Ch. Margaux
1st Growth Grand Cru Classe
Margaux
2009

The producer

Despite a long history among the Frist Growths of Bordeaux, Margaux languished in inconsistency – often eclipsed by Chateau Palmer – through the 1960s and 1970s. This all changed – quickly and rather dramatically – with the arrival of the Mentzelopolous family in 1977. Even the 1978 vintage was a vast improvement, and things escalated from there on. Since the 1982 and 1983 vintages Chateau Margaux contends more than comfortably with the other First Growths. Not to rest on its laurels, Margaux has continued investment in vineyards and winery to improve even further.

Sometimes considered the most Burgundian of the great Bordeaux – indeed even called the “Musigny of Bordeaux” despite more than 80% Cabernet Sauvignon – Chateau Margaux boasts great aromatic charm and a gracefulness rarely achieved in Bordeaux. This does not negate its richness and ability to age to great advantage for decades. Dare we call Margaux “feminine” these days? If so, she is one fabulous dame!

The wine

Most of the fruit for the Grand Vin is from vineyards surrounding the chateau, especially priced is fruit from the Enclos and Puch Sem Peyre plots of 80-year-old vines at the peak of the plateau. The Grand Vin is usually made up of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and soupcons of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Fermentation takes place in a combination of oak and stainless steel and is followed by ageing in 100% new French oak barrels for 18-24 months. A large part of barrels derives from the Chateau’s own cooperage on the property.

A wine of delicate perfume and pristine aromatics, Chateau Margaux has a lightness of touch and elegance truly unique to the region, yet with a full and structured body, layers of complexity and purity of fruit.   

We choose our wines based on a range of criteria (see how we choose our wines) of which critic scores is just one. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a 92/100 average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.