Pavillon Blanc 2018

An expressive and bright nose, so bright and fresh with aromas of crisp green apple. What surprises the most is the texture on the palate, such a thick, honeyed lemon aspect – full, wide and expansive with a touch of buttery caramel, lemon and orange zest, nectarine flesh and a subtle toasted, spiced, smoked element that hits the sides of the mouth, creating complexity and nuance. Yet this is also thrillingly vibrant with excellent acidity – incredible all the more so given the warmth of the year. A seriously stunning wine that is so balanced and pleasing to drink but also has a long life ahead. Extremely impressive.

A dynamic dry white with lemon rind, pears and sherbet, as well as vanilla and lilac character. It’s full-bodied with a tight, focused palate of lovely ripe fruit and vivid acidity. Timid, yet classy at the finish. Energetic acidity. 1,000 cases made. Try after 2023.

Fresh, bright, crisp and juicy, the lemons, grapefruit and green apple are made even better with a deft touch of orange rind and honeysuckle. Creamy, juicy and crisp with a lemon-drenched finish, this is ready now and can age for at least 10–15 years with ease.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (100% Sauvignon Blanc, 18 hl/ha) Creamy, fresh, powerful, finely opulent bouquet, peach, subtle grapefruit, mint, mango. Balanced, full, fresh palate with powerful, delicate fruit, well-integrated acidity, diverse aromatics, long, finely bitter finish.

The 2018 Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux is closed at first with touches of lemongrass and lime leaves, giving way to yellow apples and pears, with a hint of wet pebbles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is crisp, very structured, and tightly wound, with lots of citrus and mineral layers, finishing long and zesty.

From a vineyard to the west of the main Margaux estate, this 100% Sauvignon Blanc is rich, packed with yellow fruits as well as a straight line of citrus. Wood aged, it shows toastiness that underlines the richness and ripe fruit. While the wine can be drunk now, that would be a shame because it will be so much better from 2022.

This ripples with tension as the core of gooseberry, chalk, white asparagus and fleur de sel is chiseled and taut while the sides of the wine glisten with floral notes. There's a late flurry of thyme and tarragon for additional range and length, as if it needed any. About as pure and unencumbered an expression of a grape as you can get. Drink now through 2028. 833 cases made.

The 2018 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux, bottled in June under Diam 30, has a lively bouquet of almost an identical aromatic profile as I remarked out of barrel, a combination of white peach, hazelnut and lime, if perhaps less of the grass clipping notes. The palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity, plenty of tension and vibrancy and an almost Burgundy-like precision on the finish (yes, I know this is Sauvignon Blanc, not Chardonnay... it’s probably more connected with the oak during élevage). But overall, this is an excellent Pavillon Blanc and I might just prefer it to its red counterpart.

I'd say the finest white I've ever tasted from this estate, the 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Blanc is all Sauvignon brought all in barrel. Its vivid gold hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of candied lemons, white grapefruit, crushed stone-like minerality, and a rich, flower oil-like character that develops with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, racy, yet incredibly concentrated, with serious extract, richness, and glycerol, it has an almost red wine-like sense of structure and length. Whites in 2018 don't get any better than this. Enjoy this sensational white any time over the coming 15-20 years.

(100% Sauvignon Blanc, 18 hl/ha) Creamy, fresh, powerful, finely opulent bouquet: peach, delicate grapefruit notes, mint, mango. Balanced, full, fresh palate with powerful, refined fruit, well-integrated acidity, complex aromatics, and a long, delicately bitter finish. 18/20 2023 - 2036

A vintage where you appreciate the work and skill that goes into delivering this level of quality. The team at Château Margaux selects the freshest, most sculpted parts of the juice to make Pavillon Blanc, and they have produced here a wine that is all apricot and nectarine flesh, well textured and juicy with a smoky edge together with brilliant balance and grip. When I tasted this in bottle last year I described it as having just the right amount of fleshy mouthfeel and knife-edge freshness, and that is still true today. An early harvest of August 27 to 30, ensuring the grapes kept freshness in what was the warmest year since the beginning of the 20th century, with tempeatures 1.8C above the national average, with record-breaking temperatures in the last ten days of June and the first ten days of August, more than 3C above the 30-year average. You see that in the 17hl/h yield, but not in the flavours which have kept their juice. 3.05ph, same as 2017.

Great energy for the vintage, excellent aromatic clarity, subtle, fairly long—one of the successes among these Médoc Bordeaux that can rival and sometimes even surpass the best Graves.

Logo on the cork: DIAM30