Château Margaux 2022

An immersive fragrance: a whole basket of violets, underpinned by cassis and cool stone; silky on the attack, less powerful than En Primeur, beautifully structured, still closed, yet very elegant, with power, finesse, polish, verticality and length. It will age beautifully.

Soft floral aromatics take time to emerge, revealing violets, blackcurrants, tobacco, cedar, and tar. Deep and seductive, layers of scents - violets, blackcurrants, tobacco, liquorice, slate, tar, cedar. Silky tannins and concentrated fruit create an effortlessly graceful wine. Harmonious in every element - tannins, acidity, and freshness are perfectly aligned. A soft caress rather than a bold embrace, but with strength and backbone. I love the juicy core with excellent acidity. Clean and precise. I can't see this not being enjoyable at any time over the next 10-20 years. 3.61pH.

The 2022 Château Margaux is almost stentorian on the nose, very Pauillac in style, complex and beautifully defined with layers of black fruit, tobacco and a dash of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Perfectly balanced, poised and persistent, with incredible mineralité and purity towards the satin-textured finish. Potentially the wine of the vintage. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Flowers, flowers, and more flowers fill the perfume before uncovering all the spices, along with black currants, black cherries, Cuban cigars, and blackberries. The palate is off the hook. This is so sexy and sensuous it should be illegal! The fruits coat your mouth with endless layers of palate-staining flavor. The balance between the weight of motor oil and the perfect amount of lift is almost surreal. The finish leaves the 60-second mark in the rearview mirror and keeps on going. This is greatness in a glass. If you have the disposable income, this could be the best vintage of Chateau Margaux ever produced, and that is really saying something! This is a unique style for Chateau Margaux, showcasing its levels of ABV and concentration. But as you can see from my notes and score, I love it! The wine blends 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. All the Petit Verdot was allocated to Pavillon Rouge. 14.6% ABV is the highest ABV in the estate's history. 3.61 pH. Yields were barely 25 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced using only 40% of the harvest. Picking took place from September 8 to September 28, marking one of the earliest starts to a vintage in the estate's history. Drink from 2030-2065.

Deep dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the seductive nose, aromas of black cherry, cassis, dark wild berries, inviting spicy nuances and candied orange zest. The palate is full-bodied with black cherry fruit, silky tannins that give the wine enormous length, and a saline minerality on the finish that lingers for minutes. Great ageing potential, undoubtedly setting new standards for Margaux.

The Grand Vin 2022 Château Margaux is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, drawn from just 40% of the total production. Aged in new barrels, it boasts a terrific pH of 3.61, which is low for the vintage, and 14.3% alcohol, with the highest tannin levels since 2010. It delivers another level of purity, elegance, and finesse, and is simply a sensational, legendary Margaux in the making. Crème de cassis, blue fruits, spring flowers, lead pencil, and violets all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied on the palate with a layered, seamlessly textured, flawlessly balanced profile. While it shows the ripe, pure, already accessible style of the vintage, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it shut down over the coming 7–8 years, given its density and structure, and it won’t hit its prime drinking window until 15–20 years after the vintage. It should be one of those wines that evolve gracefully over the following 50–75 years.

Clear precision and intensity to the aromatics, and the tannins here are silky, enticing; this is squid ink, plum purée, cloves, turmeric, fragrant cardamom and crushed mint. Concentrated and mouthfilling, while retaining the succulent finesse that Margaux delivers so effortlessly. A wonderful wine that will age for decades. 25 hl/ha yield. 100% new oak for ageing, Philippe Bascaules director.

The nose approaches gently, light as a butterfly, brushing the senses before suddenly unfolding all the splendor of its colors and patterns. A concentrated core of black and red fruits emerges, lifted by a stony minerality and a bewitching touch of black licorice. Then the rose appears, a glowing crimson. The palate unfolds like an infinitely tender embrace, wrapping the mouth in its sensual texture, revealing all its depth and complexity. The tannins, of unheard-of opulence, provide a fine yet assertive structure, pure, like an Apollo to whom no one can resist.

What charm, maturity and complexity in the bouquet of Château Margaux! Notes of morello cherry mingle with nuances of ripe black berries, a candied touch and, above all, oak-derived notes. I miss a bit of the freshness it showed during the en primeur tastings. The charm promised by the bouquet is carried through on the attack, which highlights the wine’s suave side, while the tannins counterbalance that disarming character. They reveal themselves slowly, step by step, bringing a crescendo of vigor. Fine bitters shore up the finish, championing the aromatic expression and stretching out the finale. A charming, exciting wine that nevertheless struggles to crystallize its legendary finesse. It’s no less delicious, but it’s not where I’m used to finding it! I suppose it still needs to settle into place… to be continued!

Lovely elegant, airy, fragrant nose—delicate yet deep—offering intensity and attractive ripeness. It reveals notes of luscious blackberry, roasted strawberry, and lighter violet, joined by touches of creamy red berries, hints of cornflower and blue plum, plus discreet nuances of nutmeg, iris, dry gravel, and delicate almost-eucalyptus spice. The palate is beautifully mineral, fresh, elegant, and gourmand, with a lively backbone, a tangy lift, lovely complexity, bright fruit, supple texture, vibrant energy, purity, and fine substance. Expansive yet finely etched. On the palate, the wine shows notes of creamy raspberry and, more delicately, fresh/juicy purple plum, with hints of chocolate, cardamom, toasted almond, a subtle floral touch, elegantly roasted small fruits, and a subtle note of sweet blond tobacco. The tannins are chalky and refined. Chewy grip on the finish/persistence. Richness and intensity delivered with delicacy, precision, and balance.

This is the second time, along with the 2005, that I’ve rated this wine at such a high level En Primeur. The color is the darkest I have ever seen—no small claim. This cru has never sought to impress on that point. The nose is deep, with hints of blackberry jelly and dark fruit. Ultra-meticulous on the attack, ultra-silky and sculpted at mid-palate, the wine keeps rising in intensity. Deep and powerful (2005), more dark-fruited than ever (2009), the legendary melting softness that sets it apart returns—unexpectedly—in the final third of the palate. There the cru regains its sweetness, its nuances, and the mysteries of its unique identity. The urge to swallow becomes irresistible. It’s moving! Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 14.6% (average plus, plus) - pH: 3.62 (average). IPT: 88 (average plus, plus) versus 70 in 2015 and 2016. Yield: 25 hl/ha.

Dark blueberry aromas and powerfully rich tannins give a dense, concentrated wine, perhaps the most concentrated ever. The wine's impressive structure means it will age for many years. Drink from 2028.