Chateau Margaux Premier Cru Classe, Margaux

Wet Earth and forest floor flavors with hints of dark fruit Really opened with air over an hour and half

1982 vintage

Opened wine 90 minutes prior to serving. Served it with a platter of hard cheese, faux gras and after 1 hour was opening up and a star of or tasting.

1995 vintage

Slightly wet dogs, almonds, salty. Leather and tobacco as usual, graphite, dried raisins, slightly present round tannins.

1959 vintage

Had this with the 96’, both decanted 3 hours. Different expression of the wine, more lush, les ethereal, the floral events hidden behind the fruit. The hotness of the year apparent.

1995 vintage

Drunk next to the '96 for an interesting pairing. More rustic in texture and quite savory with delicious flavors of Margaux violets and licorice and the tannins remain sharp and formidable although the wine is finally opening up some. I enjoyed it but it couldn't compare to the greatness of the '96. Not my favorite vintage to this point but tannic first growths do have a way of coming around over the long haul. Still, the sharpness and gruffness of …

1995 vintage

Dark, manly,m spicy with plenty of tobacco and black fruit. Seemes just a wee bit disjointed today and was inferiour to the 2004 today. Needs maybe time, I am not sure. #Marchal

1995 vintage

Lovely wine Not sure it has much life left Bottle in great condition

1994 vintage

Double decant, 55-60F; dark ruby, light floral nose, dark berry, lovely smooth mid-palate, tertiary notes not dominant, elegant finish; not much flourish over 2 hours; no reason to hold

1986 vintage

Yet another bottle of 82 Margaux which was good but hardly inspiring. Some brown at the edge. Medium weight but the fruit just does not sparkle as it does in the best bottles. Bouquet a little muddy. Others liked it better, especially J-F.

1982 vintage

Commanderie Paulee Dinner (Dallas, TX) : Very dark red/purple color. PNP and slow-O over three hours plus. This was a journey over the evening. Given the volume of bottles to open, the older wines were just popped and were not decanted. If I had the ability, I would have decanted this for a at least a few hours on my own. That just was not possible under the circumstances. So this started out with a lot of bottle stank, that …

1982 vintage

What a privilege it was to enjoy my second bottle of the 1982. This bottle was even better than the first. This bottle was in perfect harmony. It was still really floral, oak was completely absorbed. From start to finish, this was bottle was in a story telling mood. Very little backbone left. Smoothest bottle of wine I’ve ever had the honor of drinking. Again, Chateau Margaux, well done!!!!!!!!!!

1982 vintage

Taken to a restaurant so double-decanted over 3-4hrs. For me the ‘96s are in a perfect place - still plenty of deep, dark fruits, wood, tertiary characteristics starting to shine but without the sometimes overwhelming ash / cigar box notes that will come over time. On the nose this wine reminded me of an old book store, all leather and cedar/oak but with dark red and black fruits and some lighter violet/lavender notes. Fine tannins and for me surprisingly acidic. …

1996 vintage

Tasted during our visit at Chateau Margaux. This was a very interesting visit. The Chateau liked to show their 2011 at the moment, as it was ready to drink in their opinion. I thought it showed fairly well for being from this difficult vintage. Touch of raisin, orange peel, tree bark, plum, green pepper, blackcurrant and pencil lead. Quite powerful and dense on the mid palate but well balanced with medium length.

2011 vintage

PNP but would have benefited from a long decant. Earthy, funky, cedar and slightly herbal nose. Very dark and black fruited on the saline infused palate. Medium acidity and a nice lively mouthfeel. Moderately tannic and clenched, this could use a few more years to soften.

1996 vintage

Great nose! Excellent showing for a 1994. Finish was a little short — but I loved this wine.

1994 vintage

Bistronome, Jean-Yves 60. Can't read my notes. Quite intense, not as elegant as the name promises.

1986 vintage

showed all the classic signatures of the estate on first impression — lifted aromatics, refined structure, and that unmistakable Margaux perfume. The nose opened with graceful floral tones and fine cedar detail, elegant and inviting, hinting at the pedigree behind the label. In the first one to two hours, the wine was especially charming, with poise and balance carrying the experience. The tannins were resolved and polished, and the overall architecture felt harmonious. However, as the wine evolved in the …

1996 vintage

A Tasting of seven first and second growths and one fourth growth from 1986, this was a half bottle and a disappointment with some oxidization and clearly not in the best condition. Not totally bad but not good either and eclipsed by the other wines.

1986 vintage

Pronounced nose intensity with nose of barnyard, cooked blackcurrant, toast, coffee, leather. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. Tannin is integrated. Long finish.

1983 vintage

A dark deep ruby with little bricking at the rim. A pretty, classical nose with blackcurrant notes, perhaps a little mint and graphite. Medium weight, more blackcurrant, a merest hint of iodine, very mineral. A dry finish which persists beautifully. This wine doesn’t shout at you, but is understated, and none the worse for it.

2004 vintage

Nice lead pencil nose, pleasant light-footed fruit, medium-light depth, but far from profound.

1995 vintage

Drank all 2000 first growth at a wine dinner. Margaux, latour and lafite rothschild were the stars complex, balanced great fruit and lots of life. Mouton was still great which i have had over the past 10 years, It is still getting better. Haut brion was not has good as the others

2000 vintage

Incrível. Um dos vinhos mais EQUILIBRADOS que eu já bebi. Com muita fruta fresca, traz um dulçor interessante (sem açúcar residual). A madeira é elegantíssima, oferecendo um pano de fundo que permite a fruta brilhar. Acidez ainda presente. Álcool, tanino e final médios acentuam o equilíbrio do vinho. Sem dúvida um Bordeaux com perfil mais elegante e equilibrado.

1996 vintage

Vertical Chateau Margaux Tasting at Delmonico’s Las Vegas. 66,78,83,94,95 and 02. The 1966 has attractive, cherryish fruit with earthy/terroir flavors. The wine had a lot of sediment; with I think detracted. If you have this wine; I’d recommend you stand it up for one week or so, then decant. Drink immediately. It is from a bygone era of Chateau Margaux that was low 12 alcohol and soft. This would be ideally paired with baked fish with light herbs.

1966 vintage

A Chateau Margaux Vertical at Delmonico’s in Las Vegas. 66,78,83,94,95 and 02 This wine was incredibly tight and closed in of all the verticals. I saved drinking this wine at the end; which was finally revealing its personality. I would recommend a decant of 1 to 2 hours; and a wine for those who want left bank Bordeaux’s power, showier oak and extraction over finesse. That being said; it is definitely on the darker fruits expression; and it has shed …

1995 vintage

Really good. Classic BDX - pencil shavings, saddle leather, dark fruits. This was in the zone as have been a few recent Margaux wines (90 was out of the world good). This is a complete wine at this stage but will be in this zone for a long long time.

1995 vintage

Decanted an hour and drank over 2. Should’ve decanted all day. Bordeaux barnyard and musk on the nose. Flavor was muted. Not finesse just tightly wound still. Some tannin and acidity remaining hiding the fruit. I opened for my 40th but should have held for my 50th or 60th.

1986 vintage

Pristine bottle. Well condition. Pronounced nose intensity with notes of blue and black berry, toast, coffee, flora. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. The wine can last easily 10 years or more.

1986 vintage

Too young. Should wait 5-10 years more at least

2014 vintage

First Growth plus Ausone and LMHB dinner (1789 Restaurant, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.) : A beautifully perfumed nose displaying generous black and red fruit, creme de cassis, strawberry, very floral notes, lead pencil, light caramel, cedar, sweet spices, and limestone. Good concentration, generous red and black fruit; silky, warm, soft, and round, with bright acidity, strong mineral and a long, generous, red and black fruit driven floral finish. This is a user-friendly Margaux that is drinking very well.

1999 vintage

Deep dark ruby red, still youthful color, pristine cork. Decanted and aerated for an hour and drank over another. Perfumed nose of cassis, black currants, dark red berries compote, some graphite but not too aggressive. Delicate on the palate, coats it fully with vibrant and perfumed dark red and black fruits, expands mid palate, superb delineation and structure, reminiscent of the quality of the 04 Latour, very classy and almost hedonistic, slightly short on the finish otherwise would warrant a …

2004 vintage

1996 Mouton and Margaux Tasting : Probably perfect, but I struggle to give out 3-digit scores. Medium garnet, pronounced, cherry, nutmeg, blueberry, tobacco leaf, herbal, violets, espresso, truffle, flint, steel, game, barnyard. Perhaps a little thin in the intensity if I had to justify taking off a point. High acid, high tannins, medium+ body, medium+/pronounced palate, long finish. The palate was less intense than the nose, which is fine, but different than the norm for me. Everything else was perfect …

1996 vintage

First Growth plus Ausone and LMHB dinner (1789 Restaurant, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.) : Expressive youthful nose displaying concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, blackberry liqueur, cherry compote, strong cedar, leather, ink, sweet spices and iron. Exceptional concentration, concentrated black and red fruit, rich, big, structured and powerful, bright acidity, strong mineral, still noticeable slightly coerce tannins, and a long concentrated red and black fruit driven finish with cedar at the end. There seems to be …

1986 vintage

Expressive youthful nose displaying concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, blackberry liqueur, cherry compote, strong cedar, leather, ink, sweet spices and iron. Exceptional concentration, concentrated black and red fruit, rich, big, structured and powerful, bright acidity, strong mineral, still noticeable slightly coerce tannins, and a long concentrated red and black fruit driven finish with cedar at the end. There seems to be a slight disconnect between the concentrated fruit and an ever so slightly hollow …

1986 vintage

This bottle did not appear to have been kept in ideal condition. It tasted more like a stout Pauillac than the elegant—at times even wild but feminine—Margaux one hopes for. Only the candied note lingering in the glass offered some satisfaction.

1996 vintage

Splendid. Sweet nectar. Flowers and spice on the nose. Quite a modernist approach to the palate, which I guess is because Paul Pontallier was hitting his stride at this time. Cacao, a hint of egg nog, licorice, lilacs, cherry and lovely acidity that is perfectly integrated. Tannins are perfectly resolved. Oddly better without food. Drinking at its apogee right now. What a pleasure and a privilege to have known this!

1999 vintage

One of the best bouquets and aromatic nose of any Bordeaux I have ever experienced, truly mesmerising. Pretty deep garnet colour, a touch of 1mm rim perhaps. Ripe plums (I called Right Bank, circa 2005) and blackberry, complex rose petals, cedar and light pepper sprinkled in too. Palate and body is M to M+, good concentration and developing tannins as it picked up more air. How did Margaux produce such a balanced beauty in this hot 2003 vintage? 83% Cab, …

2003 vintage

Opened cork and let breathe 6h prior to decanting, tasted about 2+ h later. Nose takes a while in the glass to come together - dark florals, candied small black fruits like cassis, blackberries, cedar and earthy truffles. Palate shows waves of sweet-savory small black fruit compote, earth, good acidity, minerals, fine tannins and a very perfumed finish of florals and cigar box. The last sip was even better than the first one. This needed more time to open up.

1996 vintage

3 hour decant...needed six in retrospect. Still some firm-ish tannins (compared to 70 La Mission) but drinking well and improved in the glass over a 3h period. This holds up to food but was a little less "feminine" than I expected. Still with primary fruit and the few bottles I have are essentially ex chateau and I would guess have 10-15 years left in them. But fine to drink anytime with a meal.

1982 vintage

Dark fruits..good balance..creamy... lacks depth...doesn't make much of an impression.

2004 vintage

Dark red color, medium body, first nose of black currant and blackberries. Second nose of olives, truffle and licorice. Great shape and texture. Long finish in mouth with tobacco aromas at the end. Outstanding

1999 vintage

one of the better wines in a very average first growth tasting against Latour 85, 91 Hautbrion 94, 89, Margaux 99. Decanted 2 hrs prior which allowed this to be well balanced and some nice charred coffee notes. Seems to be in a decent drinking window and may improve a point with more time sideways or decant time. But no crime to release from bondage now.

1999 vintage

This perfectly stored bottle surprised me with its power. Multiple layers of richly-textured black, with red fruits, cedar, herbs, tobacco and dried floral notes were all over the place. More youthful than expected, well-stored bottles could still improve! Drink from 2026-2040.

1982 vintage

Bought on release, bottle and cork in pristine condition. 3 Hour decant. Leads with an intense smokey nose. The fruit is incredibly fresh and vibrant. Dark brambly blackberries with mint and eucalyptus, followed by a finish of raspberries. The tannins are small-grained and well-defined, giving the wine plenty of structure. This is full of energy, with nice acidity despite the heatwave year.

2003 vintage

Light yet complex. Velvety on the initial taste with a flowery expression. Soy sauce on the back palette which surprised me. A wine of dichotomy that kept unfurling through the night. I would have been smarter if I had decanted prior to coming to the restaurant stupid is as stupid does.

2003 vintage

Very underwhelming. Tasted with all 5 first growths from 1995 and this was the worst by far. Needs time. Other than the complexity, this wasnt any better than a third growth and honestly worse than a cheap super tuscan like a Guidalberto

1995 vintage

What a pleasure this bottle was. It is not my style. I like old world, modern old world. I have never been a fan of old world old school. I knew this going in. The color, what can I say….. it was a beautiful deep ruby with brilliant violet/purple on the edges, absolutely zero bricking. This bottle must’ve been stored perfectly for its entire life. The nose was as complex as the first glass. Layer upon layers of mild dark …

1982 vintage

Minty, huckleberry, chocolate, lots of acidity. Fine and balanced of an excellent vintage without the super heavy weight. So fine on finish. Touch of corkiness here and there but not distracting. 94

1959 vintage

This Margaux still got it. On the decline, but great.

1975 vintage

Red and black fruit, wet stone, fresh cut wood. Dense and somewhat backward but still enjoyable. Silky finish. This didn’t move much on day 2.

2000 vintage

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Chateau Margaux Premier Cru Classe, Margaux

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