Chateau Margaux

Margaux

1er Grand Cru Classé

last update : Sunday 04 December 2011

Built in the early 19th century in an elegant First Empire style by the owner at the time, Marquis de Colonilla, Château Margaux is almost more famous for its architectural beauty than its excellent wines! Margaux was purchased by André Mentzelopoulos from the Ginestet family in 1977. Sadly, he died just three years later, and his dynamic daughter, Corinne, now runs the estate with considerable skill.

Château Margaux's terroir consists of fine Günzian gravel and clay on limestone bedrock. The vineyard (nearly 80 hectares, divided into several plots), is primarily north-east of the village of Margaux.

Visitors to Château Margaux are struck by the traditional nature of the winemaking facilities. There is no flashy equipment here. What counts, and what makes this place magical, is the meticulous care and in-depth knowledge handed down from generations of winemakers. For those fortunate enough to have tasted Château Margaux, its style really stands out because of the delicate floral aromas with hints of rose and licorice.

Thanks to its fine tannins, Château Margaux is often soft and silky, and never lacking in body or depth. Although Margaux is possibly the most accessible of the Médoc first growths when young, this great wine nevertheless needs to age a long time in order to reveal its full complexity.

Margaux also has a dozen hectares of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc vines which produce an elegant, expressive dry white wine.

In the Bottle

Château Margaux is the absolute benchmark in the Médoc in terms of finesse and bouquet. The wine's soft tannin often accounts for an inimitable silky character. Although vintages from 60s and 70s were, with a few exceptions, not particularly outstanding at Margaux, the next decade saw Château Margaux attain the very summit of the Bordeaux hierarchy.

While 1979 Margaux symbolizes the château's renaissance and the beginning of the Mentzelopoulos era, it took the 1982, 83, and 86 vintages to confirm that Margaux had indeed achieved its full potential as a first growth. The 1990, 2000 and 2005 Margaux are outstanding, and will surely age for decades thanks to their depth and richness. Only slightly less sumptuous, the 1995 and 1996 vintages will also improve for many years. While somewhat less complex, the 2001, 2002, and especially the 2004 Margaux nevertheless retain all the elegance of Château Margaux. These vintages also have the advantage of being relatively affordable for wine lovers without unlimited resources. Although atypical, the 2003 Château Margaux is one of the rare wines in the Médoc to have remained fresh and expressive despite the heat wave that year.

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WINE PRODUCED BY THE ESTATE

Château Margaux, Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux (second wine), Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux (dry white)

COMPARISON WITH AOC - MARGAUX

Vintage	Absolute score	Relative score to the Appellation	Standard deviation

2009	98.5	107.3	1.28
2008	94.4	105.8	1.59
2007	94.1	106.5	1.05
2006	95.5	107.0	1.5
2005	97.4	111.5	1.91
2004	94.5	110.1	2.75
2003	94.7	110.8	3.94
2002	91.4	107.6	2.73
2001	91.8	109.5	3.73
2000	96.5	113.1	2.64
1999	92.7	109.1	3.25
1998	92.0	107.4	2.3
1997	92.3	110.2	2.43

TASTING NOTES

Alain Bringolf - 05/2002

Spicy, grassy, and black raspberry aromas.
Some licorice and blackberry on the palate.
Very elegant and feminine. Straightforward and very approachable.
1999 Margaux will age without any problems, but it is so enjoyable to drink now!
Peak: 2015-2020. .