| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Since the early 1980s Château Margaux has produced many excellent vintages. It is always impressive, whilst remaining fine and elegant. This is where we most often find the "Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove". Margaux is certainly the most stylish, charming and sophisticated of the First Growths. Quality is maintained here by a rigorous selection process and, since 2009, there has been a third wine (Margaux de Margaux) produced as well as the popular second wine Pavillon Rouge. There is also a 4th wine sold off in bulk.
In Margaux this was the driest and hottest summer ever with only 40mm of rain between June and the end of the harvest - although the nights were cooler than in 2003. Yet this vintage of Chateau Margaux has the ph of a cool vintage. The yield, however, was only 25 hl/ha - making it the smallest vintage of the last 7 decades along with 1961, 1991 and 2013. Such was the density of the fruit that no Petit Verdot was needed in the blend. It is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. 40% of the vineyard's fruit made it into the grand vin with 32% in Pavillon Blanc, 15% in Margaux de Margaux and rest sold off in bulk as generic Margaux.
A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, 2022 Château Margaux is one of the most powerful wines ever produced at this estate, wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, dark berries, violets, burning embers, smoked tea and exotic spices. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it's rich, velvety and seamless, with a bright core of fruit and a long, heady finish. With the highest analytical measure of tannins since 2010, and an alcohol level a touch above 14%, this is certainly a larger-scaled Château Margaux, yet at this early stage, everything appears to be kept in check.
The 2022 Château Margaux represents 40% of the crop this year, slightly higher than recent years, picked between 8 and 27 September. As usual, the Grand Vin demands more time to unfold on the nose compared to the Pavillon. It unveils enticing scents of macerated black cherries, blueberry, violet and hints of orange blossom all delivered with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with sculpted tannins. A fine-boned and tensile Château Margaux that is quite a remarkable feat given the growing season. Silky smooth and almost creamy at first, toward the finish it reveals a slightly powdery texture, almost swaggering in style. Not a subtle or nuanced Château Margaux, rather, Philippe Bascaules has conjured a First Growth that is dressed to kill. 14.6% alcohol. 2027-2060
Saturated purple in colour, there is a deep focus of ripe Cabernet fruit to the nose here, with a cassis note intertwined with subtle flecks of sandalwood and clove. The palate is tight but ripe, with a line of blackcurrant fruit driving the core. This is a highly refined wine, with superbly managed but firm tannins and a depth aided by salinity. Compact and chiselled for now, the underlying ripeness of the fruit is evient. As it uncoils in both elevage and bottle, it should prove to be a powerful Margaux. The density of fruit bursts through on the finish, lingering with high quality wood spice.
Very dark purple color with a ruby edge. So much crushed blackberry and blackcurrant with violets. Exuberant. Full-bodied and very tannic with incredible muscle. This is a thought-provoking wine. The biggest Margaux I have tasted in my career. Seems a little overdone for Margaux. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 2% petit verdot.
The 2022 Chateau Margaux, composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It shoots from the glass with an initial firework display of redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and fresh, juicy blackcurrants, followed by an array of iron ore, lilacs, black licorice, and sandalwood-inspired scents, plus a hint of wood smoke. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with rich, concentrated, muscular black and red fruits, supported by exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and fragrant. This is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous effort that should be immortal. This represents 40% of the crop. "It's been a long time since this much has made it into the First Wine!" commented winemaker Phillipe Bascaules. The pH is 3.61.
Stunning in its density and construction, with a gorgeous balance that starts with red rose aromatics and slides into creamy and intense raspberry, damson, loganberry and cassis fruits. The intense structure of the vintage is on display, here with velvety tannins giving shape and contrast by a push and pull of slate, graphite, cloves, turmeric, cardamom and white pepper. Bitter dark chocolate ending, a character of the year but here delivered with a blast of cooling mint leaf. Philippe Bascaules director, harvest September 8 to 27, 25hl/h yield. 100% new oak, to be monitored carefully over ageing because this is the first time they have seen this level of alcohol in the Cabernet Sauvignon. 40% of the crop is into this 1st wine, one of the highest in years. Harvest September 8 to 27. They are slowly changing the row orientation in the vineyard at Margaux, begun last year but a 50 year project, and introducing more Cabernet Franc through field grafting (wanting to get up to maybe 15% of plantings, currently 5%).
The Grand Vin 2022 Château Margaux checks in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that's pulled from just 40% of the total production. It's a classic Château Margaux with its overriding sense of elegance and purity, yet it's certainly in the style of the vintage with its depth, richness, and concentration. Cassis, blueberries, acacia flowers, and spice all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. The alcohol hit 14.5, and I suspect the pH is relatively high (which is common in the vintage), yet this remains pure, balanced, and is absolutely show-stopping stuff.
92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. 40% of the production. Cask sample.
Deep colour to the rim. Attractive berry-fruit aromas with a vanilla edge. Oak subtly present, as yet not fully integrated. Finer texture than Pavillon, the tannins both powerful and smooth. Plenty of drive and length. Slight glow of alcohol on the finish. A bigger wine than usual. Needs time to knit. (JL) 14.5%
Drink 2032– 2055
The nose is sublime with stunningly deep tones and like a handful of the other top wines in this vintage, it is not as initially expressive as its second wine. You have to get right into the centre of the flavour of Château Margaux and this requires work - swirling, sniffing and coaxing it out of its shell in order to discover its secrets. By contrast to last year’s elegant creation, this is a much richer wine and each layer needs its lock picked to appreciate the whole. This is an intricately assembled wine with tell-tale emery board tannins and heroic length. A forest of oak stands guard around the perimeter and the fruit is very happy to sit behind these sentries for the time being. Composed and concentrated, while it is hard to see the full picture there is certainly enough of a view to know this is a legendary Margaux vintage. Concentration is often viewed as the enemy of elegance, but here we have both, and they are in total harmony. MD Philippe Bascaules noted that the ‘vine memory’ or the intelligence of the vine outperformed the human efforts in 2022 and that we should trust these sentient plants to play their best card in adversity. How right he is. As a final note, Philippe said that he would love to show Paul Pontellier (RIP) this wine, to see what he thinks! I am pretty sure that we all know the answer to this question. As I drove out of Margaux, and onto the next appointment, the flavour volume was still turned to 10. This is as good as Margaux gets and it was such a joy to taste this wine with Philippe – as cool as a cucumber, he barely cracked a smile. I were in his position I would have been flik-flaking around the room.
