| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Since the early 1980's Chateau 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.
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.
Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Enticing and rich nose of cassis and baking spice – underneath there is class and refinement. Retains cool precision, with soft tannins and a savoury cedar edge. Highly refined and subtle. Incredibly pure and fine to the finish, this will benefit from time, and may warrant a higher score with age.
Drink 2027 – 2042
A blend of 89 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Chateau Margaux is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It is still very closed on the nose, giving slow-to-come glimpses and scents of kirsch, black raspberries, and star anise, followed by suggestions of tilled soil, mossy tree bark, and pencil shavings, with a waft of crushed rocks. Medium-bodied, the palate is taut and tightly wound with loads of stunning floral and red berry nuances coming through in the mid-palate, supported by ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and mineral-laced. A head-turner, for sure.
Wow! This makes the whole room smile. The stunning nose hits you right off the bat, followed by wonderful fleshy damson fruit. This has some of the best aromatics in the business this year and a wonderful creamy texture through the palate. There's great density, and the tannins flatter it but they have menace and intent too, pulling the structure inwards and bouncing along to finish beautifully. This is more opulent than the Pavillon, which has some clear austerity, and the scale of the fruit is a little fresher than the 2015, with around the same ripeness level as the 2016. The 3.7pH is a little higher than the last two years, while an IPT of 73 is the same as last year. 37% of production went into the grand vin, including a 1% drop of Petit Verdot.
Drinking Window 2027 - 2040
Deep glowing crimson. Pure, very dark cassis fruit. Fragrant and lightly floral too. And the fruit smells sweet, the oak so subtle. Intense without being flamboyant. Firm, smooth, chocolate-textured. Creamy and rich and supple on the long finish. Depth of fruit, both red and black on the mid palate. Well sustained.The tannins are powerful but hidden by the lovely fruit. Succulent even though well structured.
Drink 2027-2042
Floral fragrant the nose has fresh black fruits and some red. The sweet fruit in the middle is underpinned by fine tannins rich and ripe at the back black cherry the finish has hints of cedar wood and seamless length. 2026-41
After the dark bottle, which was used for the 2015 vintage, they have decided to continue with this bottle for all three wines including the white wine. This is a very dense and very focussed Margaux, with intense fruit and dark, mineral-soaked, graphite-tinged wine. The weight is so fresh and so bright it is incredible. This is not a big wine but it is very powerful.
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. Drink: 2024-2060
This is a very dense Margaux, and especially for the vintage, with a full body, grainy tannins and a long and rich finish. Impressive depth of fruit and structure. Luscious and muscular at the same time.
A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Château Margaux charges from the gate with opulent kirsch, raspberry preserves, wild blueberries and cassis notions accented by roses, violets, Chinese five spice and fragrant earth with touches of underbrush and truffles. Medium-bodied, it fills the mouth with vibrant, ripe red and blue fruits, layering in perfume and spice nuances. It's framed by very finely grained and plush yet firm tannins and great tension, finishing with epic length.
