Château Margaux 2021

Exceptionally fruity, precisely defined, with wonderfully fine-grained tannins; slender yet fleshy, great length; a superb, tonic wine of perfect proportions.

Lovely soft floral aromatics, pretty and perfumed with red cherries, raspberries and blackcurrants, some liquorice and toasty hints. Round and smooth, silky yet concentrated, there's a fleshy aspect to the fruit and texture while a lean core of salty minerality and high acidity keeps things straight and direct. It's a little reserved now, but this is suave, playful and sharp, full of energy and texture but not yet at the charming, graceful stage and a little atypical for the vintage. The estate picked late, bled the wine more to keep the structure and the result is mouthfilling and succulent, with Margaux charm.

Black cherry, blackberry, spice, violets, and just a hint of oak that will soon become fully integrated on the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, creamy, vibrant, elegant, and fresh. It is the lift to the fruit paired with refined, creamy tannins that is the signature of this vintage. The wine is on the discreet side and benefits from a bit of swirling before you engage with this beauty. Give it about 5 years and it will be even better. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, pH 3.64. The Grand Vin was produced using only 36% of the harvest. Picking took place September 24 to October 13. Drink from 2029–2060.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. A multi-faceted bouquet with dark fruit, blackberry and cherry, a touch of oak, sweet spices, juniper and mandarin zest. Juicy and elegant with ripe, sweet cherries, fine, silky tannins, compact minerality, good balance and a salty finish. Already very approachable, good length and definite ageing potential. A delicate food companion with pure finesse. (9/1/2024, cellar, drink + 35)

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 36% Grand Vin) A concentrated, elegant, fresh, complex, and profound bouquet, a whole array of red and blue berries, nougat, mint candy, fine herbs. A concentrated, multi-layered, elegant palate with dense, finely creamy fruit, a powerful, elegant structure, diverse, concentrated aromas, plenty of very fine tannins, a very long, powerful, velvety finish with many lingering flavors.

(87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 36% Grand Vin) Concentrated, elegant, fresh, complex, and profound bouquet, a whole array of red and blue berries, nougat, mint candy, fine herbs. Concentrated, multi-layered, elegant palate with dense, finely creamy fruit, a powerful, elegant structure, varied, concentrated aromatics, plenty of very fine tannins, a very long, powerful, velvety finish with lots of lingering flavors. 19/20 2030 - 2060

Full of vivid flavours, colour and aromatics, chiselled, energetic and beautifully balanced. Subtle gunsmoke, grilled cassis bud and saffron alongside fleshy blackberry and pomegranate. Clear austerity on the finish, with waves of clove and saffron as it extends through the palate. Plenty of harmony here, and potential for ageing. Harvest through to October 14. Philippe Bascaules director, showcasing what can be achieved in the vintage. Eric Boissenot consultant. 100% new oak.

A highly refined nose, gently eloquent, unfolding very complex earthy, floral and herbal notes. It is at once more serious, more sensual and more vibrant than its younger sibling, Pavillon Rouge. On the palate, the polished tannins, of the greatest finesse, swirl and whirl across the mouth, creating a hypnotic effect. A harmonious meeting of fruit and flowers, with a powerful acidic backbone that promises decades of cellaring. The finish is lively, saline, long.

(87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) The nose is fruity, elegant and offers minerality, freshness, a certain concentration, a slight infusion-like character, purity, a lovely floral complexity (violet, lily and a very discreet hint of cornflower) and style. It reveals notes of fresh boysenberry, racy minerality and, more subtly, graphite, combined with touches of small red berries, lily, violet, as well as fine hints of licorice, a very discreet hint of pepper, subtle hints of vibrant small black fruits, morello cherry, bergamot, mocha, bourbon vanilla and toast. The palate is fruity and offers freshness, minerality, good definition, a tangy/fresh backbone, a lovely delicate/fresh velvety touch, lovely freshness, fine tension/concentration, a fine grain and a slightly elongated feel. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackcurrant, fresh/crunchy blackberry and, more subtly, flowers and lily, combined with fine touches of fresh raspberry, fresh small fruits, as well as a delicate hint of fresh plum, graphite, racy minerality/Margalaise gravel, fine hints of bergamot, toast, toasted almond/toasted hazelnut and a subtle hint of vanilla. A lovely chew on the finish/persistence.

Deep, intense, purplish-black color. A highly aromatic nose—refined, fruity, subtle—beautifully framed by the oak. Supple on the attack, so fragrant through the mid-palate, with real class in the texture and energy on the finish; the whole develops with great delicacy, graceful and silky. It’s sumptuous! A style never so Burgundian. While Pavillon rouge is very successful, château Margaux wins out thanks to its qualities in the second half of the palate. I’ll add that the bottle, opened for 4 days, did not suffer from exposure to oxygen. Nothing better for ageing well!

96–98. Barrel Sample. The wine has richness but its main attraction is the balance between acidity and the light touch that gives the wine great freshness. The touch of Cabernet Franc in the blend brings its own perfumed structure. This is a wine that, of course, will age but that will also give pleasure relatively quickly.