Chateau Margaux

Consistently scoring between 98-100, the superb 1982 Margaux may be slightly bigger, bolder, and more masculine than vintages produced over the last 15-20 years. Its dark plum/purple color is followed by notes of melted tar intermixed with sweet cassis and floral underpinnings. Very full-bodied and dense for a Chateau Margaux, with a slight rusticity to the tannins, it boasts blockbuster power, richness, and impressive aromatics. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life.

At one I thought the 1983 was the more classic and better effort from Château Margaux, but I am human; The 1982 has overtaken the 1983 and is obviously the superior effort. It started off life as a somewhat ruggedly constructed, powerful, masculine, even coarse style of Château Margaux with high levels of tannin, huge extract, and richness. Increasingly civilised, with the tannin become seamlessly integrated, this opaque purple/garnet-coloured wine offers up hints of incense, sweet truffles, smoke, black currants, flowers, and damp earth. Very full-bodied, with remarkable levels of glycerin, extract, and tannins, this is probably the largest scaled, most concentrated Château Margaux under the Mentzelopoulos administration. It is doubtful it will ever rival the 2000, 1996 or 1990 for pure finesse or elegance. In spite of its high levels of tannin, it does not seem to have the classicism of the vintages, but this wine goes from strength to strength and is quickly becoming one of the all-time compelling efforts of Château Margaux. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.

A magnificent example of Château Margaux and one of the most tannic, backward Margaux of the last 50 years, the 1986 continues to evolve at a glacial pace. The colour is still a dense ruby/purple with just a hint of lightening at the rim. With several hours of aeration, the aromatics become striking, with notes of smoke, toast, crème de cassis, mineral, and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, with high but sweet tannin, great purity, and a very masculine , full-bodied style, this wine should prove nearly immortal in terms of its aging potential. It is beginning to budge from its infantile stage and approach adolescence. Anticipated maturity:2008-2050.

The 1986 Margaux continues to be the most powerful, tannic, and muscular Margaux made in decades. One wonders if the 1928 or 1945 had as much power and depth as the 1986? The black/ruby/purple color reveals no sign of age. The reluctant nose offers up aromas of smoky, toasty new oak and black currants, as well as a few flowers. The wine is mammoth, with extraordinary extract, superb balance, and a frightfully tannic finish. This is a Margaux of immense stature, made in a masculine, full-bodied style that is in complete contrast to the 1990. It should prove nearly immortal in terms of aging potential, but will it have the awesome potential I first predicted? Anticipated maturity: 2000-2050. Last tasted 12/96

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 mineralité 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. Drink 2016-2040.

Bright, youthful-looking crimson. The most notably thing about this wine is its dramatically opulent, almost spicy, nose. This is very fruity, fine, elegant wine that is so concentrated, almost brutal, it is very far from the Margaux stereotype. There is no shortage of subtlety, however. This is probably the second most successful left bank 1986.Drink 2005-2015Date tasted 23rd Sep 02

This largely forgotten vintage seems to have turned the corner in the last year or two. Because of strict selections made at the top châteaux, the wines always had density, but the level of tannin was frequently too high and the type of tannin was more green and astringent. Château Margaux's 1994 has always been one of the candidates for the "wine of the vintage." The wine still has a dense plum/purple colour 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 1990's. 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.

Chateau Margaux was one of the last estates to bottle their 1994, hoping to be a classic, long-lived Margaux. The opaque purple color is followed by this estate's tell-tale aromas of flowers, blackcurrants, licorice, and smoky oak. This dense, powerful, closed wine is a true vin de gard. It needs a decade of cellaring, but it should last for 25-35 years. Readers may find this wine reminiscent of the 1988, only riper and more powerful. Ancicipated maturity : 2005-2030.

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. Drink 2016-2050. Tasted July 2016.

The 1996 Château Margaux is undoubtedly one of the great classics produced under the Mentzelopoulos regime. In many respects, it is the quintessential Château Margaux, as well as the paradigm for this estate, combining measured power, extraordinary elegance, and admirable complexity. In short, it's a beauty! The colour is opaque purple. The wine offers extraordinarily pure notes of blackberries, cassis, toast and flowers, gorgeous sweetness, a seamless personality, and full body, with nothing out of place. The final blend(85%Cabernet Sauvignon, 10%Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc)contains the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon since 1986.This wine has shut down, yet the fruit remains exceptionally sweet and pure. Moreover, there are layers of flavour in the mouth and a surreal lightness/elegance in spite of the wine's obvious power and density. Is it capable of surpassing the quality of the 2000, 1995,1990,1986,1983,and 1982?Time will tell. Personally, I prefer the opulence and viscosity of the 1990 from a purely hedonistic standpoint, but I do believe this wine will develop an extraordinary perfume and possess the same level of richness as most concentrated vintages Margaux has produced. It is one of the strongest candidates for the wine of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2045.

THE 1996 Chateau Margaux, which was bottled in September 1998 is undoubtedly one of the great classics produced under the Mentzelopoulos regime. In many respects, it is the quintessential Chateau Margaux, as well as the paradigm for the estate, combining measured power, extraordinary elegance, and admirable complexity. I tasted the wine of three separate occasions in January, and in short, it’s a beauty! The colour is opaque purple. The wine offers extraordinary pure notes of blackberries, cassis, pain grillé, and flowers, gorgeous sweetness, a seamless personality, and full body with nothing out of place. The final blend (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) contains the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1986. Both Corinne Mentzelopoulos and administrator Paul Pontallier claim they prefer it to 1995 which is saying something given how fabulous that wine has turned out. When tasted side by side, the 1996 does taste more complete and longer, although just as backward. My instincts suggest this wine will shut down, but at present it is open-knit, tasting like a recently bottled wine. The fruit is exceptionally sweet and pure, and there are layers of flavour in the mouth. I posed the question last year as to whether it was capable of surpassing the quality of the 1995, 1190, 1986, 1983, and 1982? Time will tell. Personally, I prefer the opulence and viscosity of the 1990 from a purely hedonistic standpoint, but I do believe this wine will develop an extraordinary perfume, and possess the same level of richness as the most concentrated vintages Margaux has produced. It is one of the strongest candidates for the wine of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2040.

The 1996 is a modern day legend. This wine, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, achieved a natural alcohol of nearly 13%. The wine's acidity is low, largely because the estate harvested the Cabernet Sauvignon extremely late, not completing the harvest until mid-October. The wine, which was the single greatest wine I tasted from the 1996 vintage in Spring 1997, continues to give every indication of being one of the all-time great clarets from this renowned wine region. The dense opaque purple colour possesses a thick, unctuous texture. The nose offers celestial aromas of cassis, vanillan, and intriguing blackberry and floral scents in the background. Despite ageing in 100% new oak, the fruit dominates the wine, with the oak offering a minor background nuance. In the mouth, this wine is massive, but not heavy, with extraordinary richness, perfect precision and equilibrium, an opulent texture and remarkably well-integrated tannin, acidity and alcohol. Revealing dazzling sweetness at present, the 1996 may be the finest Chateau Margaux I have tasted in the 2 decades I have been visiting this property.Can it surpass the quality of the 1990, 1986, 1983 and 1982, not to mention the fabulous 1995? Anticipated maturuty: 2006-2040. Last tasted 3/98.

First bottle: Quite light rim. Suggestion of TCA. But very lively - very dry on the finish. Lots of exciting flavours though.
Second bottle: Minty sweet nose. Transparent. Chewy, dusty tannins. Slightly hot finish. Very pinched tannins on the finish. Drink 2008-18

The 1998 Margaux is taking on a character reminiscent of the 1988 vintage. The colour is 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:2008-2030

A deep garnet core with deep brick rim. The nose has moderate intensity, not the exuberance and exhilaration of the Haut-Brion, but expressive, with notes of blackberry, tar, a touch of leather and bilberry. What it does not have is Margaux's signature aroma of violets - this is more reserved and masculine. The palate is medium-bodied, quite peppery upon entry with good acidity and balance, yet missing the femininity and the finesse that marks out say the 1999 or the 2001. The finish is quite dry, perhaps a little dour compared to other Chateau Margaux. Tasted March 2008.

Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multi-dimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The color remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either.

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. Drink 2020-2060.

Perfect Bordeaux that's muscular yet classy. Breathtaking flavours of licorice, berry and cherry, with spice and mineral notes.

This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux. Drink 2014-2034

Am I being too stingy with the 2003 Chateau Margaux? A wine of extraordinary complexity and intensity, it reveals a deep purple color, a style not unlike the 1990 Margaux (possibly even more concentrated), a velvety texture, and notes of spring flowers interwoven with camphor, melted licorice, creme de cassis, and pain grille. Not a blockbuster, it offers extraordinary intensity as well as a surreal delicacy/lightness. There is riveting freshness to this offering, which tips the scales at a lofty (for this estate) 13.5% alcohol, as well as an alluring sweetness and accessibility. It probably will tighten up over the next few years. Nevertheless, it is a profound Chateau Margaux that brings to mind a hypothetical blend of the 1982 and 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2035.

An extraordinary wine and undeniably one of the great wines of the Medoc, and qualitatively a wine that towers over what other estates produced in the appellation of Margaux, the 2003 Chateau Margaux is made in a style that almost mirrors Lafite Rothschild in 2003. Last year I thought it could represent a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and 1996, but the wine has taken on even more opulence and seductiveness in an almost atypical but still fragrant, elegant, classic Chateau Margaux personality. Dense ruby/purple to the rim with an extraordinary floral nose intermixed with blackberries, cassis, mineral, licorice, and some vanilla, the wine is dense, opulent, voluptuously textured, with wonderful sweetness (reminiscent of 1982 and 1990 in that sense), low acidity, but tremendous concentration and an almost seamless integration of all components – alcohol, tannin, new wood, and acidity. This is truly sumptuous stiff that should drink reasonably well young after 4 or 5 years in the bottle and age for 30+ years. Bravo!

In an appellation that was not nearly as homogeneous in quality as Pauillac and St.-Estephe, manager Paul Pontallier has produced a prodigious 2003 Chateau Margaux that, qualitatively, towers over all the other Margaux estates. From yields of only 30 hectoliters per hectare, it includes 45% of the total crop, and spiritually as well as stylistically, represents a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and 1996. Opaque purple-colored, with an extraordinary perfume of spring flowers, blueberries, black currants, licorice, and vanillin, this 2003 exhibits an opulent texture, tremendous structure as well as definition, and an ethereal lightness of being despite its prodigious concentration. As the wine sits in the glass, notions of white chocolate and flowers come forth. The attack suggests the 1990, but the finish recalls the 1996. Phenomenally pure, and medium to full-bodied, but surprisingly light in terms of its palate impression, its aftertaste lasts well beyond one minute. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.

Ultraconcentrated. Plenty of fruit, mineral and meat character. Full-bodied yet refined and classy. Cashmere. Superb.

Very rich and decadent for Margaux. Full-bodied, with a solid core of sweet and silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is very racy and rich, with a fabulous velvety texture. Goes on and on. The most concentrated Margaux ever.

Dark and lively crimson. Pretty classy nose – quite fresh. Really lovely balance on the palate. This wine manages to have sufficient fruit concentration and the tannins, amazingly, seem ripe – the first such instance in this tasting. BUT it tastes as though it could happily be drunk already which is pretty unusual for a first growth. Neat and pleasing finish.

It is worth noting that when the bottled 2006 Chateau Margaux, which appeared closed and less impressive than I had predicted from barrel, was retasted alongside the remarkable 2008, I elevated my score to 94+. It does not possess the size or power of the 2008 or 2005, but the 2006 exhibits impressive density, a deeper color, and the beautifully textured, pure style that is a hallmark of this estate. Moreover, it is relatively precocious, and can be drunk now or cellared for 25+ years.

I was hoping the 2006 Chateau Margaux would turn out along the lines of the 1996, but that is not the case. It appears to be the least of the first-growth Medocs in 2006. The color is a medium dark ruby that lightens at the rim, and the bouquet offers classic, but evolved Margaux aromas of sweet currants, licorice, forest floor, and earth. Medium-bodied with dry tannin in the finish, it does not possess the profound concentration found in the truly sublime vintages of Chateau Margaux (i.e., 2005, 2000, 1996, 1990, 1983, and 1982). This mid-weight effort requires 5-7 years of cellaring, and should age for 20-25 years.

The strictest selection ever instituted at this estate resulted in only 36% of the crop being utilized for the blend of 2006 Chateau Margaux. Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, it is similar to the 1996, but with sweeter, more seductive fruit in the nose. A big, tannic, dense effort displaying terrific purity, power, elegance, and a distinctive mineral/flower component, it is a medium to full-bodied wine of great nobility that should be at its finest between 2017-2050+.

The 2006 Château Margaux has a sense of airiness and wonderful definition on the nose: wild strawberry, redcurrant, cedar and crushed roses soaring from the glass, but it never strives for the opulence of say the 2006 Château Palmer. The palate is very well balanced with fine and quite firm tannin in the mouth. This seems to be approaching its plateau after a decade. While not a powerful or ostentatious Château Margaux, it epitomizes understatement and refinement in a similar vein to Lafite-Rothschild. It is only after the wine has been swallowed that you appreciate its qualities and you feel urged to go back for another sip.

Tasted at Margaux. Representing just 36% of the crop and consisting of a whopping 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, the highest proportion ever, this is a bold, masculine Château Margaux. A limpid purple/black hue. The nose is tight with blackberry and blueberries, harmonious with night on perfect acidity. Firm grip, cedar and a touch of graphite, yet I find this to be an exemplary expression of Cabernet, rather than an exemplary expression of Château Margaux, the latter being the greater. Like Latour, just missing that explosion of fruit on the finish. A superb wine, but handicapped by under-performing Merlot. Tasted April 2007.

Very powerful and rich. Fantastic. Full, silky and structured. Yet layered and rich, with loads of mineral, violet and coffee character. Incredible. So much finesse in the nose. What a wine. Similar to the 1995, which received 100 points

Vibrant crimson. Toasty yet floral, scented nose. Lovely balance and sprightly Margaux character. Dry finish but on the way there it's lovely and dancing and polished. Transparent and delightfully balanced. Lots of ripe tannins on the finish. A very successful 2006.Drink 2014-2030.Date tasted 8th May 09.

36% of total crop went into this grand vin, with just 4% Merlot. The strength is 13% ("we never want to make more alcohol than this" according to Paul Pontallier.) 3.37 TA, 5 in tarartic, pH 3.7, IPT 71 (IPT in 2000 was 70).
Mid crimson. SO much riper and more appetising and fuller than the Pavillon Rouge on the nose! Pretty complete already with lovely balance and lift, though the acidity is certainly notable, even if the tannins are wonderfully mellow. Very polite and unforced. Dancing - reminds Paul Pontallier of 1996 with a little less density but just as much charm. Very Margaux. This is the Cabernet of Margaux (not of Pauillac NB...) Graceful though only for certain palates. Follows through. Great line, as the Australians would say. Quite distinctive and much much more delicate than the early vintages of Margaux from the new regime here in the 1980s. Very fresh and elegant - quite a gamble in a way. Very, very fine tannins. Bone dry. Will always be in elegant idiom.

Good deep red-ruby. Deep but reticent aromas of redcurrant, tobacco leaf, licorice and loam; I don't find the typical floral high notes of Margaux. Juicy, fine-grained and suave, with good definition and a seamless, spherical texture to the currant and soil flavors. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins, but not the grip or power of earlier barrel samples of this wine.

Bright ruby-red. Blueberry, boysenberry and violet on the pure nose. Lively and minerally on entry, then really expands in the middle palate to show terrific density with any loss of clarity. Wonderfully classy, vibrant and long, with compelling subtle sweetness of fruit. Finishes with outstanding depth and length. Although this wine was fined in January and racked just a month before I tasted it, it was far easier to taste than was my earlier barrel sample last spring.

A good example of this stylish property. Violets on the nose backed by sweet, ripe cassis, concentrated richness with underneath a mineral purity and freshness giving brightness and elegance.

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.

This is a superb vintage for Chateau Margaux, and while it may be too early to say this, the 2008 appears superior to the 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001. Only 36% of the crop was utilized and the yields were 40 hectoliters per hectare. An exceptionally late harvest for this estate began on October 3 for the Merlot, and finished on October 23. The final blend includes a whoppingly high 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As always, the first characteristic one notices is the extraordinary floral component as well as the sweet black currant fruit allied to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and superb freshness and delineation. In many ways, the 2008 is reminiscent of the 1996, but the former wine is showing even more density and concentration than the 1996 did at the same point in its evolution. The 2008, which appears set for 30-40 years of longevity, is a remarkable effort from this great estate.

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. 2020 - 2045

Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. Two bottles of the Château Margaux 2008 were opened, one showing a little more chutzpah than the other. It has an exuberant, mineral-rich bouquet with stunning delineation that soars from the glass with blackberry, limestone and cassis aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Great precision, beautifully integrated oak with a seamless finish as fresh as a daisy. Although it is surpassed by the 2009 and 2010, this is still a very precise, pretty Château Margaux. Tasted January 2012.

A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot with 1.5% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this has a comparatively introspective nose of black fruits, sous-bois, a touch of cigar box and a little graphite. Like the Pavillon, it has something of a Pauillac austerity to it. The palate is medium-bodied, very fine tannins, sensuous texture, less floral than usual, more broody and introspective, but understated and elegant on the finish. There is more tangible sous-bois character than usual, an enigmatic Château Margaux that could benefit from more depth and length. Tasted April 2009.

Currant, blackberry and mineral aromas lead to a solid core of fruit, with fine tannins and a long, clean finish. Refined and very, very pretty

87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot.Bright crimson. Rather opulent on the nose - hints of tobacco - and a little more burly and savoury than usual, perhaps because of less Merlot flesh. Dry start with the same backbone as the Pavillon Rouge. Firm, very fine tannins. No shortage of acidity. Mainly structure at the moment. Very clean but very youthful. Great freshness. Purity but I do feel we are tasting this too young. It should take on a bit more flesh. Very straight backed. Very fresh. Very embryonic.

The fruit on the nose is sweet lots of lovely ripe flavours. Red fruits appear to dominate the
palate but behind there are richer black cassis and black cherry backed by liquorice. The
freshness that comes through towards the back gives the finish a flowing elegance. 2017-2030

The fragrances on the nose are more red fruited than black, all quite discreet. The suppleness of the tannins emphasises the richness and power, fleshy bramble and plum enriched by coffee and dark chocolate. The underlying streak of freshness gives brightness and length of finish.

(87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Petit Verdot; as a result of drastic selection, the final blend will represent only 31% of the crop at bottling time.) Good deep colour, very fine Cabernet red fruits with aromatic purity, precise and direct with a restrained quality, more violets than blackcurrants, more roses than black cherries, less dense than the Cabernets from Pauillac, fine firm fruit and terrific length show in time, less ripe at this stage than its peers in this vintage, all in finesse and purity. Drink 2018-35.

Performing better from bottle than at any time in cask (which of course is the objective of great winemaking, isn’t it?), this wine reveals a dense ruby/purple color in a style somewhat reminiscent of the 1988 but with more power, concentration, and volume. It has a beautifully elegant nose of black fruits intermixed with truffle, flower, and oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied, dense, with wonderful precision, freshness, and a long, full-bodied finish with impressive levels of concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.

Weight-wise, the 2002 is reminiscent of the 1999 Margaux. However, the 2002, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, reveals some of the stylistic characteristics of the 1996, but without the power, density, and perfection of that great wine. The color is a healthy deep ruby/purple, and the aromas reveal notes of black currants, licorice, dried herbs, vanilla, and loamy soil. While it is medium-bodied, with noteworthy purity, elegance, and stature, it does not possess the extraordinary flavor dimensions, persistence, or surreal quality level found in the 2000, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1986, 1985, 1983, and 1982. Nevertheless, it is a lustrous effort from this noble estate so meticulously run by the Mentzelopoulos family and their brilliant administrator, Paul Pontallier. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2026

Tasted blind at Farr's 2002 Bordeaux tasting. Very refined on the nose...definitely First Growth quality with a beautiful floral scent. Margaux? Black cherries, a touch of cassis, violets and wild hedgerow. Superb clarity. Ripe succulent entry, very pure and very harmonious with filigree tannins and a natural, graceful finish that belies its power. Tasted October 2009.

Drink 2010-17 Sweet and easy and round and digestible. Racy, with a very neat finish.

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.

2010 Chateau Margaux: Paul Pontallier was rattling off some interesting statistics about Chateau Margaux. The 2000 (a great, great wine) was 13.1% natural alcohol, the 2005 13.1%, the 2009 13.2%, and the 2010, the highest ever measured, 13.5%. That is still nearly one degree less than the Pauillac first-growth of Chateau Latour at 14.4%. This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc (representing only 38% of the total production) has the classic, quintessential Margaux character of spring flowers, almost cool-climate precision, medium body, and a seamless integration of tannin, wood and alcohol. The blue and black fruit characteristics are present, and the wine restrained. The most measured and polished of all the first growths I tasted, it is also less concentrated than any of the other first growths, but the elegance is classic. The harvest finished on October 15, which was not their latest by any means. This is one of the few first growths of 2010 where the tannins are remarkably delicate and sweet, and the softness of this wine will provide magical drinking at a relatively early age, yet its balance and concentration will carry it for 20 or more years.

The Grand Vin is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1.5% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Bottled in late July, Paul Pontallier reminded me that the Grand Vin takes around six months before it settles down. Still, allowing several minutes aeration, it has a very intense bouquet of dark cherries, boysenberry, crushed stone and a hint of bay leaf that is beautifully defined, but as Paul mentioned, will need a months to blossom. The palate has a beguiling sense of symmetry: spine-tingling poise and tension. This is a magisterial Chateau Margaux with seamlessly integrated oak, pure dark berry fruit and an almost breathless, Burgundy-like purity on the satin textured finish. Utterly seductive, this is an incredible wine that will age for decades. Tasted November 2012.

A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1.5% Petit Verdot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc with a pH 3.65 (it was 3.75 in 2009.) The Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the nose more than any other vintage of Chateau Margaux that I have tasted out of barrel, lending it a Pauillac-like personality. Blackberry, graphite and a soupcon of liquorice. The tannins are exceptionally fine, real backbone here and a sense of ambition that I think neither the 2008 nor even the 2009 demonstrated. The clarity on the finish is truly outstanding and it seems to mellow and gain more sensuality with further aeration. Tasted March 2011.

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.

A phenomenal nose of roses, violets, and other flowers. Subtle yet rich raspberries and currants. It is 90 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The is a curious wine, almost ethereal. It is all in the front of the palate with ultra-fine tannins. It is full and very, very rich but it is forever balanced and in harmony What a wine. It is a pinpointed wine. So cerebral. It sends shivers down my spine. Incredibl

Amazingly dark purple. Very, very strongly Cabernet Sauvignon (90% of the blend - only 2006 matched it) with some light vegetation at first which opened out and mellowed to something utterly seductive in the glass. Dry and intense. Very rich on the front and amazingly supple - it smells as though it may be going to be a bit of brute but on the palate it is still so intense and polished initially but then it is clear that there are masses and masses of tannins. There is noble, fine, perfectly confident, minerally fruit that opens out on the palate. It is thinkable to drink this already! Paul Pontallier: 'We decanted the samples but it still grows in the glass.' 13.5%