France

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Cabernet Franc

Ch. Margaux

Chateau Margaux Premier Cru Classe Margaux

Bordeaux

Margaux

Graceful, nuanced, totally moriesh. Hugely successful at the 10 year mark, this is rippled with raspberry, white pepper, smoked earth, blond tobacco, cold ash, blueberry and star anise. One of my stars of the lineup, mouthwatering and full of cheer, with waves of fine tannins that are guiding the fruit from beginning to end. Above all finessed but not afraid of pleasure, a balanced Château Margaux that has plenty of time ahead of it. 34% of overall production.

Inside Bordeaux

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Chateau Margaux opens with notes of new leather, plum preserves, and unsmoked cigars with hints of iron ore, dried herbs, and a medicinal waft. The medium-bodied palate has soft, approachable tannins and a lively line cutting through the savory layers, finishing minerally.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Such a floral wine, aromatics that really take hold and grip on through the palate, raspberry, black cherry, edges of rosebud, chalk, white tea, crayon, chalk, iris, has real precision, and a slow-burn unspooling of flavours, salted cracker salinity on the finish. 46% of the overall production is in Château Margaux, 30hl/ha yield after sorting through the year as needed. Harvest September 23 to October 8. Philippe Bascaules director, 3.62ph. Excellent quality, one of the wines of the vintage, with a slightly earlier starting date for drinking than usual, eight years following harvest.

Vibrant peony and ruby red colour, this hums with movement and energy through the palate, a complex bloom of lavendar and white rose flowers, fresh and dense at the same time. Classical Margaux, with the savoury quality of the best wines of the year, a ton of fine tannins with a reserved sculpted architecture. The drinkability of this vintage is such a welcome return, and this is exceptionally good quality, and a real pleasure to taste. Superb winemaking from Philippe Bascaules. 41hl/h yield (compared to 25hl/h last year), 41% of the production in this 1st wine.

Stunning in its density and construction, with a gorgeous balance that starts with red rose aromatics and slides into creamy and intense raspberry, damson, loganberry and cassis fruits. The intense structure of the vintage is on display, here with velvety tannins giving shape and contrast by a push and pull of slate, graphite, cloves, turmeric, cardamom and white pepper. Bitter dark chocolate ending, a character of the year but here delivered with a blast of cooling mint leaf. Philippe Bascaules director, harvest September 8 to 27, 25hl/h yield. 100% new oak, to be monitored carefully over ageing because this is the first time they have seen this level of alcohol in the Cabernet Sauvignon. 40% of the crop is into this 1st wine, one of the highest in years. Harvest September 8 to 27. They are slowly changing the row orientation in the vineyard at Margaux, begun last year but a 50 year project, and introducing more Cabernet Franc through field grafting (wanting to get up to maybe 15% of plantings, currently 5%).

A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Chateau Margaux has a pH of 3.65. This year the first wine is 36% of the total production. It has a deep garnet-purple color and after a swirl or two it shoots from the glass with vibrant scents of blackcurrant jelly, fresh blackberries, and violets, leading to touches of pencil shavings, garrigue, and cloves. The medium-bodied palate is so plush and lively, delivering a quiet intensity of fragrant black fruit, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

This has grip and poise, it edges forward with slate textured tannins, not givin too much away at first, but sit with it, because the future brilliance of this Margaux is there to be seen if you take your time. It displays a seriousness of intent that sets it apart in expression from vintages like the 2018, and has dense and powerful red and black fruits along with supple and plentiful tannins that have no intention of relinquishing their hold for decades to come. Gingerbread, liqourice root, grilled sandalwood, red peppers, mint leaf and peony flowers add waves of complexity as it widens and softens through the mid palate, along with raspberry puree and edges of patisserie cream. A Margaux for the ages. 100% new oak, 36hl/h yield after the dry summer.

Rød på farge, hint av murstein. 
Den dufter av mørke bær og er floral og nesten jucy, lett og delikat med friske med fine tanniner. Lang og flott balansert vin. 

Certified Sommelier

Chateau Margaux 2018 is deep garnet-purple in color. It wafts gently out of the glass with notes of Morello cherries, black raspberries, and cassis, plus suggestions of cedar, black olives, and charcoal, with a touch of wood smoke. Medium-bodied, the palate is very refreshing and finely knit with exquisitely ripe tannins and so many delicate layers, finishing with epic length. 

Pencil lead, roses, cassis, bleuberry, tea, gunsmoke, fine and supple tannins that stretch out through the palate, this is an amazing quality 2017 that shows the potential of the vintage in the right hands. The vineyards of Château Margaux are almost exactly the same size as in 1855 at 80ha. Three-quarters of the vines are on deep and extremely poor gravel soils, and others with clay and limestone bedrock, covered by fine gravels of terraces 3 and 4. Philippe Bascaules technical director, Corinne Menzelopoulos owner at the time (it was recently announced in 2023 that she has now handed over to her son Alexis).

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Chateau Margaux is deep garnet-purple in color. It is a real struggle to shake loose the aromas, this is so shut down at the moment. Eventually, notes of crème de cassis, blackberry pie, and blueberry compote begin to emerge, followed by licorice, dark chocolate, cumin seed, truffles, and iron ore suggestions. Full-bodied and full-on rich and seductive, the palate is absolutely crammed with bright, crunchy black fruit layers, framed by astonishingly ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing with a firework display of minerals, flowers, and exotic spices. Sell your car and get a few cases of this - you won't regret it!

Expansive, fleshy raspberry and damson fruits that narrow through the palate as the minerality, slate and crushed rock texture comes to the fore. Expertly put together, showing beautifully at the 10 year point but with a long life ahead, this is exceptional, the definition of soft power. The bottle is engraved with Hommage à Paul Pontallier, as this was the final vintage for Margaux's legendary director (it also marked the opening of the new cellar, although the second vintage for vinifying within it). This was a 100 point for me En Primeur and continues to deliver at the highest level. 100% new oak for ageing.

The 2014 Chateau Margaux is deep garnet-brick in color. Scents of warm cassis, black cherries, and dried mulberries pop from the glass, with hints of iron ore and forest floor plus a waft of candied violets. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant and energetic, with compelling mineral accents and super-ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and fragrant. This is beautiful!

Medium garnet in color, the 2013 Chateau Margaux offers notions of unsmoked cigars, dusty soil, and potpourri over a core of blackcurrant pastilles and spice cake. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled and refreshing, with loads of soft-spoken earthy layers, finishing spicy.

Aroma av dype plommer, margaux perfymen, vanilje, tobakk, lær, 

Bra balanse, veldig tradisjonell, Blir bra om 6-8år, akkurat begynt å åpne seg litt på halvflaske. Imponerende til årgangen å være. 

Smakt på slottet

Poeng 95+

WSET 2

The remarkable thing about the tannins of this 2010 Château Margaux is that they feel more plush and velvety than the 2nd wine at this stage - almost more ready to drink. A brilliant wine, dense yet light on its feet, aromatic and seductive, soft leather, cedar, sandalwood, Christmas spice and blackberry notes, with violet notes and a gunsmoke curl. Margaux du Château Margaux was in its second vintage at this point, and by adding this 3rd wine, they tightened up selection across the board even further, with 38% of grapes making their way to the 1st wine. 100% new oak. Paul Pontallier director.

Power and enveloping aromatics from the first moment, this is bursting with pleasure, and so signature Margaux. Impossible not to love the depth and the spice that comes through from the first moment, with spirals of sandalwood, violets, crushed raspberries and cassis. Enticing and generous, and totally delicous. Still young, very much in it primary fruit phase, but you can begin to drink this now, such is the vibrancy of the tannins, but it will deliver for many decades to come. Torreified, smoked coffee bean and campfire notes overtake after half an hour in the glass. 100% new oak. 31% of production win the 1st wine, with the same high level of Cabernet Sauvignon as in 2005. Paul Pontallier director in these years, and this continues to set out a benchmark for the property, as it has every time I have tasted it.

Mørk kjerne med lys kant med svake tegn til modning. Mørke bær, solbær, en intens overtone i nesen viser x faktoren fra dett nivået. Med syre, deilig mørk frukt med en svak begynnende modning. Ganske modne tanniner til å begynne med som etter et par timer i glasset strammer seg opp og løfter opp vinen. Sitter veldige lenge. Blir nok ennå bedre om 10-15 år…

Amatør

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2003 Chateau Margaux has a deep garnet color, with a touch of brick. It springs from the glass with surprisingly spritely notes of blackcurrant jelly, baked plums, and star anise, giving way to an undercurrent of Sichuan pepper, kirsch, unsmoked cigars, cedar, dried roses, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is completely filled with ripe, expressive black fruits and perfumed floral and exotic spice layers, framed by very firm, sturdy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy. "In 2003 we were tempted to correct, but we didn’t," commented current managing director Philippe Bascaules, who was working with the late managing director Paul Pontallier in 2003. "I think it is better not to help nature but to permit." This 2003 is delicious now, yet it has the stuffing to cellar for another 20+ years.

The 2000 Chateau Margaux is deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. It leaps from the glass with evocative scents of plum preserves, blackberry pie, and redcurrant jelly, leading to wafts of dried lavender, powdered cinnamon, and tobacco leaf, with a hint of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is filled with black fruits and savory accents, with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, leading to a perfectly balanced, lingering perfume of a finish. Graceful, flawless perfection.

Owner Corinne Menzelopoulos said of the 1998: 'We came very close to making a great vintage', because the excellent weather was just thrown off course by rain at the beginning of harvest. It might not have the perfection of the 2009 vintage (one of my six 100 point wines given in 2022 tastings), but it's hard to argue with the supple, balanced and effortless pleasure offered by this bottle. Expect white truffle, soy, undergrowth, raspberry leaf, saffron, cassis, turmeric, brambled autumnal fruit and a kick of orange peel giving focus and grip on the finish. 50% of crop in 1st wine. Paul Pontallier technical director, 100% new oak.

Lys rødlilla. Kirsebær, vanilje, jordbær, urter. Litt grønn i smaken. Ferdig nå, men tåler minst 10 år.

WSET 3

One of the wines of 20th century Bordeaux, now at a beautiful moment to drink. I have been lucky enough to taste this a few times recnently, and it delivers every time. Floral edges, gunsmoke, peony, gentle intensity that builds before you even feel it happening, leading to a subtle intensity. This floats above the glass, sweet fruit and silky tannns. 100% new oak. Paul Pontallier director, delivering a stunning wine.

Litt blakket på farge. 
På duft finner vi bringebær, jordbær og litt våt ull i tillegg til mørkere bær. Lett og elegant vin med finslipte tanniner og fin syre. Fin lengde. 

Delikat utviklet frukt med hint av treverk, tobakk og plommer. Flott balanse mellom moden frukt, syre og avslipt tanniner 

This marks my seventh or eighth encounter with the 1990 Chateau Margaux over the years, and each time, this wine surpasses expectations. It stands as a clear benchmark of the 1990s, alongside the exceptional 1996 vintage.⁠
⁠
For optimal enjoyment, decanting two hours before drinking is recommended. It's remarkable how this wine evolves, and rushing through it would be detrimental.⁠
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The color is saturated and deep, transitioning towards a mahogany ruby hue, revealing a phenomenal array of aromas ranging from blackberries, blueberries, and redcurrant confiture, scented by graphite, cedar, underbrush, with a pinch of smoke and turned earth.⁠
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As exceptional as the aroma is, the flavor surpasses even that. It boasts a tactile, dense, and rich structure, balanced by silky tannins and perfectly complemented by mineral, savory, and deep acidity.⁠ I love its combination of graphite with fish oil and soy sauce residue. ⁠
⁠
Despite its relative youthfulness, another 10-20 years of cellaring will undoubtedly elevate its excellence, a notion that is hard to comprehend given its current exceptional state.⁠
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Another intriguing idea is to opt for a magnum (1.5l bottle) or double magnum (3l bottle), which should enhance the experience even further.

Fine wine advisor

Medium to deep brick colored, the 1989 Chateau Margaux is a little sluggish and broody to begin, reluctantly releasing notes of cigar box, charcoal, dried herbs, and damp soil, before revealing a core of dried cherries, leather, and prunes. The medium-bodied palate has lightly chewy tannins and a refreshing backbone supporting the savory flavors, finishing provocatively chalky.

1986 - den siste massivt strukturerte årgangen i Bordeaux - sammenlignet med 82, 85, 89 og 90 er også frukten dypere, friskere og mer presis. 75 var strukturert, men mangler ellers det meste. Ch. Margaux 86 kombinerer eleganse og «ryggrad»

Expert

Røde og mørke solbær, sedertre, samt noe svale paprika toner. Kork lukten kommer mer og mer. Snikkork. 

Smak av mørke jordbær, og sorte plommer. Tette tanniner, med bra konsentrasjon. 

(MAG)

Crushed roses and peony fragrace brings the Margaux typicity even before you begin tasting, and although this is beginning to soften a little from its heyday, it is still an astonishing wine full of grace and joy. Sweet strawberry puree, cured leather, tobacco, grilled cumin, woodsmoke and gentle tannins, leisurely and generous, with lilting acidities. Paul Pontallier's first vintage as director - although he also oversaw the ageing and bottling of the 1982, and the third for owner Corinne Menzelopoulos. 100% new oak, and an astonishingly generous (almost double today's average) 67hl/h yield.

A cloud of peonies and gunsmoke immediately strikes as you approach the 1982 Château Margaux, and it stands out for its finesse and charm. The tannins continue to cradle the fruit, this is richly nuanced, with pencil lead, strawberry puree, truffles, ash, cocoa, rose petals and saffran. Owner Corinne Menzelopoulos had succeeded her late father as the head of the estate in 1981, working with estate director Philippe Barré. Perhaps Paul Pontallier's arrival the following year helped to cement the reputation of the exceptional 1983 at Château Margaux, but the 1982 is clearly rivalling it on recent tastings.

Margaux leverer som alltid. Mørk rød, noe brun i kantene og forsatt masse fruktighet å spore. Tanninene har lagt seg noe, men det er fortsatt bra grep og en herlig lengde. Balansen i disse toppvinene er helt nydelig.

Fully mature, a 1st growth is hard to beat. The medium-intense chestnut ruby of the 1978 Chateau Margaux⁠ offers a graceful, classic perfume of graphite, plasticine, smoke, cassis, old leather, and dry raspberries.⁠
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On the palate, it is silky, earthy, and spicy, with mellow, fully integrated mineral-rich tannins refreshed by mineral-rich acidity, creating a long, refreshing, savory finish.This lovely wine is at the peak of its drinking powers, though it might have been even better 5-10 years ago. 93⁠

Transparent brown with an orange rim. Figs, dates, mint, tobacco and truffles. Fresh acidity. A delicate old lady. Sweet mature cherries, cassis, leather, forest floor and figs. Supple integrated tannins. Long.

What a treat! Having a good bottle of 1975 Château Margaux is not something I taste often! How often do you taste a bottle that is older than yourself?

It was tasted at a tasting I held for The Commanderi de Bordeaux in Oslo. Mid shoulder fill. When it comes to bottle that are this old you will have a lot of bottle variation. I really have no idea if it was an optimal bottle or not since it is the only 75 Margaux I have tasted, but a great experience!

Blyantkvess, soldbærbusk, strålende intensitet, medium pluss syre og tannin, solbær fruktprofil, medium pluss konsentrasjon, flott lengde, ikke like kompleks som Haut Brion med en flott klassisk bordeaux med en flott lengde.

Sommelier

Medium to deep garnet-brick, 1964 Chateau Margaux has a fully mature nose verging on the downward swing, revealing notes of tobacco, dusty soil, and old leather, leading to a dried figs and dates scented core, with a waft of Indian spices. The medium-bodied palate is lightly chewy and earthy with dried fruit and stewed tea flavors, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.

The 1953 Chateau Margaux has a deep brick color. It slowly emerges from the glass with delicate, fragrant wafts of cigar box, Chinese five spice, faded flowers, and sassafras, leading to suggestions of dried figs and date cake. The medium-bodied palate is lifted and silky, with flavors of fading dried berries and a lingering, exotic spice-laced finish.

Siste flaske Chateaux Margaux 1928 fra Berns Steakhouses kalde kjeller. En ekstraordinær flaske som viste hvor ungdommelig en 86 år gammel vin kan fremstå fra en toppårgang. Utrolig friskhet, polert og uten kanter, elegant, men likevel med kraft og tyngde. Broadbents "iron fist in velvet glove" har sjelden passet bedre. En sjelden fiolparfymert nese. Søt frukt med bunnløs dybde. Definisjonen av lengde må rekalibreres. Kombinasjonen av en potent tanninstruktur og sømløshet er tankevekkende. Vin blir ikke bedre. 100 poeng. 

2024	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2023	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2022	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2021	kr 6 329,90Available	Extraordinary
2020	kr 8 500,00Not available	Extraordinary

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Margaux
Vintages	2012
Country	France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	13 %
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

Packaging	Glass
Cork type
Selection	Uten utvalg
Wholesaler	Brand Wine Estates AS
Carrier	Vectura AS