post script: I composed this tasting note five days before the passing of Paul Pontallier. It is a final gift from a gifted winemaker.
VM 95-98 (4/2016): The 2015 Margaux is a super-classic wine. In 2015, most Margauxs are notably intense, but Château Margaux expresses the richness of the year in its surprising tannic backbone and overall structure. Far from an up-front or sensual wine, the 2015 Margaux is likely to require considerable cellaring. It is a tightly-wound wine that manages to be both powerful and crystalline in its translucent purity. The 2015 is a wine of real density and yet so very much Margaux. About 35% of the crop went into the Grand Vin. Antonio Galloni. |
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2015 |
Margaux |
$1,499 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 100 (11/2017): The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years.
JS 100-100 (4/2016): The greatest Margaux ever made. More than perfection. Full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins. Black currant, mineral and floral character. It starts slowly and seems almost endless on the palate. Seamless. I want to sing! This is the wine that Margaux never made in some of the classic vintages like 1961, 1959 and 1945. Maybe it's the 1900 all over again? Breathtaking.
WA 98-100 (4/2016): The 2015 Château Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all together representing 35% of the total production at the estate. Raised entirely in new oak, it has a lucid garnet color. The bouquet is aimed directly at the senses - there is no dilly-dallying about, as it almost knocks you off your stool with its intense mineralite embroidered into this iridescent, graphite-tinged nose. The focus and penetration here ranks among the finest that I have tasted at this estate since first coming here in 1997. The palate is astonishingly well balanced, perfectly poised with super-fine tannins wrapped around pure blackberry, bilberry, graphite and cedar fruit. Like the Pavillon Rouge this year, there is a Pauillac-like sense of authority and aristocracy, leavened by Margaux-inspired femininity that completes that standout 2015 on the Left Bank. Beg for a bottle and worry about the cost later. Post script: I composed this tasting note five days before the passing of Paul Pontallier. It is a final gift from a gifted winemaker.
VM 95-98 (4/2016): The 2015 Margaux is a super-classic wine. In 2015, most Margauxs are notably intense, but Château Margaux expresses the richness of the year in its surprising tannic backbone and overall structure. Far from an up-front or sensual wine, the 2015 Margaux is likely to require considerable cellaring. It is a tightly-wound wine that manages to be both powerful and crystalline in its translucent purity. The 2015 is a wine of real density and yet so very much Margaux. About 35% of the crop went into the Grand Vin. Antonio Galloni. |
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2016 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$9,366.97 |
1 |
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| |
WA 99 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.
JS 99 (1/2019): It’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers, such as roses, and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.
VM 98 (8/2020): The 2016 Château Margaux has an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed stone and subtle cedar aromas that enrapture the senses; hints of pencil box and sous-bois emerge with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and a touch of bitterness lends tension on the finish. Impressive – very impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JD 97+ (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.
WS 97 (3/2019): Beautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. |
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|
2016 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,781.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.
JS 99 (1/2019): It’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers, such as roses, and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.
VM 98 (8/2020): The 2016 Château Margaux has an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed stone and subtle cedar aromas that enrapture the senses; hints of pencil box and sous-bois emerge with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and a touch of bitterness lends tension on the finish. Impressive – very impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JD 97+ (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.
WS 97 (3/2019): Beautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. |
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2016 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,445.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.
JS 99 (1/2019): It’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers, such as roses, and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.
VM 98 (8/2020): The 2016 Château Margaux has an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed stone and subtle cedar aromas that enrapture the senses; hints of pencil box and sous-bois emerge with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and a touch of bitterness lends tension on the finish. Impressive – very impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JD 97+ (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.
WS 97 (3/2019): Beautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. |
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|
2016 |
Margaux (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,777.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (11/2018): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.
JS 99 (1/2019): It’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers, such as roses, and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.
VM 98 (8/2020): The 2016 Château Margaux has an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed stone and subtle cedar aromas that enrapture the senses; hints of pencil box and sous-bois emerge with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and a touch of bitterness lends tension on the finish. Impressive – very impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JD 97+ (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.
WS 97 (3/2019): Beautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. |
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2017 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,960.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 99 (12/2019): There is ripeness and opulence to this, in an almost exotic and sassy way. Crushed berries with chocolate and spice. Floral and cashmere undertones. This starts off slowly and just rolls off the palate with beautifully polished tannins and a salty, minerally note to the long, extended tannins. Really brilliant. So classy. Structured. Try after 2025.
JD 98 (2/2020): Despite Margaux being a slightly more difficult region for the Medoc in 2017, this estate has fashioned an incredible 2017 Chateaux Margaux that’s unquestionably in the same league as the 2015 and 2016, and that’s saying something. Based on 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot representing a draconian selection of just 22% of the total production, it reveals a deep purple/ruby hue as well as stunning notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, crushed violets, unsmoked tobacco, and Asian spice. With flawless tannins, medium to full body, brilliant concentration, and a great, great finish, it's easily one of the standouts in the vintage. It’s already stunning, yet a good 7-8 years of bottle age are warranted, and it should cruise for 20-25 years in cold cellars.
WA 98 (3/2020): The 2017 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to reveal alluring notes of blackcurrant cordial, Black Forest cake and black raspberries with suggestions of candied violets, tilled soil, fallen leaves, licorice and espresso plus wafts of underbrush and rosehip tea. Medium-bodied, the elegance and finesse on the palate is simply bedazzling, exuding a quiet intensity of fresh black fruits layered with oh-so-subtle floral and earth nuances. It has a soft, velvety texture and seamless freshness to support the tightly wound flavors, finishing long and perfumed. Beautiful! This grand vin accounts for just 37% of the crop.
VM 95 (2/2020): The 2017 Château Margaux, bottled in June/July 2019, has a classic aromatic profile for this First Growth: blackcurrant leaf, raspberry, cold black tea and pressed iris rather than violet petals this time. It is well defined, if not as intense as the 2016 as you would expect. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, quite saline in the mouth with superb precision on the elegant finish. This is one of the most approachable Château Margaux that I can remember, less opulent than out of barrel and supremely refined. Neal Martin.
WS 95 (3/2020): Seamless from start to finish, with a thoroughly caressing mouthfeel to the mix of damson plum, black cherry and black currant fruit, inlaid with a range of lilac, lavender and rooibos tea accents. The finish unfurls slowly, revealing a mouthwatering mineral edge buried deeply in the seductive fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 10,833 cases made. |
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|
2019 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,497.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (4/2022): Is the 2019 Château Margaux the wine of the vintage? A strong case in its favor could certainly be made. Soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries, raspberries, rose petals, violets, pencil shavings and vine smoke, it's full-bodied, layered and sensual, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and bright acids, concluding with a penetrating, mouthwateringly saline finish of almost interminable duration. Complex, elegant and utterly compelling, this is a brilliant Bordeaux that anyone with the requisite disposable income is going to want to own.
JS 100 (1/2022): Amazing aromas of crushed stones and wet soil with fresh mushrooms, then going on to violets and other flowers. Dark fruit, too. Full-bodied, yet agile and fine, with a linear flow of tannins that run through the center of palate. The finesse of the tannins is exceptional, like raw silk and changing all the time. Cool and energetic, yet reserved. Zen-like. 37% of the production and 90% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. So well balanced that you can drink it now, but this is one to leave for a decade and more. Ethereal.
VM 99 (2/2022): The 2019 Château Margaux possesses off the charts richness to go along with plush contours and mind-blowing balance. All the elements are so wonderfully woven together. It's as if all the Château Margaux signatures are dialed up to eleven, but without losing any of the classic Margaux character. The purity of the red-toned fruit is just breathtaking. The Merlot was picked early, but then rain during harvest delayed the ripening of the Cabernets, which turned out to be a huge advantage. Antonio Galloni.
WS 95 (3/2022): A very stylish and understated white, featuring verbena, quinine and Key lime notes that breeze through, with sneaky length on the finish thanks to a mineral hint that runs underneath. This relies on purity and precision, with a long, subtle sel gris note that just won't quit on the finish. Beautiful. Drink now through 2035. 833 cases made. |
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|
2019 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,252.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (4/2022): Is the 2019 Château Margaux the wine of the vintage? A strong case in its favor could certainly be made. Soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries, raspberries, rose petals, violets, pencil shavings and vine smoke, it's full-bodied, layered and sensual, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and bright acids, concluding with a penetrating, mouthwateringly saline finish of almost interminable duration. Complex, elegant and utterly compelling, this is a brilliant Bordeaux that anyone with the requisite disposable income is going to want to own.
JS 100 (1/2022): Amazing aromas of crushed stones and wet soil with fresh mushrooms, then going on to violets and other flowers. Dark fruit, too. Full-bodied, yet agile and fine, with a linear flow of tannins that run through the center of palate. The finesse of the tannins is exceptional, like raw silk and changing all the time. Cool and energetic, yet reserved. Zen-like. 37% of the production and 90% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. So well balanced that you can drink it now, but this is one to leave for a decade and more. Ethereal.
VM 99 (2/2022): The 2019 Château Margaux possesses off the charts richness to go along with plush contours and mind-blowing balance. All the elements are so wonderfully woven together. It's as if all the Château Margaux signatures are dialed up to eleven, but without losing any of the classic Margaux character. The purity of the red-toned fruit is just breathtaking. The Merlot was picked early, but then rain during harvest delayed the ripening of the Cabernets, which turned out to be a huge advantage. Antonio Galloni.
WS 95 (3/2022): A very stylish and understated white, featuring verbena, quinine and Key lime notes that breeze through, with sneaky length on the finish thanks to a mineral hint that runs underneath. This relies on purity and precision, with a long, subtle sel gris note that just won't quit on the finish. Beautiful. Drink now through 2035. 833 cases made. |
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|
2020 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$7,663.97 |
1 |
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VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavender, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine of uncommon depth and finesse. The 100% new oak is not at all perceptible. Enveloping on the palate, with striking resonance and exceptional balance, the 2020 is very clearly a great modern Margaux. It's a brilliant effort from Margaux and the team led by Managing Director Philippe Bascaules. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (3/2023): As to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, pulled from a tiny 36% of the total production, that spent 20 months in new barrels. It has that classic Château Margaux sense of elegance and complexity and offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe currants, blueberries, acacia flowers, crushed stone, and sandalwood that develop with time in the glass. With remarkable purity as well as flawless balance, it's a seriously concentrated, powerful 2020 that still just glides across the palate with no hard edges, silky tannins, and a great finish. I love everything about this wine. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and evolve for 50-75 years. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2016.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): Much like the Deuxième Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux has a discreet nose; it is not interested in fireworks or in dazzling the taster. At first unassuming, it unfolds with black cherries, blueberry and signature crushed violet aromas, all delivered with the delineation and purity expected from an estate of this standing. Looking deeper, one finds touches of potpourri and India ink. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity, perhaps more noticeable on the 2020 compared to the previous two vintages. This Margaux is surfeit with tension and coiled-up, nascent energy, then it tightens up toward a linear finish that strangely recalls a Pauillac, thanks to a subtle graphite note that lingers on the saline aftertaste. This is a classically styled Château Margaux that will gain weight and depth during its elevage. Cerebral and sophisticated, and one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2020. Neal Martin. |
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2020 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,218.98 |
1 |
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VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavender, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine of uncommon depth and finesse. The 100% new oak is not at all perceptible. Enveloping on the palate, with striking resonance and exceptional balance, the 2020 is very clearly a great modern Margaux. It's a brilliant effort from Margaux and the team led by Managing Director Philippe Bascaules. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (3/2023): As to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, pulled from a tiny 36% of the total production, that spent 20 months in new barrels. It has that classic Château Margaux sense of elegance and complexity and offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe currants, blueberries, acacia flowers, crushed stone, and sandalwood that develop with time in the glass. With remarkable purity as well as flawless balance, it's a seriously concentrated, powerful 2020 that still just glides across the palate with no hard edges, silky tannins, and a great finish. I love everything about this wine. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and evolve for 50-75 years. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2016.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): Much like the Deuxième Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux has a discreet nose; it is not interested in fireworks or in dazzling the taster. At first unassuming, it unfolds with black cherries, blueberry and signature crushed violet aromas, all delivered with the delineation and purity expected from an estate of this standing. Looking deeper, one finds touches of potpourri and India ink. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity, perhaps more noticeable on the 2020 compared to the previous two vintages. This Margaux is surfeit with tension and coiled-up, nascent energy, then it tightens up toward a linear finish that strangely recalls a Pauillac, thanks to a subtle graphite note that lingers on the saline aftertaste. This is a classically styled Château Margaux that will gain weight and depth during its elevage. Cerebral and sophisticated, and one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2020. Neal Martin. |
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2020 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,963.99 |
1 |
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VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavender, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine of uncommon depth and finesse. The 100% new oak is not at all perceptible. Enveloping on the palate, with striking resonance and exceptional balance, the 2020 is very clearly a great modern Margaux. It's a brilliant effort from Margaux and the team led by Managing Director Philippe Bascaules. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (3/2023): As to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, pulled from a tiny 36% of the total production, that spent 20 months in new barrels. It has that classic Château Margaux sense of elegance and complexity and offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe currants, blueberries, acacia flowers, crushed stone, and sandalwood that develop with time in the glass. With remarkable purity as well as flawless balance, it's a seriously concentrated, powerful 2020 that still just glides across the palate with no hard edges, silky tannins, and a great finish. I love everything about this wine. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and evolve for 50-75 years. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2016.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): Much like the Deuxième Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux has a discreet nose; it is not interested in fireworks or in dazzling the taster. At first unassuming, it unfolds with black cherries, blueberry and signature crushed violet aromas, all delivered with the delineation and purity expected from an estate of this standing. Looking deeper, one finds touches of potpourri and India ink. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity, perhaps more noticeable on the 2020 compared to the previous two vintages. This Margaux is surfeit with tension and coiled-up, nascent energy, then it tightens up toward a linear finish that strangely recalls a Pauillac, thanks to a subtle graphite note that lingers on the saline aftertaste. This is a classically styled Château Margaux that will gain weight and depth during its elevage. Cerebral and sophisticated, and one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2020. Neal Martin. |
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2021 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$4,797.97 |
2 |
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2023 |
Margaux (375 ML)
Futures- ETA TBD 2023 En Primeur Release |
$245 |
3 |
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JD 96-100 (4/2024): The 2023 Château Margaux is clearly one of the greats in the vintage, and it actually reminds me a touch of the 1996, if not better. Revealing a deep purple hue, it has an incredible bouquet of cassis and blue fruits interwoven with classic Margaux floral, sandalwood, spice, and graphite aromatics. It's hard to find a wine in 2023 that has this much density and depth, with sweet tannins and so much charm. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all of which will see 20 months in new barrels. Not enough can be said about the genius of Philippe Bascaules and the Mentzelopoulos family, who continue to produce sensational wine after sensational wine.
VM 97-100 (4/2024): The 2023 Château Margaux is fabulous. Sensual, silky and exceptionally polished, the 2023 Château Margaux is shaping up to be a classic. Seamless, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Hints of spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and rose petal fill out the glass. There's a bit of new oak peeking through today, but that won't be an issue in a few years' time. Only Bordeaux can produce wines that offer so much flavor intensity at a low alcohols. Margaux is the least showy of the First Growths, but it is often the most refined. The 2023 is sublime. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97 (4/2024): The 2023 Château Margaux shows considerable promise, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, violets, spring flowers and sweet tobacco, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's taut, concentrated and classically structured, with sweet, refined tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that attained 13% alcohol. |
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2023 |
Margaux
Futures- ETA TBD 2024 en Primeur Release |
$479 |
2 |
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JD 96-100 (4/2024): The 2023 Château Margaux is clearly one of the greats in the vintage, and it actually reminds me a touch of the 1996, if not better. Revealing a deep purple hue, it has an incredible bouquet of cassis and blue fruits interwoven with classic Margaux floral, sandalwood, spice, and graphite aromatics. It's hard to find a wine in 2023 that has this much density and depth, with sweet tannins and so much charm. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all of which will see 20 months in new barrels. Not enough can be said about the genius of Philippe Bascaules and the Mentzelopoulos family, who continue to produce sensational wine after sensational wine.
VM 97-100 (4/2024): The 2023 Château Margaux is fabulous. Sensual, silky and exceptionally polished, the 2023 Château Margaux is shaping up to be a classic. Seamless, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Hints of spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and rose petal fill out the glass. There's a bit of new oak peeking through today, but that won't be an issue in a few years' time. Only Bordeaux can produce wines that offer so much flavor intensity at a low alcohols. Margaux is the least showy of the First Growths, but it is often the most refined. The 2023 is sublime. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97 (4/2024): The 2023 Château Margaux shows considerable promise, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, violets, spring flowers and sweet tobacco, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's taut, concentrated and classically structured, with sweet, refined tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that attained 13% alcohol. |
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