Margaux
About Château Margaux
Château Margaux is one of five 1éme Grand Cru Classé (First Growth) wines from the original 1855 Classification of Bordeaux (along with Latour, Lafite, Mouton Rothschild and Haut-Brion).
This estate has an unbelievable history, dating back almost 1,000 years to the 12th Century when it was called “La Mothe de Margaux”. The vineyards were established in the 1600s. In 1705 the London Gazette conducted the first sale of leading Bordeaux wines which included 230 barrels of ‘Margoose’. Thomas Jefferson, US Ambassador to France wrote of the 1784 Margaux “there cannot be a better bottle of Bordeaux wine”.
Château Margaux was sold in 1977 to Andre Mentzelopoulos, whose daughter Corinne Mentzelopoulos took over in 1980. Paul Pontallier was the long-time director of Château Margaux who did so much to establish the fantastic reputation the estate has today. His tragic death in March 2016 is commemorated on the label of the 2015 vintage (a true collector’s item). Fittingly, the Château building at Margaux is one of the grandest and most imposing in all of Bordeaux, nicknamed the Versailles of the Medoc. It is perhaps Bordeaux’s most recognisable symbol.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Bordeaux | 5 | 95 (WA) | HK$17,330.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (95)The 1999 Chateau Margaux has been the standout First Growth since I first tasted the wine from barrel. Now reaching its plateau of maturity, it has an understated nose at first, armed with impressive mineralité with a gorgeous graphite seam. The definition and precision here is top class. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth in texture, very harmonious and assured, surprisingly with some new oak still to be fully assimilated into the wine. The signature Margaux traits of crushed black cherries and violets comes through towards the finish, suggestions of raspberry reserve and desiccated orange peel enhancing the long finish. Perhaps I might temper my initial enthusiasm for the 1999 Château Margaux...but only slightly. It comes highly recommended. Tasted May 2016. |