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Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 2018

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

Margaux's second wine is made from a serious selection process that takes place at this First Growth Chateau. There is also a third wine called Margaux de Margaux (that is not sold En Primeur) and a fourth wine that is sold off in bulk. In 2018 Pavillon Rouge represents 30% of the total production (the grand vin is 36%). Most of the estate's Petit Verdot is here (9%) giving structure and grip, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon (69%) and 19% Merlot.

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Label

Tasting Notes

Blackberry, plum, light earth and undergrowth on the nose. Citrus, too. It’s full-bodied with rich, chewy tannins that turn energetic, fine and tight on the finish. Lively acidity. Second wine of Margaux. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. Try after 2024.

95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2021

The 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of bay leaves, pencil lead, tapenade and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a generous amount of black fruit at the core with loads of earthy and savory accents and a soft, approachable frame, finishing long with an herbal lift. It is approachable now but should be a lot more expressive with a couple of years in bottle and drink nicely over the following 15 to 18 years or more. Drink: 2023 - 2039

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, March 2021

Tasted blind. Intense nose. Sweet start and then jagged acidity. Not that Margaux-like. But there is some ripe fruit here. 14.5%
Drink 2028 – 2046

16+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2022

69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample.
Deepest cherry red. Black core and deep dark rim. Tiny little wild black berries on the nose. Subtle, dark and intense on the nose, gently fragrant and not closed though not jumping out of the glass. Super-fine texture, rounded and creamy even with the paper-fine tannins. Notable freshness and beautifully dry but not drying texture. Very moreish and much more approachable then many wines tasted this morning at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting, even though there is a serious charge of tannins. Very long, and a wine you would really want to drink, not just taste. Deeply concentrated but not heavy. (JH) 14.5%
Drink 2025-2038

17
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

Bright purple in the glass, with an elegant, perfumed nose of rose water, violets and blueberries. The palate has a silky smooth texture, with a real sheen that allows the pure fruit to shine through. The succulent cherry and cassis notes are lifted by bright acidity and supported by subtle, savoury spices from judicious use of oak. Long, pure and vibrant.

92+
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2019

Representing roughly 30% of the total production and a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge is an incredibly elegant, juicy, and medium to full-bodied second wine that has fabulous purity in its cassis, violets, and floral aromas and flavors. It's silky, vibrant, and has sweet tannins, and just glides over the palate. This beautiful wine is already hard to resist and will keep for 15+ years.

93/95
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

(69 Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 Merlot, 3 Cabernet Franc, 9 Petit Verdot) | 14.5% alc | 30% of production was used for this wine | 82 IPT This is a very focussed and very densely fruited wine but it is one of the lightest and most ethereal of those on the Left Bank. The spice and florals are amazing and the length is superb and beautifully buoyant, losing none of its energy, from the start to the finish. Very expressive and very juicy this is a lithe Pavillon and it is a wine with a Burgundian texture and silkiness with impressive control and freshness, too.

17.5+
Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com, April 2019
Read more tasting notes...

Fantastic depth of ripe fruit with currant and dark-berry aromas. Hints of citrus and dry earth. Full body and round, velvety tannins that are melted into the wine. Very intense and fruity.

95/96
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

The 2018 Pavillon Rouge accounts for 30% of the crop this year. It is composed of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of crushed black and red currants, warm black berries and plum pudding with touches of fungi, cedar chest, truffles and smoked meats plus a fragrant undercurrent of fallen leaves and potpourri. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a solid backbone of fine-grained tannins and loads of freshness supporting the vibrant red and black fruits, finishing long.

93/95
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.