January 1, 2024 - Cork was soaked through however luckily the wine is in great condition. Bright and clear ruby with some browning at the rim. Quite fragrant, still has plenty of red fruits.. strawberry and cranberry? Hardly any cedar characteristics but has graphite and sous bois. Sensual in the mouth this is absolutely singing… worth waiting for!
November 21, 2020 - Medium ruby in colour. Pronounced nose intensity with developing notes of flora, barnyard, red fruits. Dry, medium+ acidity and acidity, pronounced flavour intensity and long finish. Whats surprised me is that I prefer 1985 second label of Chateau Margaux over its first growth 1988. I guess its bottle variation. No other explanation.
Did a Bordeaux 1980s theme blinded with 5 friends + 2 host. Total 7 due to COVID restrictions. The flight was mixed and not arranged so that all don't have a clue. () = my own score.
Blind Flight 1: 1988 Chateau Margaux (92 points), 1988 Cos d'Estournel (97points)
Blind Flight 2: 1983 Trotanoy (95 points), 1982 Pichon Baron (93 points), 1986 Lynch Bages (96 points)
Blind Flight 3: 1983 Haut Brion (98 points), 1985 Chateau Margaux Pavilion (94 points)
The result was mixed with 2 clear distinctive winners and loser. 1983 Haut Brion distinct winner while 1988 Chateau Margaux ranked last.
The final results were based on their own individual preference and palate as follow: () = my own ranking
#1 1983 Haut Brion (1)
#2 Joint 1982 Pichon Baron (6) and 1986 Lynch Bages (3)
#3 1985 Chateau Margaux Pavilion (5)
#4 1983 Trotanoy (4)
#5 1988 Cos d'Estournel (2)
#6 1988 Chateau Margaux (7)
For my own scores vs the final result, the only difference was that I prefer 1988 Cos d'Estournel more than 1982 Pichon Baron. For more notes, please refer to my other individual bottles.
July 16, 2019 - 🏅Rating 91+/100 (4,15⭐)
Fragrant, intense aromas. Nose offers bell pepper of Cabernet Sauvignon, pencil shavings. Menthol. Lily. Hibiscus. Complex elegance. Velvet tannins.
Good above average vintage, but fruit has already gone. Palate is rather weak, nose is charming and very much Margaux.
👉Drink now.
❓Label has no indication of Alcohol content.
📝Because the young vines did not produce the level of grapes needed to make a First Growth quality wine, the tradition of selling part of the production as a “second wine,” marked the official debut of ‘Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux’.
Prior to 1906, the wine was labeled “2eme vin,” to let customers know it was not Chateau Margaux. The first official vintage for Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux was in 1906.
🍇Grape varietals: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
October 27, 2017 - Bordeaux 1985 Grand Tour; 5/5/2017-10/20/2023: Agree with the previous review. This took about 75 minutes of air to really open up. Still quite some power, structure and acidity left but showing hints of tiredness. Colour was a deep, royal claret. The nose revealed its pedigree, but most of the fruit had gone.
April 4, 2016 - In my passive cellar since purchased. Neck high fill.
Make no mistake - this wine still had plenty of power. Not old or brown or wimpy. This was pure power and finesse. Elegant.
Full of jam? Not at all. Most of the fruit was gone.
Lean. Light in color. Essence of Bordeaux, it continued to open over the 3.5 hours it was open. I loved it.
March 28, 2016 - Solid
January 25, 2015 - Amazing freshness, balance of primary fruits, secondary and tertiary flavors, not super complex yet lovely layering of flavors, mid long finish. Drinks better than the 98 Mouton I had earlier in the year.
March 18, 2009 - Shorter on the nose and finish than I expected but this was probably down to the age. Gentle, full, mellow. Just enough acidity for me, but probably not enough for some people.
One of my favorite wines.
February 14, 2009 - Slightly too old really. Browning at the rim, full soft nose.
Fruits fading towards the middle, and the finish while strong, is shorter than I imagined it was.
Still delicious, without a doubt, and a very good wine, just past it's best. Sort of difficult to score.
April 30, 2001 - Wonderful! Complex and perfectly at its peak! Soft complexity and soft power at the same time.