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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.7 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 433 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by WineAggregate on 5/19/2024 & rated 96 points: A bit bretty, but not overwhelming, color brick red, beautiful rich aroma, just a great bordo. (442 views) | | | Tasted by Brolawa on 4/28/2024: N3. I actually like the ‘86 as a standalone wine. But we drank it with a ‘90 and it was sludgy in comparison. Still better than 90% of Bdx-styled wines. MPD at Bisato. (714 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 4/28/2024: M&PD Tasting: Bisato (Seattle, WA, USA): Tough sledding, a stern wine. The aromatics were wonderful, but the palate was just really chewy and structured. Classic 1986. (1127 views) | | | Tasted by ONEFIVE on 4/14/2024: Youthful appearance.
Nose starts off savory with cedar wood and dried green herbs. With air, espresso, tobacco, and dried red fruit appears.
Med body, med acid, med+ tannin.
Big in the mouth with serious tannin.
I don’t know if this will get better at this point. It’s powerful from a structure perspective but unless the fruit emerges with air, I fret that it may be falling out.
Try again in another year. (1059 views) | | | Tasted by coremill on 4/5/2024 & rated 91 points: Out of magnum. I suspect this bottle was not perfectly pristine; there was a fair amount of noticeable VA on both the nose and palate that slightly detracted for me. Otherwise, quite classic and lovely aromas of bright blackberries, cedar, violets, and hint of minty pyrazine, with lovely balance between fruit and velvety tannin. Perhaps lacks the intensity and length one might hope for. (1173 views) | | | Tasted by jmoon on 3/13/2024 & rated 93 points: One of those classic confusing old first growth nights . The wine ducked and dived all over the place. Pop and pour was initially successful -gorgeous full noise nose - but then tightened up and then loosened up and then tighten, loosen and so the night went on leaving us both excited and confused by the wine. I’ve never really hit its full strides and I have one bottle left so I’m crossing my fingers. (1677 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 3/12/2024 & rated 94 points: I love the succulent acidity on this wine that keeps it quite vivid. There is plenty of Margaux violet fruit and spice to balance things out and the tannins are slowly ameliorating here although they remain firm and grippy. Quite drinkable now and it keeps improving through the years and should have a long life ahead. It did not have the sweetness or pliancy of the '82 drunk alongside but it has more depth and power. 94+ (1368 views) | | | Tasted by ankitmehra on 1/25/2024 & rated 94 points: Opening this bottle to celebrate Burn's Night, the 1986 Château Margaux personified a lot of what I love about Margaux, especially through a lot of the youthful exuberance the wine possesses. Almost immediately, the cigar box dominated nose hits you, accompanied by youthful notes of blackberry, peppercorn, herbs and mild crème de cassis. The palate opens up to display the subtle power that I often associate with Margaux, boasting an upfront dominated by strawberries and iron before the mid-palate brought in pepper, cassis and a hint of truffle. Tertiary notes began to emerge in the finish as cedar wood came in across a grippy finish that showed that the tannins were very much intact on a wine that's going to live a long life. (2152 views) | | | Tasted by MicklethePickle on 1/13/2024 & rated 95 points: Just popped this open on my 65th birthday. It has been cooped up in the bottle for over 30 years so I’m going to take my time with it. Happily, it is not corked. My first impressions on pop and pour: completely opaque. Sensory: celestial; like a religious experience. I can only believe this will evolve with air into a fabulous wine. After about 15 minutes the wine charms are slowly revealing themselves. Exquisite feminine nose, some cedarwood, but the mouth is emerging even more with fully developed rich, full fruit. This seems fully mature but no danger of imminent decline. At this point, open only an hour, it’s already a solid 93, and I get the sense it will go higher. Will revisit later. Days later, this has bested a 1992 Grange Hermitage and a 1989 Lafitte, Rothchildl. Quite, excellent understated and elegant. It has all the elements you look for in a truly fine wine. Amazingly young for its age.5-13-18-9: 95/100. (2178 views) | | | Tasted by wineton.mee on 1/4/2024 & rated 96 points: 86 Margaux is full of oomph! Deep translucent ruby with only the slightest tinge of orange at the rim. Densely perfumed, fresh roses/violets, ripe cherry fruit, cherry liqueur, blood orange, fresh tobacco and polished oak. Unquestionably full bodied with big luscious tannins. This is one sensual wine that is as profoundly attractive as it is massive. Tremendously youthful still, and developing at glacial pace. While it is quite the experience to taste now, another 5-10 years would no doubt dial up the pleasure meter. (2338 views) | | | Tasted by Cremuel on 1/2/2024 & rated 95 points: Bob's cellar. Pnp on my birthday. Double decanted to remove the sediment. Stunning deep red, no bricking at all. Some funk initially hits your nose, but behind this is deep dark fruit, cassis, damsons, liquorice and forest floor, menthol, cedar, graphite - wow! Dry opening washed away with still plush red fruit, liquorice, blackberry and subdued redcurrant. Supremely refined, remarkably pure and true. Wonderful.
An hour or so later, all signs of funk and age have disappeared. The wine has beautiful poised red and black fruit, lacy fine tannins. Really superb. Enjoyed it with a Cohiba Siglio II.
After a couple of hours, the fruit fades away, so would recommend drinking up when opened. (1801 views) | | | Tasted by ReneB on 12/25/2023 & rated 93 points: Niet zo bijzonder als verwacht na al die jaten (818 views) | | | Tasted by jmoon on 12/19/2023 & rated 93 points: It’s all there but couldn’t get it to wake up and party. Longer decant needed… maybe 3 -5 hrs. (2229 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 12/7/2023 & rated 95 points: Holiday Dinner - Mostly Bordeaux (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Incredibly youthful nose displaying concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, creme de cassis, cherry, a hint of mint, lead pencil, tree bark and mineral. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated black fruit, silky and rich, bright acidity, earth mineral, noticeable but unobtrusive tannins and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish. certainly the most powerful and youthful wine of the flight but a bit straightforward compare to the 79 and 83. (1966 views) | | | Tasted by vanpe003 on 11/17/2023 & rated 96 points: Ethereal. Just popped and poured. Too cold, not opened up, etc - it is still fantastic. Will check in later when things settle down. In the meantime, nose has tertiary character and good depth. Palate - long finish. Looking forward to the full progression once this opens / warms up. (2087 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 10/28/2023 & rated 94 points: Still quite firm and tannic with an iron core common for the vintage but not usually for Château Margaux. But eventually with a lot of air it begins to relax and it becomes apparent there is a core of very concentrated Cabernet/Merlot fruit. The more time went on the more I enjoyed it yet I wish I could wait 5-10 years to catch it in full bloom. This could end up as the longest lived Margaux ever and a real masterpiece. (2377 views) | | | Tasted by TomNichols on 10/10/2023 & rated 97 points: Just put away for ten years.
Tom Nichols
Houston (2508 views) | | | Tasted by Winesellar on 9/9/2023 & rated 97 points: Opened for two hours before dinner, double decanted. Should have waited four more hours. A monster is silk dress, it just kept evolving until the last sip six hours later. Complex, complete. (2582 views) | | | Tasted by winecoffee on 7/14/2023 & rated 95 points: The wine was singing! OMG! Ripe and at its peak. Luscious with a lot of fruit. Classic bordeaux nose of soft plums! (3405 views) | | | Tasted by Jonathanmustang on 7/6/2023 & rated 94 points: Boire un Château Margaux est toujours un moment particulier, surtout quand celui-ci est son année de naissance.
L’oeil est dense, les rebords bien orangés
Le nez de ce Margaux s’ouvre sur un puissant nez de cèdre, de graphite, de sous bois, de feuilles morte, la boite à cigares, la cerise, quelques épices, et une touche fumée… en fait, je pourrais le sentir et trouver des nouveaux arômes toute la soirée tellement c’est complexe
En bouche, l’attaque est ample, soyeuse, la matière est impressionnante pour un vin de 37 ans et c’est même jeune. Un kaléidoscope d’arômes nous promène entre un intense fruit rouge, des baies, le couvert forestier, des touches de cèdre, de framboises, de cuir, et encore cette touche fumée
C’est lacté, puissant, et on à l’impression de boire un vin de 20 ans de moins!
Finale ultra longue, au final un super vin, encore jeune, probablement qu’il sera jeune même à 100 ans, en fait c’est ce qui différencie je pense un Bordeaux de 20$ à un 1er grand cru classé…la matière, la complexité, et ça tiens des années sans se fatiguer (3043 views) | | | Tasted by MasterWis on 6/22/2023 & rated 95 points: What the hell this is still so young. Had it on a root day, and I don’t know if it had an impact or not but the nose remained shut down unfortunately.
The colour is still bright and red / purple, very few sign of ageing, the palate is velvety, intense, long, superb. I thought about St Julien rather than Margaux.
A great Margaux in the making but you still need to give it time (2921 views) | | | Tasted by djhammond on 6/17/2023 & rated 97 points: I think the 1986 vintage as a whole is still in development, and will eventually live up to its initial hype, and I am personally a great fan. The Margaux follows the trend of the other first growths and is a big masculine wine, and possibly part of one of the real last old school great Bordeaux years. That said, it is unmistakably Margaux at its greatest. The nose is intoxicating with blackcurrant and blackberry with underpinning almond and floral notes with a typical delicacy. The depth and balance on the palate are excellent, but some grippy tannin still inhibits the mouthfeel. Similarly the finish is first rate, but tannin still needs to resolve. This wears its first growth status on its sleeve and will be timeless. At this stage extended aeration is essential, and this had 7 hours in an open decanter. A post script. I saved a small glass for the next day and it had further evolved and improved boding well for the future. (2890 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 6/15/2023 & rated 90 points: Rather simple; some cedar and earth with light cherry-blackberry; light fruit; mild finish. (2900 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 6/8/2023: Wine Workshop: Chateau Margaux (Gabriel Kreuther): Really if I were picking vintages of wines from Bordeaux I think these would have been the ones since they seem to be all of the best ones and then a lot of my favorites that seem to be growing in popularity but don’t have the same level of press. Some years ago we did a horizontal of ‘86 and I always really appreciated that one and in that I quite appreciated the Margaux. Here the wine is a bit different esp coming on the heels of the 85. I get a lot more woodsy and wood spice and maybe a touch herbal. Fruit muted. There’s a strength too to this wine. Give it more time. (2566 views) | | | Tasted by Burgnick on 6/5/2023 & rated 90 points: In fact disappointing for a 86 Margaux. It lacked the Margaux perfumed nose and the fruit was slightly thin. (2286 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/27/2019)
(Ch Margaux Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (9/7/2017)
(Château Margaux Margaux, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 9th Annual Wine Dinner and Auction to Benefit The Mount Sinai Hospital (Feb 2012)
(Chateau Margaux Chateau Margaux St Emilion Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Bordeaux Horizontals (5/11/2009)
(Margaux) Login and sign up and see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, March 2008, Issue #19
(Chateau Margaux) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/16/2008)
(Ch Margaux Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Shanghai Nights (8/14/2007)
(Margaux) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2006
(Chateau Margaux Margaux) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Los Angeles Quarterly (10/12/2005)
(Margaux.) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/23/2002)
(Ch Margaux Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and JamesSuckling.com and Vinous and Vintage Tastings and The World of Fine Wine and Winedoctor. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Margaux Producer website - Read more about Chateau Margaux
Their second wine is Pavillon Rouge du Château MargauxRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Margaux Read more about Margaux and its wines As with a large part of the Bordeaux vineyards, vines first appeared in Margaux during the Gallo-Roman period.
In 1705 a text mentions Château Margaux . But we have to wait for the end of the eighteenth century and the coming of the earliest techniques in aging for the concept of wines of high quality to develop. The confirmation of this was the famous 1855 classification which recognized 21 Crus Classés in the Margaux appellation. One hundred years later, the Viticultural Federation and the Margaux appellation of controlled origin were born. The appellation, which stretches out over five communes, is actually unique in the Médoc in that it is the only one to contain all the range of wines, as rich as they are vast, from First Great Cru Classé to the Fifths, not forgetting its famous Crus Bourgeois and its Crus Artisans.
In Margaux there is a predominance of Garonne gravel on a central plateau of about 4 miles in length and one and a quarter wide. To the east-south-east, it overlooks the low lying land by the estuary. Its east side is marked by gentle, dry valleys and a succession of ridges.The layer of gravel in Margaux was spread out by a former Garonne in the early Quaternary. Rather large in size, it is mingled with shingle of average dimension and represents the finest ensemble of Günz gravel in the Haut-Médoc. It is on this ancient layer on a Tertiary terrace of limestone or clayey marl that the best Médoc crus lie. All the conditions for successful wine are present : a large amount of gravel and pebbles, poor soil which cannot retain water and deep rooted vines.
It is customary to say that Margaux wines are the "most feminine" in the Médoc, thus stressing their delicacy, suppleness and their fruity, elegant aromas. This does not affect their great propensity for aging; just the opposite, for the relatively thin terroir imparts tannins which give them long life. The other characteristic of these wines which combine an elegant vitality, subtlety and consistency, is their diversity and personality. Over and above the flavour which is their "common denominator", they present an exceptional palette of bouquets, fruity flavours which show up differently from one château to another.
Production conditions (Decree dated August 10 1954)
In order to have the right to the Margaux appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Margaux, Cantenac, Soussans, Arsac and Labarde, "excluding the land which by the nature of its soil or because of its situation, is unfit to produce wine of this appellation".
- satisfy precise production conditions: grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare).
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot
Soil: Gravel and silt plateau on a layer of limestone or silt on clay
Surface Area: 1,530 ha |
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