Pavillon Rouge 2018

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.

A singed alder note frames a core of gently steeped plum and black currant flavors, while smoldering tobacco, bay and warm earth hints fill in through the finish. Caressing in feel and seductive through the sneaky long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 8,333 cases made.

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.

69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample. Deepest cherry red. Black core and deep dark rim. Tiny 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 paper-fine tannins. Notable freshness and beautifully dry but not drying texture. Very moreish and much more approachable than 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)

The 2018 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux was one of the final wines I tasted during my lengthy round of tastings. Impressive from barrel, the bouquet is now resplendent, offering those almost boisterous red fruits, pomegranate and cranberry, with the violet element just toned down a little. The palate is still quite high-toned, the tannins showing more grip and sturdiness than before. Taut and linear, and there is plenty of freshness here, leading to a vibrant finish. Excellent.

Elegant, refined and aromatic with easy-to-find notes of flowers, smoked herbs, cigar box and ripe red fruits. Medium-bodied, soft, fresh and silky, everything feels incredibly balanced on your palate. This is going to need 3–4 years of aging before it is ready to drink. The wine was made from a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc, 14.5%.

Dark ruby, purple, opaque core, subtle glints of ochre at the rim. Delicate nuances of nougat and sweet cherry, blackberry and blueberry confit, candied orange zest and fine new oak spice. Taut, ripe black cherry, firm, well-integrated tannins, mineral and elegant, subtle herbal spice on the finish, persistent, extremely firm tannins, but well-integrated and round, chocolatey hints on the finish, definite ageing potential. (2020-2050).

This cuvée has been in the running for the best second wine in the vintage for a number of years now, and I think it just might be there in 2018. The 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge checks in as 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and it's no lightweight effort, revealing a dense purple color as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, black cherry, crushed violets, sandalwood, smoke tobacco, and incense. It's loaded with Château Margaux character, has medium to full-bodied richness, ample structure, and a great finish. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved with air. Don't underestimate this second wine – it's incredibly impressive. Hide bottles for 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc) Velvety, creamy, sweet, powerful bouquet of plums, strawberries, cereal bar, currants, cedar, fine mocha. Densely woven, powerful, fruity palate with a creamy texture, plenty of fine tannins, bold, sweet aromatics, sweet fruit, and a long, finely opulent finish with sweet aftertastes.

The 2018 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux has a deep garnet-purple color. It sings of kirsch, red roses, and redcurrant jelly, with a core of blackcurrant and cedar, plus a waft of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firm and grainy, with a racy backbone and a long, mineral-tinged finish.

Plenty of freshness with notes of red berries, followed by some subtle nuances from the élevage. On the palate, the wine also stands out for its freshness. It is dense, expressive, and perfectly balanced. Good aromatic intensity through to the finish, where I find the red-berry notes again. A fine success.

The nose is fruity, elegant and aromatic, offering a lovely fine grain, depth, and an intense finesse. It reveals notes of bright strawberry, bright boysenberry and, more subtly, blackcurrant, with touches of lily, cornflower and bright raspberry, as well as hints of juicy blue plum, violet, refined minerality, a subtle hint of green cardamom, bergamot, vanilla, toast and nutmeg. The palate is fruity and elegant, delivering power with delicacy/control, freshness, a tangy framework, refined minerality, a lovely fine grain, as well as minerality, precision and depth. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of bright blackberry and bright raspberry and, more slightly, cornflower and lily, joined by touches of bright plum and blackcurrant, as well as hints of cardamom, nutmeg, toast, caramelization, fine hints of vanilla, and discreet hints of almond and minerality. Good length. The tannins are elegant, precise, fine. Score: 17.75+/20

Tight, bright, firm fruits, packed with finely tuned tannins, with a clearly velvety texture. The highest tannin levels they have ever produced in Pavillon Rouge, close to the levels in 1996. There is an austerity to the wine right now. You get the spice of Petit Verdot — also at the highest level to date — adding cushion and complexity to the blackberry, raspberry and bilberry fruits. Even this second wine should be given at least eight to ten years to really soften because of these tannins, and it is set for the long term. 3.61 pH, with 30% of the overall harvest in Pavillon Rouge in 2018. Bottled July 2020. 3% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend, with 13% press wine. 60% new oak ageing.

This second wine of Château Margaux, grand in its own right, is powerfully dense. It displays its own style and balance between rich black fruits and the acidity that shines through the structure. The wine will age well, its ripeness and concentration likely to soften as it matures. Drink from 2026.