Drank over a few hours at dinner at Benu. Classic left bank nose, tons of floral perfume and barnyard. The body wasn’t as rich as other Margaux’s I’ve had. Very feminine and light, and thinking other posters were right that it might have needed much more air to really open. But nevertheless, this is delicious, and I’m just nitpicking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The one with Old Bordeaux (Praelum): Quite unlike my experiences with 96. Then again, I have not had any first growths from 96. The opening bouquet on this was lovely, some sweet black plums, smoke, herbs and blueberries and while initially tightly wound on the palate, it opened up with good depth and strong fruit concentration on the palate alongside youthful exuberance - this will surely get better in another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a beast! PnP, enjoyed over three hours. Upon opening, still quite primary... Blackberry, plum. Some green pepper, slightly spicy, quite mineral. Cocoa, coffee, like a mocha. Layered flavor, evolving over the entire three hours. Forest floor and some tertiary note at the very end. Probably we finished up too fast. I think this can still develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Margaux Extravaganza: Margaux vs. Palmer vs. Brane over two decades (1996/2009/2015). Given the pedigree of the vintages, particularly for Chateau Margaux, expectations were quite high, but especially the last two vintages didn't live up to past performances (I've previously rated Ch. Margaux up to 100pts, Ch. Margaux 2015 up to 99pts, and Palmer 2009 98pts) at first. There were some overripe aromas that were too prominent and an uncharacteristic imbalance. Of course, Ch. Margaux and Palmer showed remarkable complexity and precision, but the balance was a bit off. Still, these are some good to great wines, especially on day 2 and with more air they got better and better. Ultimately, Ch. Margaux 2015 (96pts) was the winner with its unique aromatic profile, slightly outperforming the 1996 and 2009 vintages, both at 95pts. Brane and Palmer were a notch or two below, with the Palmer 2015 particularly affected by premature oxidation. I don't doubt the potential of these wines, given the many fine examples I had last year, but I wouldn't open them today.
TN: Very complex nose with smoke, layers if red fruit, some dark berries, floral notes, herbs , and lots of minerality. Very complex and precise. Same depth on the palate where the red berries and more floral notes are even more prominent. Some layers of red fruit showed a bit chemical. Surprisingly, there was almost no tertiary development at first and only with time some tobacco and truffle notes came forward. This is a highly elegant and fresh wine, with a lot of aromatic intensity and an airy structure. Today it is still a bit too young but, in a decade, this could be close to perfection, the substance is there and so is the structural frame. I've had this before (rated up to 98pts) and this was the weakest showing so far.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose is astonishing and has it all, but on the palate the wine is quite disappointing at the moment, still quite closed with brutal tannins. It will easily keep for another 50+ years.
I would not open another bottle sooner than 2030+.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Part of a Margaux appellation mini-vertical and horizontal comparing Margaux, Palmer, Brane Cantenac 1996, 2009 and 2015. The 1996 were double-decanted prior to the tasting while some of the 2015 spent time in the decanter. The wines were served single-blind in vintage line-ups. Unsurprisingly, Margaux came in first in all 3 vintages, Palmer in the middle and Brane last, expect in 2015 where I think we might have hit a bad bottle for Palmer. 1996 is coming along beautifully and appears to be in its prime drinking window while 2009 took a steep step down from its 10-years state a few years ago. For now, the 2015 appear to manage the concentration better (although Palmer was disappointing).
Tasting note: Scented aromas wafting out of the glass right away. Fruit of red cherry and blueberries, stylistically forming a sweet core, wrapped into a mineral layer of schist. Perfumed, floral top notes. Maybe just a hint of nail polish as the only point of contention. Amazing tension on the palate. Juicy with impeccable balance, soft structural tannin, satin texture and fresh acidity. A feminine and elegant wine but with flashy make-up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Margaux battle: 1996 vs. 2009 vs. 2015: - Immediately very open and polished on the nose, perfumed, floral, beautiful and intense blue fruit. Cinnamon, tertiary flavours are still in the background. We have as well coffee, plums, powdered sugar, vanilla. Very elegant. - Significantly more present than the Palmer 1996 drunk together. - Beautiful and multi-layered on the palate, extremely drinkable, smooth tannins, just amazing. The acidity is full there and everything is extremely balanced. The finish is a massive pleasure, very long. Outstanding bottle! - 96-97 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is lovely but still showing a great deal of promise rather than the heights it will reach. Black & blue fruit abounds, with a delicacy and sweetness that suggests far more to come. Despite decanting 2 hours before the meal, it needed at least another 2 hours in the glass to start to sing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 1996 Margaux continues on its slow progress toward maturity. While it's still not fully ready, it is most certainly an enjoyable drink today, bursting with blueberry, raspberry, Perigord truffle, fresh coffee, and pencil. This sits on the palate nicely, its biggish frame matched well by fresh acidity. The long finish suggests the promise of what's left in reserve. Drinking from 2026 on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Holiday Dinner - Mostly Bordeaux (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Wine 5 - Exquisite nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, a hint of strawberry, dark milk chocolate, cabernet floral dust, cedar and limestone. Excellent concentration, very finely layered perfectly ripe black fruit, sensual, almost weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, no noticeable tannins, and a seamless pure black and red fruit driven finish with a hint of cedar at the end. This is the best balanced wine of the flight. My guess is Lafite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This could hit triple digits in a few years. It continues filing out, gaining in complexity, richness, and texturally, additional layers of silk and velvet on the palate are the order of the day. This stunning wine is showing beautifully today, and while pricey, it is the best deal for a mature vintage of Chateau Margaux in the market today. Drink from 2023-2055.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deeelish! As good or better than the bottle opened two years prior. This thing is still holding strong and would have lasted many more years had I not been impatient to drink it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle showed some age. Lots of bricking. Nice big nose though. Lots of raspberry fruit, but also with secondaries like cedar, tobacco and leathery notes. I liked it but maybe lacked that first growth grandeur?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed at Gage & Tollner with Jenny for my birthday with steam and mushrooms, with some seared foie gras to start (which was too rich). Decanted for 2 hours beforehand and returned to the bottle.
A fully mature wine with flavors and aromas of leather, Forest floor and pencil shavings and earth more prominent that the remaining dark fruits and mint. Powerful - full bodied with a long finish - which made it a good complement for the steak. Tannins are fully integrated. Not a lot of acidity. Aroma was reasonably prominent but didn’t leap out of the glass.
Overall, a very good wine, thoroughly enjoyed, but not as memorable as I might have hoped.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
All four of us immediately recognized this wine during our blind "Summer of 96 Tasting event" - a classical and definitely a "once you must try this Margaux" vintage. Finds its spot on my "Repeat to Threepeat Wine Bucket List" and was the clear runner-up. Still youthful in your mouth hints to me a decade or two of longevity. No hurry to rush into this one though - love it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Workshop: Chateau Margaux (Gabriel Kreuther): Another wine where we’re fully in the place of needing more time to come together. This is bright and classic and even a touch of bramble and I was hoping that it might be about ready but there is something that just makes it feel a hint closed or at least not as brightly open and expressive as some others. It will come around. Lots of good pieces to it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
TOP SHELF WINE WEEKEND: Leather, burnt orange peel (or maybe I just think of this because this Margaux has an Old Fashion type of vibe to it), stewed Amarena cherries, forest floor, bark, and sherry. There is still some freshness clinging to life here, but it was surely held on by a pinkie. Air helped fan out some of the fruit for a hot minute, but the intensity bailed pretty fast once it peaked. An interesting bottle of wine that showed much more “youthful” than the 1983 Margaux next to it.
This is a smoking jacket and leather Barcalounger kind of dealio. So if that’s your jam and you are holding on to bottles, perhaps it’s time to bust off a cork, call the hounds to your side, and binge BBC’s Masterpiece Theatre (Yes, with a “tre” – pronounced “ta”) on PBS for a day or so (referencing the original 1970s Masterpiece Theatre; not the reboot that, like many reboots, should’ve probably just ended up in the busted pilot round-file bin).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Checking in on this again. This bottle seems to be a little more earthy/bretty than the last, but still nice on the nose. On the palate, this is great but slightly thin. Hoping some air will turn things around. Thinking it will last another 5-10 but trying to not judge this one particular bottle.
Flavors of dark red fruits, dried dark earth with hints of tertiary notes. Has a bit of olive notes in the background.
Seems kinda tired unfortunately.. not the same as when I had it with I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine some time ago. This still a freshness to it though. Might've needed a watchful amount of air for it to show well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Memorial Madness at Case de Chris y Melissa - Day 1 of 2: Ok, we are the right path now after coming off of the ’83. Notes of orange peel, a bit of leather and that smell from an older, well worn baseball mitt. Lurking in the back, there was still some fruit trying to come to light but the tertiary notes were just a bit too dominant. Thank you for letting us taste this Jason (IRBDW)!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Saturday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): This wine didn't show as well as I was hoping. It was a PnP and decanted immediately prior to consumption. Fortunately, it was a small crowd and I was able to revisit this wine throughout the afternoon and into the evening. I will start out by saying that counter-intuitively for such an aged wine, this baby still needed some air to really show any signs of life or for it to emerge triumphantly from its slumber. So if you are planning on opening one of these, I would recommend a 1-2 hour decant (or at least that much time to decant and follow the wine) or 2-3 hours slo-O.
This wine started out fairly fragrant on the nose, although not quite as perfumed as past bottles have shown. On the palate, the wine started out very tertiary with faded fruit present, but in the background. Later, with some air, the fruit came to the foreground, but still was outshone by tertiary flavors. It was a good showing, but not nearly as great of a showing as previous bottles. At this point, I will chalk it up to bottle variation. Don't get me wrong, this was a very good bottle of wine, but given the vintage and pedigree, and knowing its potential, this should have been more than very good....it should have been great! 93+ to 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Informal dinner, no notes taken. This wine was absolutely brilliant tonight. With a bit of air, this was the epitome of elegance, despite still being fairly young. So soft and silky but with lots of tension and energy, light and airy texture, absolutely perfectly balanced. While the nose was good and inviting, the palate was the real deal, highly layered and with laser sharp precision. What stood out for me was a strong, beautiful minty note I’ve never had in a Ch. Margaux before, and the fact that there is not yet much tertiary development. I’ve had this twice before and both bottles showed far more age (with loads of truffle and tobacco). So this was different but equally fantastic. Easily 97/98pts.
Decanting: A bit of air is needed, 2 hours should do the trick.
Decanted for 2 hrs, inky, black fruits, graphite, iron, lots earth, powerful nose with zen like mouthfeel, elegance elegance elegance! Will get better, drank with 01 Comte Vogue Musigny, 08 Rayas & 2011 Rousseau Clos Roche 96+
Drank with friends. Cork in perfect condition. Still purple in colour. Amazing nose of black fruits, jasmin, violets and a little earthiness. The palate was wonderful with integrated tannins and very long length. Softened a little as we drank over an hour or so. A beautiful wine and much enjoyed by all. Definitely in it’s drinking window. Very sad to see the end of the bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Easily 96 but youthful and may score higher with time. Unfortunately, I just savored the wine and don't have any notes. Impression, as well balanced and nuanced wine as I have had with years to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A Margaux at Margaux's Table (Margaux's Table, White Bear Lake, MN): Very dark red/purple color, fully saturated. Double decanted for 15 minutes. Drank a couple glasses over 2.5 hours. Well this turned out beautifully, but it too its sweet time to get there. Still on the youthful side, this definitely need the air to shine. Starts witha lot of soil and forest floor, purple flowers, number two pencil, cassis, huckleberry there becoming more enveloping and showing more crushed flowers, bright deep black and purple fruits, truffle and shellac. The palate was always two steps ahead of the nose and showing well from the start, though it improved measurably too; cassis, huckleberry, wood spices, truffle, clean funky earth, pencil, with this immense energy, depth and intensity. Fantastic - thanks Jason for sharing this. Air baby, air. 96+ to 97pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blind tasting of paired 1986 and 1996 Ch. Margaux at Fine Wine Experience. Slow ox in glass for one hour before session. Dramatic difference in the two vintages, perhaps an unfair comparison:
1986 tannins aged but not integrated, perhaps shielding any fruit as fruit and even acidicity blatantly MIA. Dusty and lacking despite being an obvious left bank claret (I guess Pauillac).
1996 seemed a striking, young vintage, very much alive, vibrant and calling out to the blind tasters. Tannins mellow but offering some grip. Fruit forward, almost. Ended up being WOTN amongst the 12 of us.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank on Feb 2023. Very smooth, balanced, nice finish, tanjns not overpowering but present. Will be interesting to compare over the years. Seems in it's prime right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking unbelievably young but so open and delightful. Classic nose of leather and dark red fruits, literally could have smelled this all night long. And speaking of long, the finish was unbelievable…. Such a treat and drinking so well but also will continue to evolve and for me will probably get even better. Drink or hold, if you have a good bottle you can’t go wrong.
Bryant's Send Off Party (Noreetuh): Silky, but the 96 acidity is very present. Less strong in showing that last bottle, decanted too short, but easily WOTN. 94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic '96 left bank with its chiseled character and very refined tannins. Still quite youthful with crisp acids and streamlined dark fruit flavors. Very finely-grained and fully integrated with a complex finish sporting notes of crushed rocks and violet spice. Somewhat overshadowed by the 2000 tonight but stylistically a different wine. A fresh, youthful bottle that should fan out with more age. 94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No poker night (Jason and Mariellen's house): The nose on this wine is killer. Pretty red fruit, minerality, savory bell pepper, slight anise and great tertiary notes, with mushroom standing out. Clear wine of the night if you don't count the 2009 Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine weekend in the Twin Cities; 11/10/2022-11/12/2022 (Where the frosty air is refreshing.. kind of): N: Clean and aged leather, some fermented notes, with beautifully dark and aged red fruits. Imagine if dark plums, ripe blueberries and strawberries can somehow stay fresh and last for years without spoiling or going bad. Rotted autumn leaves in soil, damp rotting wet oak in a good way, black mulch and a light veil of green pepper. The green pepper does integrates into the leather with time, becoming like a spiced leather note.
P: Graceful, deep red fruits, so intense yet elegant red fruit, beautiful. Subtly spiced bark, dark but finely powdered graphite. A touch of fermented notes from the nose. Steeped tea and a bit of aged leather on finish. With time, close to wilting dark red and white flowers appear, goes so well with the fruit and earth. The new notes of flowers are so beautiful.
Fruits are still so dark and good here but there’s an elegance and power to it, almost stoic if that makes any sense. This is in an amazing spot to me, where there's still beautiful fruit that is showing off its intensity while tertiary notes are slowly creeping up like vines on castle walls. If you enjoy fruit as much as me, drink before the tertiary notes completely engulfs the fortress that is pure fruit. That's not to say it may happen any time too soon but I'm also unable to tell when that may happen in the future.. so, good luck and have fun with that. I hope it's really down the line instead of sometime soon.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sorry, Not Sorry! No Poker on Poker Night! (Jason's House): This wine was singing tonight and could have dethroned the 96 Harlan as king of the hill....unfortunately, the Harlan did not want to play this night! Classic Margaux nose, so perfumed with lilac and purple flowers, plenty of red, purple and black fruit on the nose, some chocolate and some old leather as well as some earthiness and sweet tobacco notes. The palate was equally stunning with red and black fruit, lavender, mushroom, forest floor, leather, pencil lead, cigar and sweet oak. Very nice balance between fruit and tertiary flavors and both were equally prominent...in a perfect place for my palate! A phenomenal wine, and 98 points, tying my highest score to date! Will definitely need to do a face off with Harlan one of these days! The best Bordeaux wine I have tasted to date too!
A bretty mess for the first three hours in the decanter, and then fell into a thin, lifeless disappointing state from which it never recovered. A flawed or fake bottle, it seems. Too bad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 2+ hours. This bottle was not as exceptional as my last bottle (99 pts. 2+ years ago). It seemed like everything was there but not at 100%. Possibly the 1996 Margaux is now rather closed again. However, it was still a super wine. I will wait at least 2 more years before opening another bottle. 95 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purchased my first case in 07, drank #12 (2 hr decant) last night with RIA group for a 60th...Was astonished how Burgundian in style it has evolved over the years & how more perfectly balanced it has become with each passing bottle...The nose was a cacophony of aromatics with hints of sweet tobacco...On the palate, the intense cherry red fruits were singing in perfect harmony with a powerful grip that morphed into the most amazing silky finish that lasted for minutes...This wine could go for another 30 years! Near Perfection...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP This smells fantastic. Harmonious. Deep red fruit, tobacco, new leather, wet stone, and hints of vanilla. It’s pure silk on the palate. Medium body, medium acid and just lightly chalky tannin. What a treat. This wine will drink well for at least another 10+ years but it’s screamingly good right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perhaps a conservative score. Absolutely astonishing nose on opening, still some youthful fruit but showing nice secondary development. Beautiful rich and deep palate on PnP. Double decanted, further reporting in several hours with dinner.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a Wow! Such balance, such perfume of rose petals. Deep and intense palate, touch of tobacco and tar. Long and complex. Drinking now will last for decades.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking beautifully today, this has everything you could ask for in a great vintage of Margaux. Soaring, floral, tobacco and red berry aromatics, full, rich, concentrated layers of ripe, sweet, red fruits, silky, velvet-textured tannins and a long finish. This is simply great wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Marked as flawed as totally confusing wine - nothing like other ch Margaux I’ve enjoyed do much… this was a dull and lifeless old bordeaux. Could be an off bottle.
Not up to the ambitious standard set by some recent bottles of this which I scored in the high 90's, but still very rewarding. The wine needed significantly more aeration than I expected, and even after an hour+ in the glass still showed quite tight. The anticipated dark cherry flavor profile eventually emerged, with a bit more green than I recall from the earlier encounters. Well balanced and powerful, with a lush, velvety texture, but not an ideal showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
side by side with the 2007 dominus Pretty red ruby color Medium plus viscosity Nose is lilacs, wildflower, red fruit, tobacco, wet socks Pretty bright red fruit, black tea notes, terrific acidity, lithe and elegant, long persistent smooth finish. amazing WOTN
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Guys Night Out - Holiday Edition!: Splash double decanted 3 hours ahead of dinner - Wow....loved this wine! It made me wonder if this was better than the 1996 Harlan (I scored a 98, and my benchmark wine) I will need to do a taste off one day and see which is better! In the meantime, I scored this a conservative 97+
Nose showed layers of perfumed flowers, red fruit, some earth, some black fruit, some chocolate, some tobacco and some old leather. On the palate was layers of elegance! Red fruit, lavender, leather, forest floor, graphite and mushroom, wrapped in tobacco leaf and sweet toasty oak. A complete wine that is pleasing in every sense of the word. 97+ and that may be conservative. Mine and the group's WOTN.
A Guys Night to Remember (Jason's house): The nose on this wine is killer. Pretty red fruit, minerality, slight anise and great tertiary notes, with mushroom standing out. This reminded me of a Napa trip a couple weeks before, this is kind of what the best producers are going for and not quite achieving.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Guys Night Out: One to Remember - Heavy Hitters (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red/purple color with a 4mm edge. Splash double decanted; drank a glass plus over 3 hours. Oh my this has a pretty nose, thoroughly engaging in the purity of the perfume of black and blue fruit, truffles, violets, dried flowers, sweet herbs, and blood orange. The palate is full bodied and layered with the same gorgeous fruit, truffle, lavender, damp earth, graphite, and round, well modulated tannins on a stimulating finish. This is vibrant and bright with great lift and acidity. Outstanding, unanimous WOTN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very elegant with a knockout nose. Great texture on the palate, with a layer of ripe cherry fruit and nice acidity on the finish. Great complexity you only find in first growth Bordeaux. Drinking excellent right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, and drank over three hours. Wow! What a wine! WOTN. Powerful, and not as silken as expected, and as a result I thought it was a Pauillac and not a Margaux. Looking forward to drinking the second bottle in a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
More classic than the ’95 with great mouthfeel and super-refined tannins that need another decade to soften. Tannins are stubborn but this will be great in time. Doubled decanted 5 hours before consumption and needed longer. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Charleston VI; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Left this to my last flight mostly because it was the flight I was most excited about and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. Lovely and plush and velvet in the glass. It's darker than I'd normally think - more dark fruited than red. A hint of green. Lower acid. Mouth coating. But drinking very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Group Dinner #187, Harvey's Restaurant, Brisbane. Purchased ex-cellar from the Chateau in 2015 this bottle opened perfectly with a still deep crimson colour and a lovely lifted nose of violets, black and red berry fruits, dark plums, dark chocolate and cedar. The palate is intensely flavoured with a quite strict linear structure that persists beautifully with a Pauillac like austerity. This is a classic expression of cabernet from the Margaux appellation in a vintage that was marked by quite structured wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
NYWE savory black cherry aromas with hints of bell pepper. Dark still chewy structure and nice dark fruits. Nice flavors and spices add real complexity. Very well made and balanced. A more refined example. Doing eRly signs of maturity.
Challenging vintage with rain and cold followed by hot, then rain again. Turned out rain came at right time. Really freshned the wine. Shows the superior terrior. There was a lot of worry before picking, but turned out great.
blind For me perfection. Still on the primary side, starting some tertiary aromas but in the background. Juicy, fruity, but with a lot of ripe tannins. Some hint of dark chocolate in the end. My guess was between Margaux and Mouton 1996. 100 without discussion. Decanted for 3 hours and drank over 3 hours.
82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Decanted around 6 hrs. Paired with grilled tomahawk steaks, mashed potatoes, and creamy cold pea salad. A little more fruit-forward and acid than 1995. Not necessarily better than 1995, just a bit more "fresh". Dark fruit and hints of tea. Well integrated. A touch of black slate and anise on the finish. Really nice.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dégustation Open Dreamer Style chez Simon B: Servi côte à côte avec le 1995 celui-ci était moins expressif et semble demander encore quelques années avant d'atteindre son apogée. Plus compacte et moins souple que le 1995. Grand potentiel malgré le fait qu'il ai souffert de cette comparaison.
95-97 pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Even better than when I tasted this from a double magnum almost 6 years ago. A very solid cork, limited seepage. Sheer class from the moment uncorked, with rich red currant and ripe red berry notes along with a touch of cinnamon spice. Plenty of structure. The texture was lovely, silky but also evidencing fine grained tannins, seamlessly. There were fewer tertiary notes than I recalled from the earlier tasting.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great nose, classic, florals, perfumed, softening black fruit, smoke, graphite, mineral, dense, chocolaty, faint forest floor / damp earth. Palate is sweet and chocolaty too, texturally soft but still has plenty of fruit and strength. Elegant edges and silky. Lovely all around. 94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The previous note by grand amateur describes my experience, although the bottle was drained within 2 hours. Damn this was so seamless, elegant and so complex. What a true pleasure to drink and one of the greatest wines I have ever had.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened 6 hours before drinking. Tasting nice at that moment, but not overwhelmingly so. Decanted just before drinking just to separate from the deposit. At that moment, it is sooooo long, great, complex, with a haunting nose. Beautiful, ethereal mouth. Still some tannins. Long (Very). I am so happy it did not turn out to be brett like another bottle of the 2 (6 b.) cases I bought "en primeur". Kind of sweet, like most beautiful old clarets. Beautiful wine. So complex. Long. In the top 20 of my life (I am 60). Indeed, a very successful Cabernet Sauvignon. An understatement. One hour later. Still perfect. So subtle. Bravo! One more hour later: So smooth. Complex. Enticing. Superb fruit. Tannins nearly gone. Day after: The decanter smells very nice, red fruits, no sign of decline.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sadly no formal note as this was a relaxed setting. Drank alongside a Latour 2000. The Margaux was far lighter and far more delicate, floral and elegant. Everything you would really expect stereotypically when thinking about the two. The perfume on the Margaux 96 made it a more enjoyable wine in my view. Just delightful. Drank at DC
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
45th Bday 1934-1999. When Diamond Creek is weakest of the night (Zoom): I would say this was the most youthful of the night with the most upside. Very dark and opaque. I have seen 2005s that look younger. Classic Margaux nose but trading some of that floral feminine quality for a bit of rustic earth. A little bit funk appeared after several hours. Fruit is brooding; plum, currant, dates, black cherries dirt, tree bark a little green pepper. The palate is incredible. Still showing tannins that need to resolve. Plenty of acidity, more than any other in the flight but delicious and long. 96 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super Bowl 2021 (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): 94+ Dark core with brick rim; more open nose than the last, boxwood, red currant, a bit youthful and 1-D, cedar, good core of fruit, tightly wound acids, barely into secondary character, red fruit, very long and nice wine; '01 Lafite?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted. Very shy at first. After 1 hour still reticent and lean. Really needed 4 hours to fully open up. Worth the wait. Nose still quite restrained, palate beautiful, subtle, complex, mouth-coating, tannins fully integrated. Black fruits, cassis, tobacco, a little spice and violet. Approaching perfection. *****
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Why is it that Chateau Margaux is so often heralded as a superlatively elegant wine? Because it often has a gentle floral note? true, but it’s always big and structured. Because it was really elegant in the pre-Ginestet era? perhaps, but lots of chateaux were more elegant renditions of their current selves prior to the 70s. Because “elegance” is sometimes the positive spin on the bevy of light-ish Margaux commune wines that underperformed for so long (many of which are admirably striving to better themselves) and that attribute must be epitomized by the king of the commune? I’m not entirely sure, but since Margaux’s rejuvenation in the 1980s I have admittedly not found it a particularly elegant wine.
So why the long preamble? Well, I’m not sure it’s helpful to cling to that notion that success at Chateau Margaux *should* be linked to this notion of a diaphanous, ephemeral wine. If you insist on that, the 96 Margaux might fall short - but if you don’t, it’s really quite nice. Best after about 4 hours of air, the 96 Margaux shows what I think of as a typical Ch Margaux nose, full of sweet raspberries, pencil, cedar, a touch of acacia, Ethiopian coffee. The palate is quite concentrated with almost painfully intense pencil shavings. The loads of tannin here can distract a bit from the long, pencilly finish but time should rectify that and while I readily agree this is muscular I wouldn’t call to corpulent. I do admire its integrated alcohol and good acidity. Ideally, forget about these for another 5-10 years.
not blind decanted for 5-10 hours, undestroyable. Still the fruit notes are dominating. Black currant, black berries. some cedar wood and beginning tobacco. at a great stage now and for the next 30 years. 99-100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ok a 96 for a 96. Ive scored two diff Margaux @ 100 and this one may get there. I mean that because it was youthful, and I would’ve guessed it to be more like mid 2000’s. Slightly lighter edge but no bricking really. Medium garnet color and translucent. Medium bodied. Polished tannins with good acidity. Cedar, dried autumn leaves, rose petals and chartreuse on the nose. Cedar notes, cassis and black cherry on the palate. A little tobacco leaf. Elongated savory finish, very signature there. It’s awesome. Highest recommendation
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a difference a day makes - strange because wine had been coravin’d night before so theoretically not breathing. Suddenly the wine had more freshness/lift and depth. The fruit was there, the complexity was there but all within this beautifully feminine wine. A really special wine experience - a thing of beauty. Classic dark fruit and soft savoury secondary notes - cigar, olive, cedar. Now this ‘pretty thing’ also presented with character and allure.
Colour deep crimson with some drift to cherry. Little age showing - perhaps a degree more translucence. 1hr+ decant. Very classy, very feminine, very approachable perhaps slightly linear experience. For me lacked a little depth and complexity - lacked a ‘wow’ factor. Gentle black and blue fruits hard to detect tertiary flavours. Ultra smooth perhaps a little closed. Super pretty and stylish but just lacking character/personality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
M&PD Zoom Tasting: Bordeaux (Zoom): From the very first sniff, this is just textbook Bordeaux. As John says, "straight down the fairway." Tobacco, cedar, some horse. I would guess that is is clearly Pauillac but also with heavy Montrose/St. Estephe elements. As it turned out, I was totally wrong. This was my 1996 Margaux, and it was a stunner! It shows an amazing interplay of mineral, earth and stern fruit. At first it seemed more black, but now it is showing more cranberry and red elements. Really clean, pure, almost austere but stunning.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Killer nose of forest floor, wet tobacco, mocha, cassis, plum, prune, smoke, etc. etc. Mouth is silky, med. body, finely structured silky tannins starting to resolve, in balance, in a great mid-life period right now with tertiaries just starting but still shows classic Margaux/Left bank character. Really nice and absolutely perfect with the small piece of breaded filet mignon. Oo Toro in Walnut.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A small gathering at Jailbreak Brewing Co. (Jailbreak Brewery, Laurel, MD): Perfectly harmonious yet incredibly expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe intense black fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry concentrate, ink, licorice, perfume, lead pencil and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense opulent black fruit, incredibly density, silky, polished and detailed, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, very fine tannins and a seamless intense black fruit driven finish that easily lasts over a minute. It seems to gain weight without losing the perfect precision, which is hard to believe. The resemblance to the older brethren is uncanny. Although it remains very youthful, simply perfect!
After having Chateau Margaux at least some 20 times I just continue to be utterly surprised this is a premier cru. I am in the ridiculously luxurious position to have enjoyed premiers crus from 1959 Lafite to Mouton 1982 etc and will testify those as legendary but never had a single Aha moment with this Margaux. I had Palmer 1983 next to this. Both bottles were opened well in advance: Margaux was a shadow of Palmer. A correct wine for sure but never close to the 600 euro bottle value. Palmer on most occasions is a personality, Margaux is your next door neighbor, and uninspiring. I wonder how many tasters would recognize a Margaux blind when in a line up with Palmer, Pichons or Montrose of top vintages.
Close to the sweet spot, this sexy, sensual, silky velvet-textured beauty has it going on. Concentrated, full-bodied, intense, balanced, long, fresh and complex, it is hard to find a better wine. There is so much pleasure here, it's impossible not to finish your glass and fill up for more.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted two hours in advance. It started off slowly but as it unfurls it expresses its wares, and delivers a masterclass of what is so special about top flight Bordeaux in general and the Margaux appellation in particular. Such poise and such perfect equilibrium it has an initial attack of black tea, lead pencil, and black pastille fruit, and then as it opens up tobacco, incense, lavender, violets, Margaux berries, rosemary & thyme, mineral and crushed rock; it is seamless albeit with stern acidity, with such precision as it unfurls and relentlessly gains in richness, layered intensity and complexity. At the same time it is dextrous and light on its feet. Still holding a little back in reserve this will continue to gain in stature and complexity over 5-10 years, but it is more accessible than Mouton and Latour 96s and compelling now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2+ Hour decant and this wine really opened up. I recently had a 1996 Latour and feel they are neck and neck. I'm sure this one will hold up for many more years but don't feel bad about opening one now as it is drinking quite well already.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My favorite wine of the evening, still showing tannins at 24 years of age, great character, I would wait 4 years before considering again, drink 2024-33.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I could definitely get the Margaux terroir here with that violet spice thing on the nose and palate but this remains a very structured Margaux in need of further aging. The wine is full and deep with loads of acidity balanced out by the rich flavors of black and blue fruits. The texture is velvety but also crunchy at the same times as the tannins are still very prominent here. Great precision and refinement and should be incredible in time. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 3 hours. Nose of rosemary, cedar, saddle leather and black Currants. Lithe and acidic palate, still closed and tight. Drying finish, medium tannins and moderately structured.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A small impromptu dinner - 08 Champagne and Chateau Margaux (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Incredibly sophisticate classic Margaux nose displaying intense fresh black fruit, crème de cassis, crushed blueberry and black berry, licorice, incense, sap, rose, lead pencil, cedar and crushed rock. Perfectly harmonious sensual palate, unbelievably layered pure black fruit, silky, detailed and weightless, bright acidity, strong mineral, beautifully integrated very fine tannins and a seamless long black fruit driven finish with crushed rose and rock mix at the end. The most sophisticated and delineated Margaux of the flight that flirts with perfection.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Don't have the notes. It was a dinner night with many many great wines yet this stands out as one of top 5. I recalls it has succulent black and red fruits, layered with notes of mushroom and wood. A wine of great depth. It stayed in the mouth goes on and on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
deepish red-purple color, cedar and violets on the nose, cassis, the cedar presence from the oak is nicely integrated coming in pebbled little bursts like the violets but the overall intensity is a bit distracting from what is normally a very genteel and feminine wine, on the palate fairly open but still somewhat primary, very pretty, cassis, red fruits, dill note from the oak which- as on the nose- is well integrated but more of a presence than I consider ideal, smooth and elegant despite the large scale imparted by the vintage, fine long finish, drinking well but I think a good bit of development is yet to come.
**(**), 2025-2040+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second and last bottle. Only a short decant this time which made it feel fresher. Youthful deep purple core with ruby edge. Light nose of library leather and tobacco leaf. Palate of muted blackberry with a midpalate of redder fruit and finish of tobacco. At times a little monolithic on the fruit with some medicinal notes emerging. Showed better than the prior bottle and classic but not the fireworks reported by some other users. Drink now with short decant. 93-94
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Initially floral nose and milk chocolate pebble palate. The wine closed in the decanter and re emerged somewhat later. Next bottle will just pop n pour. Score withheld.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Newport-Chanler 1 hour decant I was going to write a detailed note but found the RP note absolutely spot on. here it is.. " It offers everything you desire from this First Growth. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation and freshness on the nose, understated at first and then blossoming with mineral-infused black fruit, hints of blueberry, crushed stone and violet. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, a wine where everything seems to be in its right place. Blackberry, crushed stone at the front of the mouth, just a touch of spice towards the finish that shows supreme control. This is a Margaux that seems to light up the senses..."
the "understatedness" at first glance is truly what sets this wine apart from the 2nd. growths. The wine is coy and just shows a glimpse then reveals more and more flavor and nuance as the minutes roll on. It literally does NOT plateau. Just amazing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is pure magic, even though it was not as expressive and intense as a bottle I had two years ago (no CT review). The two highlights: A) The very high complexity with the whole spectrum of primary, secondary and tertiary aromatics. B) The softness, femininity of the wine which makes you wanna drink it by the liter. This seems to be at a first peak but I didn’t get the feeling that it will deteriorate anytime soon. 97 to 98 points today.
TN: Lots of black truffles, dark fruit, meaty notes, ashes on the nose. Not as sharp and as fresh as it could be but still a solid 96 point nose. Sensational on the palate with black truffle, farmyard, leather, tobacco, lots of dark fruit, red berries, floral aromas all embedded in a ultra-soft structure with the finest tannins and a perfectly integrated acidity and a medium+ length. 98 to 99 points for the palate.
Decanting: Decanted for roughly 2 hours and that was fine. Got a bit more expressive thanks to the decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted Blind. This ranked #2 behind the ‘90 Haut Brion. Nevertheless, this was a close second. This is the first time I’ve had this wine where it was showing it’s stuff. My prior two tastings of ‘96 Margaux it was closed and in a dumb phase. Not this bottling... high toned, big & brawny but also very refined showing itself to be finally entering its drinking window. I would still wait 10 more years to allow it to come out of its shell more. Nevertheless, this is greatness in a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2h decant. Los of precision here with unique forest floor and brushwood, slightly meaty too, black tea, mixed forest berries and blueberries. Over time even some minty and herbaceous notes emerge. On the palate a finely knit texture with mushrooms and lots of red berries. Tannins completely molten into the structure. Light like a feather, broad range of aromatics, sufficient acidity to provide freshness. This immediately shines in the glass. In a perfect drinking spot right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
really drinking beautifully right now. the nose was ethereal and the fruit and back end minerality was as good as it gets. one of the best Margaux's of any year i have ever had
No decant. Should have, But one of the other members at the party claimed this wine was old enough and needed nothing. I did not want to argue or sound pompous but I just poured myself two glasses and set them aside and let them percolate on their own. Amazing nose on this claret. . One of the best that I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. On the pallet dark black fruits were so well integrated with the Tanic structure. A very pleasant medium acidity kept this wine in perfect balance and made you longing for your next. Most definitely opened up over an hour and a half window in the glass. Also I found a bunch of sediment in the bottom of my glass at the end of it. Another reason this beast needed to settle in a decanter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Recently tasted the 2nd bottle of this magnificent wine over the last 3 years: What a delightful development.
While it had been sort of shut down in 2016, obviously whilst still showing up very nicely - it is turning into a stunner these days: Subtlety, elegance and complexity are no longerdismantling delicious fruit and forest flavours. Velevety mouthfeel complemented with a firm yet never austere structure that only the greates Bx will deliver. Finesse, mulit-layers aromes, long finish: This will bump into 100 points for sure, if you give it another 4+ years. You'll have to look for the greates Musignys and La Romanees to find am match in Burgundy - yes, and 1-2 DRCs will do. :-)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was my first tasting of 1996 Margaux and now I believe the hype. This wine is one of the most complex and balanced wines I have ever had. This wine has a beautiful floral nose including violets. I could smell it all day. The best way I can describe this wine is that It has everything that anyone could ever want in a wine. It has balance, complexity, acidity, ripeness without being overripe, structure with room for further aging and a long long finish. Dark cherries, violets and tobacco Captivate the senses. This may be The best overall wine I’ve ever had.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lucky enough to be able to have two bottles of this in the space of 18 hours. Each time with three hours decant the wines showed pretty identical and consistent. A true classic Bordeaux thoroughbred left bank. Some barnyard, library, and then a great acidity that all top Medoc 96s share together with some blue fruits. Lovely showing here and probably will be better with 5 years plus more bottle age. But already drinking with a decent. Reason this didn’t score higher is that a DRC RSV99 somewhat put it in its place in my absolute ranking and hence 96+ here. It is in a way a faultless wine however.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank with some big hitters 78 Margaux, 78 Las Cases, 85 Lynch, 97 Rayas, 13 Opus, decanted more than 2 hours, dark, pure ink & irons, heady nose, layers of complexity, soaring aromatics, opulent, young, be perfect in 10 years time, one of my wotn with the 85 Lynch 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
There is no doubting the quality of this wine. I brought it (from afar) to drink on NYE and it certainty didn't disappoint insofar as power was concerned. Primary fruit dominated the nose and palate with a left-bank sensory overload which could've been mistaken for LMHB.
All in all, trying too hard. Ch. Margaux shouldn't - and doesn't - have to. I'll give this another shot it ten years time but, until then, will enjoy the '83, '85, '88, '89 and '90 which are all singing now.
See you in 2028/29 mon cherie
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First, rib eyes at Centro DSM on Sunday night with a very generous friend. The 1996 Ch. Margaux (served blind) was, in a word, dazzling. It possessed a quality that the greatest wines seem to share, which is an underlying power cloaked in an almost weightless form. To this tippler, not quite so well versed in Margaux, the perfume came across rather Pauillac, which was my initial hunch. A decent amount of lead pencil. The silky texture, on the other hand, led us back to Margaux. The wine was evolved enough to very much appreciate, yet I suspect it has decades of life remaining. It was very hard to put the glass down.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sublime! This was by far the best bottle of wine I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The nose was oak and cigar box. Blackberrys and black currant were the most prevalent flavours. The finish was so, so long. Honestly bliss in a bottle. I am not sure if wine can get any better than this. I think this is at the perfect level of maturity, colour is barely starting to fade. No signs of bricking at all. Easily good for another 20+ years. Today I give my first 100 point rating. Wow!
100
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Holiday dinner at Annie Gunn’s. Stole the show. Sent this note to Dave Sokolin to describe.
It was ideal. Coloration was barely waning. A nice dark garnet slightly lighter at the edge. Sexy silky texture, perfect tannin for the age with medium acidity. Nose was cedar, mocha and cigar box. Fruit was ample. I would call it black currant and black raspberry. The thing about the wine was the finish. Easily 1 minute maybe 130. I would give it 100 myself. Highest recommendation.
Wonderful wine of great year! Pity that it was rated side by side with 96' Latour. 20200310 Another great performance of Margaux. 94+ 20200806 stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Perfect fruity and floral integration. Juicy, delicate and silky. One of the best Bordeaux. 98+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stunning! That is the only word this tasting note really needs. But for those that like more detail, this is intensely concentrated, opulent, silky and fresh. The fruit is perfectly ripe, pure, sweet and offers lift and length. Elegant from start to finish, this has entered into maturity, but there is no hurry to drink it. I am sure the 96 Margaux will provide pleasure and positive evolution for at least another 25-35 years, if well stored.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vertical blind tasting. A very complete wine. Expressive and complex nose of cloves, cigar box, cedar, very Margaux. The palate is fresh and elegant, yet dense at the same time. WOTN of this tasting.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Out of magnum- big and burly with firm tannins, this needed 5+ hours in a decanter to start to reveal itself. Very deep flavors of dark fruits along with notes of rich earth and violet spice. Finishes powerful and intense with great depth and complex spices. Everything is poised for greatness here but this wine, especially out of magnum, is going through a period where the tannins are showing fairly rigid and grippy. 95+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose on this is from another world with this incredible floral/violet thing with dark berries and pure Margaux earth which I know but can’t describe. Firm tannins in the style of the vintage with fabulous material underneath. Just great flavors of rich smokey black currant, eucalyptus and charred oak. There is a silky but chiseled texture that is thickening up as it approaches it’s window of drinkability. This is a big-boned Margaux with tight tannins but also great class and refinement. Spell-binding juice and this could be perfect down the road when the tannins let up a bit. 96+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine left me speechless and in awe at how good Cabernet can be. With the silkiest texture imaginable, with the most intense and aristocratic interlacement of incredible flowers and black and red fruits this elixir possesses an out of this world finish that technically lasts a couple minutes but will in fact stay with you forever. I have tasted other vintages of Margaux like 2006, 1995 and 1990 and this description fits with every one of them. For me personally this wine goes to 101 and is the greatest of all the Bordeaux chateaux, if not the greatest in the world.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
this showed very well versus a 96 latour side by side. this was feminine, floral - more violets and pretty notes - the mouthful was so smooth, full and delicous - and a long seamless finish. the latour in contrast had more tobacco and pencil lead notes on the perfume - but was a bit disjointed in the body - tannins and finish were a bit harsher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep brick red with a ruby hue. Lovely age on the nose with leather, dusty, mushrooms, dried cherries and a little dirty diaper. Medium tannins (6/10) and full bodied. Layered palate with notes of dried cherries, leaves, forest floor and truffles. Long finish. Drink till 2045.
Château Margaux vertical dinner (Taberna Del Alabardero): What a gorgeous wine! Paul Pontallier's notes on this vintage are so on target to the bottle we enjoyed this evening: "The Cabernet Sauvignon has seldom achieved such a perfection of style and such good balance," he wrote. After the 1995, the nose already seemed to exude such ripe but such cooler fruit. The palate? Far more finesse than the 1995, which seems a bit “hotter” on the palate - going back and forth between the two. In this flight of three 95-96-99, going back from the charming 1999, the 1996 has riper mint aspects, and riper earth, too, as it shows touches of tertiary. The texture is oh so smooth and nuanced, and the finish lasts for at least 40 seconds. Pontallier ended his notes for this vintage as "a dream of a Margaux". I agree.
Chateau Margaux dinner with Thibault Pontallier (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): As expected, it flirts with perfection. Perfectly harmonious and precise nose displaying decadent yet pure black and blue fruit, crème de cassis, crushed blackberry and blueberry, cornucopia of flowers, subtle perfume, lead pencil, cedar and limestone mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, pure, precise, detailed, silky and polished, very finely layered cool black and blue fruit, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, incredibly fine tannins and the finish that resonates over a minute. IMO, the 96 Margaux, Latour and Lafite represent the epitomes of classic Bordeaux. It is drinking perfectly in a very youthful way but will improve another decade or more.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clean and classic nose of herbs, dust, cedar. Still in the beginning of its drinking window. Almost more Pauillac than Margaux. Very finely grained and precise on the palate. Exquisite balance. I would wait 10 more years if you want the tertiary aromas to show. However, if you like them fresh and clean, now is a good time to try a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear, deep ruby; clean medium nose of lily and violets, cassis, cedar, cracked fall leaves, wet soil and sweaty saddle leather; dry; full body; high tannins, high acidity; pfn with addition of tar and licorice; long finish that highlights saddle leather; big wine that somehow seems clean and light; fabulous
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Château Margaux Vertical (Chef's Club NYC): Intense bouquet that has pen ink and violet florals. Graphite. Classic Margaux blue fruit and perfume nose. On the palate this has a medley of red, black, and blue berry fruit, nice punch but still well balanced. Great now and have to think this will keep adding nuance and texture for a long while. A consistent classic I always enjoy, and always find it outperforms the '95 side-by-side.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted about 3 hours and really needed it. It was pretty closed down when first popped with a little barnyard, but after sitting 3 hours in the decanter had opened quite nicely. It continued to blossom for another hour and then was consistently great for the next couple hours until it was gone. Recommend about 4 hours in the decanter next time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Magnum. Tasted blind. First sniff it was clear. Aged, high quality Medoc. Nose of spices, earth, dark fruit, complex. Medium bodied palate, still lively tannins and acidity to support the body. Long finish. Great, aristocratic stuff. Very nice claret, early drinking window from this format at least.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
While still on the upswing, the class and strength of this wine were obvious from the first taste. Will drink best in 3 to 5 years but easy to drink now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The fill was into the neck and the cork was pristine; opened about 2 hours before service, but not decanted. Perfect in every way imaginable. A beautiful purple core, turning to ruby at the rim. Ethereal notes of lily, blackberry, plums, and campfire, with hints of truffle. On the palate, medium-bodied, with layers of flavor, perfect delineation, velvety mouthfeel, and incredible focus on the long finish. Wine does not get better than this! A pleasure and privilege to share with Nicole on our anniversary.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the essence of why Bordeaux is a reference point for wine. Love it. Very approachable now but no hurry - this will work in 20 years as well. But why wait....?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lunch de Noël des anciens de C&S 2017 (Restaurant Prince): Immédiatement reconnu comme un vin du Médoc, puis de 1996, je me dirige ensuite vers Pauillac, en raison de sa bouche droite et longue, qui montre puissance et concentration, une structure bien construite que j'aurais placé davantage sur un Lafite par ex. C’est encore un vin très jeune, qui affiche longueur et profondeur d'un premier cru, encore sur la réserve. Grand vin et le meilleur reste à venir. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Sampler Xmas Icons 2017: Medium body and still vibrant and bright. Classic Bordeaux nose, graphite and black currant fruit, very lovely indeed, just starting to show some developement. Mouth filling fruit, but so elegant. Gentle fine tannin provides a little texture and grip. Long finish. It’s a cliche, but this is real class in a glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Outstanding Margaux that balances power with the elegance of the Chateau. Deep ruby red color, decanted and aerated for an hour then drank over 2 - 3 hours. Real style here. On the nose lots of cassis, red berries, perfume, flowers, sweet tobacco. Entry on the palate is quite delicate then works up tremendous power and energy mid palate, with tannins well coated by the power of the dark red fruits and a very gratifying and precise long finish to the wine. One of my favorite 1996s. 3 bottles left!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened at White's in London. 1996 First Growth Dinner.
Beautiful bottle of Margaux, and alongside the Lafite were clearly the best performers of the night.
The palate here was as good as the Lafite, going down extremely smoothly yet providing beautiful complexity and structure to contemplate. I felt like the nose on the Lafite was just a tad better - but this was still a wonderful expression of Margaux. Slightly more red fruits coming through than I expected, but that was very welcome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well I thought the last glass was good but this is one is "special" particularly smooth and sadly too easy to drink - sadly for my head in the morning xxxx
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1996, a fantastic year for Bordeaux, this blend drinks smooth and beautifully balanced. blackberry fruit and spice balance this wonderful first growth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mivvy Back in Town: Blind. Oak, blackcurrant, earthy, cherry, some flint, pencil shavings and roses. Really impressive fruit depth on the palate, this is rich and full and works well when paired with the strong tannins - it tastes youthful but there is obvious complexity to it. Has plenty of potential to continue improving from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking perfectly now, but needs some air. After 30 minutes, started to open and sweeten up. After a couple hours, everything humming. I put some gas on 1/4 bottle, sealed and evacuated the bottle. Two nights later, finished it and the wine was divine! Decant for at least an hour, but I'd slow ox it for a couple hours, recook and let it sit overnight to really make it shine. I'm looking forward to the other 11 bottles in my cellar!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On its own, this is a fantastic and noble wine. It had the misfortune of being served in a flight of First Growths that also contained 1989 Haut Brion, 1990 Margaux, and 1990 Latour (voted wine of the flight!). I have a soft spot for Margaux. These are elegant and regal wines. They have great poise - both the 1990 and the 1996 showed this in spades. But they are not wines of masculine force...that was the Latour...and that was the preference of the tasters on this night. This wine shows young, but not undrinkably so. Quite enjoyable with a top USDA Prime cut of steak.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fantastic Margaux of great depth and purity. Served along side a 1996 Chateau Mouton Rothschild and a 2007 Frederic Magnien Chambertin-Clos de Beze. The Margaux was like a fan dance that kept showing layer after layer of beautifully balanced, rich dark fruit. It was liquid velvet.
About 2 hours of air, and this really exploded into everything you were hoping it would be. Rich, silky, plush, polished, and fresh, with layers of perfectly ripe, sweet, opulent fruits that tasting and felt great were impossible not to enjoy. This is really getting close to optimum drinking here.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 3 hours. Sexy nose of tobacco, violets, green peppers and subtle forest floor. While this is clearly still in its first phase, it is not a young wine. The nose is nicely developed and has none of the fresh black currants and leafy young notes. On the palate it is medium bodied and extremely well balanced, almost "boring", i.e. nothing sticks out. Very polished with sweet tannins, perfect clean fruit and balancing acidity. The real surprise comes when you sink it. The finish is racingly long, and you taste every corner of the wine on the palate, as if it was still there. Beautiful. Drink a bottle now! Keep some for 10 years!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Margaux 1996 - no doubt that this is one of the best Margaux produced. Still so young that seems it was bottled yesterday. The nose enters with red fruits, cassis, currant, pencil lead leading to a beautiful, fine and classy palate very delicate, velvet, filling the mouth in perfect balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious. Less expressive aromatically than 1996 Latour last week, cassis and flowers, no tertiary scents. Very fresh and balanced, no hint of heaviness. Surprisingly, more concentration and length than Latour.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
[Magnum] Classic bouquet including violets and ripe blackberry fruit. Perfumed but restrained tonight. Large format lent to a more primary showing with less development and complexity than experienced with past 750s of this. Very elegant and understated. Silky tannin already though.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well, this note is going to sound strange. Drank early at a New Year's Eve dinner, opened and decanted as my cocktail (rather than champagne). Loved it; very balanced, nuanced and elegant. But later in the evening had a big, fruit forward 2010 cal cab with main course and just enjoyed the flavor so much it made me re-think the bordeaux "elegance." Know it could be disparaged as a "fruit bomb," but now I don't know. Anyway, choice is always a good thing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Once in a while, everything comes together perfectly in a wine and a dinner and an evening. With no prior plan, we brought this, friends brought the 2000- divine guidance? The 1996 was magnficent, and maybe leaves the question- what's a 100 point wine - one I better answer soon, since 70 is around the corner and I risk getting some of my wines by IV eventually. Back to the Margaux, drink one if you have, makes friends with someone who has if you don't. Not to be missed, can't provide the words to characterize, this is why first growth Bordeaux has little to look over its shoulder at when you want magnificence in a wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Courtesy of Francophile1's never-ending magnanimity. Rated 96 for where it is now, but no doubt this is on its way to 100 points in about 20 years. Great marriage of power and elegance which only rarified terrior can achieve. Certainly a more masculine Margaux, indicative of the strong vintage for Cabernet. Decanted and over the course of the evening the wine was unrelenting, providing a peek at its potential but not budging one bit. Great one for the cellar if you don't yet have it.
While the '82 Pichon Lalande is a tough act to follow, the '96 Margaux did not disappoint. This is most definitely a 100 point wine, but in the future only because it needs more time in the bottle to evolve. Nevertheless, this is one of the most balanced wines I've had in a while. The nose is singing and the finish goes on for over a minute powering through the tannin. Everything is in perfect harmony & order with this wine. Decanted for an hour and consumed over the following three hours. This is a wine for the ages and it will most definitely warrant a 100 point score with 15 more years on it. I look forward to tasting it again, but not before 2030. Incredible wine!
Had this at La Trompette in Chiswick side by side a Leoville Las Cases 1990. Thought it was a good time to sample this at the 20 year age mark and after NM just awarded it a perfect score in the 20 year retrospect. The wine is perfectly made, statesmanlike, very correct and pure with a lovely saline finish. The high Cabernet % in the wine is evident. This is at the (very) early part of its drinking window and will last another 3 decades easy. Ideally you probably wait for this for another 5+ yrs to come out of its shell a bit more. Lovely. Albeit it was in my eyes not superior to the marvelous 90 LLC drank alongside. And I think it may just lack that 'little something' to ever become a truly perfect wine in my opinion / for my taste. 96-97 points for me based on NOW and 98 on the undoubted further potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Coravin, what a lovely glass for a lazy Saturday afternoon. Let it sit for an hour. Lots and lots of cedar and blackcurrants on the nose. Still has quite a young feel to it, very structured on the palate with fruit aplenty but tannins also still noticeable. I would not call this silky or velvety, rather it has complexity, intensity and a decent length. I find myself reaching frequently for the glass to try to pick out the layers of flavours, it really is lovely I may have to poor another glass....
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1996 Bordeaux Blind: Lovely bouquet here with rustic earth-driven aromas, actually quite opulent. Tannins have grip but this is the best balanced of the first four. Quite precise on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank in Hong Kong What an elegant wine. Nose of cassis, forest floor, raspberries, pencil and cedar. Elegant smooth palate with a long length. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
BLACK CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, AND A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKBERRIES, LICORICE, AND CURRANTS IN THE FLAVOR. AMAZING COLOR, COMPLEX, LONG FINISH. SIMILAR NOTES WITH 2/08 TSTG
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1. cru Chateaux Haut Medoc 1996 horisontal - Wine tasting dinner (At home): Lots of tannins and not as velour-like as expected! On the other hand less intense than Mouton Rothschild '96. We started with Margaux and after that Mouton Rothschild. Going back to Margaux was a pity for Margaux as it disappeared in Moutons very high flavour intensity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At 67PM: wow! though not an obviously wow wine - the qualities here were its cool coal flavour profile, sharp focus, chiselled, amazing finesse - very special
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful bouquet with cassis and other dark forest fruits, beautiful oaky flavors and caramel. On the palate a still youthful wine, with beautiful dark forest fruits, luxurious oak, cedar, firm acidity and still slightly sticky tannin. Young maturity stage now, but there is still future and room for improvement. 95 – 96+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
With bottle age, every wine turns out different. While still a stunning tasting experience, this bottle was not as ostentatious as other examples. Young, fresh, full bodied, silky and with great, purity of fruit, it lacked the expressiveness found in the best bottles.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A fantastic Margaux in the making, but for me this needs to be left for at least another 5yrs (ideally 10!). At the moment it is a reticent ball of fruit - more dark fruit than mature Margaux - and yet to develop the aromatics I look for (violet, etc). However, it will come - the structure and stuffing is absolutely all there. At the moment this is more like a cross with ripe-vintage St Estephe. I'll crack open my remaining bottles from 2025. 97+pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gave it a 2 hour decant but still took another hour to open up fully. This is starting to drink beautifully now. Nice floral notes on the nose with earth and dark fruit thrown in. Beautifully balanced with soft tannins and a great mouth feel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My favorite from the bunch tonight; classic Margaux nose, aromatic, floral, sandy, and lots of currant, a feminine masculinity; palate is still quite structured, piercing fruit, great acid; seems like it needs more time to flesh out just a bit; really good, wow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decidedly the wine of the night out of '95 and '96 First Growths. A huge nose that initially head-faked Pauillac with forest floor, lead pencil, loamy soil, and soaked leather, but later gave off more floral perfume and medicinal aromas. Some sweetness on the palate with great boulder / river rock minerality. Rich red berry fruit throughout, never tart. Interesting notes of acrylic paint appear later on. Tannins are melting in perfectly. Just awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An Outstanding Array of High-End Wines at a Charity Dinner (Fairmont Miramar, Santa Monica): From a double magnum, decanted for 2 hours. This was all silk and rich fruit, along with the early appearance of some secondary, earthy notes of mushroom and cedar. Chewy and refined at the same time. Soft tannins. Impressive structure and a nice finish. 20+ years ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
open for business. Fully mature dark ruby/ garnet, clean with minimal sediment. Deep brooding nose of dark fruit and cassis on a spice box stage.
Seamless broad complexity and open-knit power. Years of terrific drinking ahead.
If a date, this was a 40 year old former lingerie model turned neurologist who can discuss dozens of topics over the course of a dirty weekend at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons. Easily loved and admired, but not easily forgotten
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely silky ripeness from the nose through to the palate and rich finish. This was served at Château Margaux about 2-3 hours after opening, and was at first still tight and firm. With some of Hélène Darroze's amazing food it opened up and really blossomed! Lovely wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Silk and velvet tannins, ripe, pure, fresh, sweet, vibrant fruits, a perfume of violets, tobacco, cassis, blackberry and earthy notes and a finish that does not quit. What more can you ask for? This is close to ready. It is going to get better and better for a long time, but at close to 20 years of age, this is starting to enter its prime time drinking window.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
高达99分的酒评家分数使得我在挑选96波尔多时自然地关注到了玛歌。如此实力的波尔多使得我在侍酒时也颇为大胆，在中午11点开瓶透气，原瓶瓶醒近9个小时后倒入醒酒器，在醒酒器中待了一个多小时后入杯饮用，后来证明长时间的醒酒对于当晚的表现大有裨益。蓝色和黑色浆果香气充盈杯间，铅笔芯和杉木香气提醒我们它仍是一支经典的左岸波尔多。单宁精细有力但绝不剌口，酒体细致复杂，超长的回味令人击节赞赏！显然这支酒仍属青年，可轻松陈年数十年。总体而言这支属于玛歌的经典之作，一派端庄雍容之气象，从波尔多的角度诠释了优雅！Candidate of wine of the vintage! 转自kimiburg
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great wine, interesting back to back with 1995. At thus stafe 1996 a bit more flamboyant and open, but 1995 may have a bit more promise still. Violets, great structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rød med vandig kant. Solbær, jordbær, lær,te på nese. Lag på lag i munn: følger opp nese i tillegg til pepper og noe vanilje og paprika i bakgrunnen. Konsentrert, tanninrik, frik men ligger som fløyel i munn - lenge. Fremdeles ungdommelig og har et langt liv foran seg. Ble bedre i 4-5 timer i glasset etter åpning før den begynte å tape seg litt. En fantastisk vinopplevelse!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Verticale du Château Margaux: "Un nez de cabernet!" ai-je d'abord écrit spontanément. Séduisant avec ses notes de prunes, de mine de crayon, de cèdre avec quelques accents fumés. En bouche, un corps moyen, il joue admirablement la carte de l'élégance, avec une texture crémeuse, beaucoup de finesse, une finale saline qui s'étire longuement. C'est un vin complet, le plus aérien du groupe, un grand vin qui s'impose naturellement sans rien forcer, comme un grand diplomate! 97 pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine doesn't get much better. Decanted for 2 hours although I tried a glass upon pop too. Magical aroma of flowers, chocolate, lead pencil, red fruit, but it just had something different. This was not Bordeaux, it was magical.
The palate is just insane. Silky smooth. Supremely balanced. It's drinking wonderfully now but will last for 2 decades or more.
Finish last forever.
The only reason I don't give 100 is that i bet this will be better in 10-20 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Whoa! This exactly the mind-blowing perfection your senses conjure up when you are lying in bed thinking of your favorite encounters with Chateau Margaux. Pure and clean with minimal sediment, this wine is fully mature at age 18
The rich nose of boysenberry and dark fruit leads to an explosion of layers and seamless fruit which sail on and on forever.
If a date, this is a highly educated 30 year old 36-24-36 bombshell who takes you home and makes you reconsider your entire life of sexual escapades as being minor and somewhat insignificant to that point.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The flamboyant 1996 is another momentous Chateau Margaux. It is endowed with a lavish deep ruby core and exuberant aromas of blueberries, chocolate, led pencil shavings, damp earth and cigar humidor. This hedonistic concoction spoils the palate with its incredibly soft texture and perfectly integrated, well polished tannins while revealing delicate, yet pronounced notes of wild raspberries, burnt tar, caramel, kirsch and creme de cassis. And as one may expect after such a high display of refinement and finesse the endless velvety finish is yet another stunning quality of this truly outstanding wine. A marvel with a long and bright future ahead of it still. Enjoy it over the next twenty-five years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Trelio with the fellas (Clovis Ca.): Had along with the 89….this 96 was drinking really well! Great balance, yet still quite youthful. Beautiful earth spice perfume….elegant, darker berried fruit than the 89…..complexities of leather, wood spice, pencil shavings, graphite powder, dusty earth….soft and silky. Wonderful!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted also 3 hrs, deep red, nose of cassis, cedar. Extremely balanced in mouth, more than four-squared, perfect acidity gives freshness but melt in nicely with fruit. Typical floral aroma of Margaux that is unmistakable. Plush and really lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
As part of a Nashville Wine Auction charity (www.nashvillewineauction.com) tasting dinner with Paul Pontallier of Margaux we tasted 2 of each 2004,2003,2003,2000,1998,1996,1995,1990,1989,1988,1986,1983,1982,1982, 1975 There was some bottle variation. My pick for best of evening was the 1996 (and i must mention: how does one really pick a best from so many great wines??!!) Paul added "this wine epitomizes what Margaux is, the wonderful nose, the complexity, the softness, the finish" I completely agree. It was a perfect very feminine wine which contrasted with the 1995 which was also near perfect yet was more masculine. 1996 is drinking spectacularly. Enjoy!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good ruby colour at its core, with a clear ruby/garnet rim. Very aromatic straight off the bat. Lots of cedarwood and a hint of breakfast tea, dried black fruits intermixed with blackcurrant and star anise. Lots of complexity here. The palate's more backward than the nose would suggest. The vintage's character shows through a lot here, particularly in the tannins which are firm but very fine. A much more masculine version of margaux than normal. Good concentration and plenty of freshness. The wine tastes much younger than the nose would suggest. A more fresh blackcurrant character coming through. The wine was quite cold on opening it will be interesting to see how much it opens up as it comes to room temperature. A long finish. Tasted at Koffman's restaurant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A profound Margaux at its prime. Ethereal, complex and intense nose with notes of maturity, noble leather, florals and herbs along the cassis and cedar notes. Silky on the palate with long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Secret Dinner with 9 Chateau Margaux Vintages (Grande Bretagne Hotel, Athens, Greece): A majestic wine, and my choice if I had to open a bottle for New Year's Eve. Knock-out, etheral nose of pronounced florality, noble barnyard scents, cedar, damp earth and cassis. Med+ bodied, balanced, refined, very complex with textbook structure and length. Liquid poetry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours. Deep purple, almost inky in colour, with no bricking noted. Condition of the bottle was immaculate and it showed. The nose was soaring straight out of the gate, with florals taking the forefront, accentuated with dark fruits; blackcurrant, blackberry; cedar, spice, and a touch of graphite. The nose is still relatively primary at this stage, but beautifully perfumed. On the palate, this wine shines; such beautiful structure, perfectly balanced, showing medium acidity, moderate silky tannin and a tremendous depth of flavour and purity. Finishes quite long, with tastes of flowers, dark fruits, earth, spice and a touch of cedar. Based on this tasting, I would wait another 10 years to open another. While this still gave immense pleasure today, its finest days are yet to come. Classic even today, but eventually, this will merit a near perfect score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1996 Horizontal Tasting (David's House - Kitchener, ON): Liquified flowers.....that is what this wine is. I haven't had a wine this floral since the 1983 Chateau Palmer from magnum. So floral....violets, lavendar, cedar, spice, vanilla, black currant, cassis, leather and a hint of earth. Palate is so pure and focused....plum, cassis, flowers, raspberry, cedar, leather, spice, blackberry and lavender. Finish is singular....yet so complex all at the same time. This is in a tunnel of flavour, power and complexity that just explodes in sheer complexity and power. Love this wine....awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Wine Nerds do Christmas Dinner (Dave' Place - Kitchener, ON Canada): This is a gorgeous wine that is deep and rich. I can't help but think that it has more to give down the road though. It pours inky dark with zero bricking and features very deep dense youthful nose that is driven on purple fruit and purple flowers. Nose is of lavendar, blueberry, blackberry, licorice, cedar and other mixed florals. Dave said liquified flowers and I get that. The palate is so perfectly polished with loads of lush dark fruit. Everything is in the right place in this gorgeous first growth. The acid and tannin are immaculately balanced and the texture of the tannin is remarkable; velvet, sweet and ripe. Should age gracefully for many many years. We're catching some of the early appeal here with full maturity perhaps another 20+ years away. An amazing wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tons of cherry creme on the nose, bright exciting fruit on the palate, softer less tannic than the 95 but showing a bit more rusticity on the finish with an earthier tone, but still very pure fruit, very nice wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needs decanting, like 2 hours to develop and open up. Post that its just a recital of balance and elegance, very much a cab sauv wine ( 90% in this vintage) , white pepper, dark fruits, light floral. Very primary still. Great acidity here. This wine will reach its peak in 10 years we think and will stay there for a bit of time. 95 today but the future is for much higher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured at an engagement party. 18 years does not provide enough to go without decanting, should benefit from another 5 years. Regardless it was an amazing bottle, the fruit was vivid and lightly perfumed, couldn't take it away from my nose long enough to sample it. Wish I had a few more, certainly lived up to its pedigree.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big wines @ La Fleur (La Fleur): Excellent nose. very floral, dark fruit with lots of minerals. taste very nice. smooth very well rounded. still quite fresh. dark fruits, minerals, lead. Tannins are very fine and well integrated. great aftertaste. with medium to long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mineral, old leather, pencil lead, and aged fruit. Not what I like in a wine but I could appreciate it. The group was split between this and '07 Quilceda Creek Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Now we're talking my language! Packed with licorice, coffee bean, coconut, cassis, blackberry, earth and floral characteristics. Intense, concentrated, long and powerful, this still young wine will really turn on the charm with another 5 - 10 more years in the bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lazy Sunday group Holiday dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): The 96 Margaux is a great wine, a classic claret with perfect balance and harmony. Expressive nose of black fruits, cassis, lead pencil, flowers and earth. Seamless from the beginning to the end, beautiful polished fruit expression, silk and sophisticated palate and nicely integrated tannins. Still quite primary yet all the components are in perfect harmony. One of the most sophisticated classic clarets that are consistently flirting with perfection. Perhaps the Chateau Margaux version of the 90 Latour. Long life ahead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My goodness! I've been saving this one for years and it did not disappoint. At first there was a pleasant nose, but there was almost no mid-palate - it seemed a little awkward. Let it decant for about 3 hours, and it had changed significantly - now there was a deep, complex powerful nose and the wine was bursting with flavor. HOWEVER, it wasn't until about 4.5 to 5 hours in that the wine showed its true pedigree. It was now exploding with new and powerful scents and tastes. This is a true legendary Bordeaux, and a real treat for anyone who is fortunate to experience it. (with TF Nov 14)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 3 hours. Drank over 2 hours and saved a glass for day 2. This is a big serious wine and didn't budge on day 2. Deep dark fruit, leather, dark tobacco, a bit of vanilla, black current. Nice sweetness on the palate. Very long, deep and structured finish. For my taste this is extremely young and coiled and needs another 10 years to open and round out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
G6 (Kevin): Black in color. Perfumed nose of blackcurrant and Asian hardwood. Tastes of blackberry, cherry, currant, and cedar. Deep mid palate complexity. Medium bodied. Beautiful elegance on the long finish. Simply Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perfect cork and fill. Poured into glass and consumed over 3.5 hours. Still youthful in color with almost no bricking. A glorious complex perfume immediately flows from the glass immediately after pouring. Bordeaux elegance comes to mind with the floral and red fruit spectrum in the forefront with some black fruit, fine tobacco, soil tones, and cedar box in the backdrop. Beautiful essence of Cabernet Sav.
While the palate was a bit watery initially it really opened up after the first hour. The medium bodied palate feels like it caresses every part of the tongue. Tannins, alcohol, acid, ripeness...all in harmony. Slightly darker fruit profile than the nose. Subtle, very fine tannins and minerals coat the mouth after the favors subside. The finish, while not explosive, really carry a lovely cherry and mineral element at least a minute after the wine leaves my mouth. This should continue to develop more secondary nuances over the next few years, but there really is no reason to wait, especially if you like more primary characteristics. It's amazing how the tasting notes are so diverse about this wine but nearly everyone says it's amazing, despite tasting totally different things. If you're expecting a modern, thick, rich, super-ripe, in your face, fruit and oak bomb, you might be disappointed. Terrible value at current prices.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
After a string of perfect bottles of Margaux, this particular bottle was good, but not great. And definitely no performing at the level it is capable of. It seems to lack the polish and precision normally experienced in this wine. Once again, with the passage of time, there are no great wines, just great bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with my previous notes. It’s in a great place right now, and drinks beautiful! Very balanced and layered, just lovely! 97 points again for this beauty. I want more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Château Margaux Masterclass, Paul Pontallier and Alexandra Mentzelopoulos (London): Good concentration, still looks young. Big, bold nose, making no excuses, developed and broad shouldered. Cassis, beef blood, warm earth, manure... smoke and quality tobacco. Very complex bouquet, ripe, gutsy. The palate is ripe, very fleshy, with integrated tannin. Hallmark old school Claret approaching its peak. Long, balanced finish. The nose suggests otherwise but I actually think it needs another decade or so. There's still room for the palate to fill out even more. Ready on the nose, but not on the palate. 97-99/100? Time will tell. I felt an urge to try this with quality food... it was almost unfair to judge it on its own, naked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Margaux Masterclass with Paul Pontalier (Decanter FWE, The Landmark hotel, London): Colour shows a bit its age. The nose in a way remided us of the 2008, with minty, floral elements, herbs. Beautiful nose. The herby notes continue on the palate. Blind we could even think this was an 80s wine in a way as the style is very classic and has more than a few secondary notes to it. We could go on and on here but this is a magical wine. Nicol 97 / Andreas 95
Paul Pontalier said this wine was the first to push the grand vin to 90% cab sauv (96 was not such a great year for merlot) and for him th enose of this wine is the essence of marguax.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This beauty concluded an amazing line-up of wines from the Chateau Margaux stable. And it didn't disappoint. The nose is just stunning, with wonderful notes of cedar, tobacco, spices, mushrooms, chocolate and sweet fruit of course. Still a lot of grip, great balance, silky mouthfeel and supreme length. An exceptional wine, very elegant, subtle, drinking perfectly now, but with many years ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Shared by a friend and was slightly "heated" during a power incident, but turned out to be quite alright in today's tasting event; also 4+ hour of air time in the bottle first then 30 min in the glass prior to tasting; the nose was so rich yet elegant like baskets of black cherries and various berries surrounded by bouquets of roses and violets; wait a second, did someone pour honey, cedar shavings, tobacco leaves, and truffles over those flowers and fruits? on the palate, full-bodied; much more approachable and enjoyable than the 1986 tasted alongside; cassis, green and red apples, dark cherries, mixed berries, caramel macchiato, exotic spices, and whipped cream; very creamy, round, and velvety, more so than Pichon Baron 1996 tasted last year; the finish was still tannic yet very long almost like forever; overall, wow, a very amazing wine; drinking very well at such a young age; 96-97 points for now, and will definitely benefit from more cellar time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
half-bottle- soft, elegant, so much finesse. tannins were well-integrated, good amount of acidity present, everything in perfect proportion. leather, mushroom, ash, a little vanilla, just delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic, what great wine should be. Great flavors off the top, lots of complexity, long finish. Didn't tire the palate, either. I understand the description of "elegance" with Margaux, especially in comparison to other "blockbusters." Great stuff, drink anytime, but no rush.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An astoundlingly perfect wine. The fill was well into the neck and the cork was pristine; double-decanted 2.5 hours before service. A purple-ruby core, turning to ruby at the rim. An intriguing and exciting bouquet -- I was perfectly content to just smell this beauty -- with complex and extroverted scents of cassis, plum, white truffle, lilly, campfire and crushed stones. Medium-bodied, with velvety, ripe and round tannins; incredibly expansive on the palate, with layers and layers of flavor; otherworldly precision and life on the finish that must have lasted for over a minute. A beautifully elegant wine, yet will certainly last for decades -- this remains (along with the best bottles of '82 Pichon Lalande and the '90 Montrose and '90 Haut Brion) as the finest bottle of wine that I have had the privilige to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
All Five First Growths Tasting (Kevin's (Minneapolis)): A hammer lock for wine of the year! Amazing and the groups wine of the night! Blueberries, coffee, chocolate, leather and minerals. Complex and wonderful perfume to this wine. Decanted 3 plus hours and it never lost a step in the glass for over 2 more. Long finish and young wine. Wine of the Vintage?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big Bordeaux IV: All 5 First Growths (including '96 Margaux, '95 Mouton and Latour, plus '89 Lynch Bages and more) (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Dark purple color. Decanted for 5.5hrs and drank 1 glass over 2+hrs. Absolutely stunning. I believe this to be the finest wine I have ever enjoyed. This wine really defies accurately describing the experience and sensation of drinking it, but I will try. It is sex in a glass. Beautiful, alluring, tempting, elegant, soft yet firm, everything you dream of in a perfect wine. I'm not sure what perfection is, but this as close as I think I have come, and it is hard to imagine anything more. The nose is simply stunning and offers a gloriously complex perfume that wafts out of the glass and makes me just giddy. Perfume does not do this justice, a cornucopia of florals, creme de cassis, black and red berries, forest floor, leather, tobacco leaf, and more. The palate is complex, layered, extremely elegant, cassis, blackberry, vevety tannins. The wine is impeccably balanced, power, depth, and elegance and has a finish that is 90+ seconds. I can't write some of my notes, so I will just say OMG & WOW. My & group unanimous WOTN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A truly magnificent wine this is! Had it blind, and immediately had it down as left bank Bordeaux. My guess was a 95. This wine is just fantastic, with a great nose filled with stable tones, cedar, graphite, leather, cigar tobacco and great soft expensive fruit! Simply a nose to die for! Surprisingly developed already. Its drinking extremely good. On the palate its silky and complex, with layers of great, great, dark deep fruit and very good acid in a perfect seamless balance. The tannins are very integrated and soft. I had this as my wine of the night! Need to find a couple of bottles of this truly great wine!(97+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Notes from a blind tasting. On the nose we have a fantastic box of flavors that hit you in the face and it screams out "I am a quality wine from Bordeaux", brilliant! Stable, cedar, tobacco and a hint of cassis.On the palate is the taste quite long and nice with a hint of well hidden tannins and some dark fruits in the aftertaste. ("A taste of France")Some minerality well integrated with the cassis. The length is not as long as expected, but very harmoneus. A brilliant wine which I can put my nose into during a whole evening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Margaux vertical dinner with great whites and 2007 Rayas (Ruth Chris Tysons Corner, VA): This has been one of my favorite Chateau Margauxs along with the 00. Very cool fruit expression, fresh blackberries, cassis, lead pencil, mushroom and anise. The palate is incredibly silky and suave, almost weightless. Tom mentioned the stylistic change from the 96 to the 00 and the 03 which seem more fruit forward. This is incredible youthful but drinking beautifully in primary way. This is truly a classic claret with the perfect balance and extremely long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby color with no signs of fading. Beautiful nose of violets and dark fruits with notes of graphite and spice. A big, brooding wine with deep black fruit flavors and hints of eucalyptus and minerals and a wonderful floral lift. While this is a young and powerful vintage of Margaux, it's incredibly refined and elegant and the tannins are firm but so pure and fine. As with many of these '96 Left Bank Bordeaux's, there's almost a chiseled character to the wines as in a sharp knife cutting through granite. The finish is already complex but there is so much more to come here. This will last forever and I now believe it will ultimately be one of Margaux's finest vintages ever. 97+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Early Mar 2012, Chateau Margaux tasting (22 different vintages) at the Rheingau Gourmet Festival: rubin red color; smoke, tobacco, coffee and restrained red fruits; full body; extremely tanninic; long finish.
Great, great, great! Another star in the making. Already at an extraordinary level the 1996 Margaux will rise eventually even up to perfection.
Flight III: 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 2000
Monster flight: 1995, 1996 and 2000 Margaux performed on the same quality level and it's very hard to pick a flight winner. However, I would choose the 1995, simply because he's the most mature one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Some great wines: Alcohol :: 12.5% Deep ruby core with garnet hue. Oh my, is this a perfume? The aromas is heavenly, absolutely fantastic and seductive. Highly complex, perfume and intense aromas of cedar, cigar box, tobacco, graphite intermixed perfectly with blackberry, creme de cassis, mint and violet. With more air, pain grille note emerged. Such lushness, freshness on this wonderfully balance and delineated Margaux with haunting inner perfume of floral and sweet dark fruits that filled up the mouth immediately after the first sip. Everything is in place, harmony! Excellent drive, incredible intensity yet so weightless, endless layer of succulent dark fruits, savory meatiness, cigar box, roasted herbs and secondary nuanced of earthiness all integrated into the firm but polished structure, along with the medium level of silkiest tannin for the lush, elegant mouth feel that finished off with superb length that lingering with juicy mineral, sweet dark fruits aftertaste. Long life ahead with great upside potential. Incredible! 95-97
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Top year in Bordeaux. Top winery. Top price. In the bottle is a simple red dry table wine. Tasted blind. Among friends, this wine was ranked last out of 10 Bordeaux wines from 1995 and 1996 by all 5 testers. Even if I don't make any friends with this, I still maintain that the mass of good ratings for big labels comes from the fact that the tasters know what they are drinking.
Beautiful dark ruby color with a nose of violets and ripe dark berries. This has beautifully ripe fruit within a structured framework and it will be years until it's ready but you can taste the potential. Quintissential Margaux perfume with firm but carressing tannins. Much better than the '86 which although made in a similarly firm style, cannot compare to the purity and balance of this '96.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Ripe fruit stands out to start on the nose with big oak and spice elements. Dense and very muscular on the palate that mostly seems to have good textures and good overall balance, other than some heat on the finish. Also, tonight's four1996 1st Growths were served in new glasses that all seemed tainted by an odd combination of dust and soap residue, making them hard to fairly assess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing deep ruby with bricking at the edges on the color, this stunning Chateau Margaux is filled with complex aromas of Cuban cigars, truffles, flowers, spice, ash, blackberries, tobacco, cassis, stone and fennel. In the mouth, the wine gushes over your palate with sensations of sweet crème de cassis, tobacco and roasted cherries. The silk and powerful finesse finish remains on your palate for over 60 seconds. This is already starting to show well at 15 years of age. This special Bordeaux wine has the fruit and structure needed to continue developing for at least another 20-30 or 40 years!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
drank this with my wife for our anniversary at a very nice dinner at Royce restaurant at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, CA. decanted for 2 hrs, initially tight but began to open up with time, very nuanced, great nose, structure and impressive balance. Drinking quite beautifully and surprisingly soft now but still young, with nice tannins and structure to last another 15 yrs minimum. overall, was expecting a more explosive finish than what I got, the Margaux '05 I would clearly rank above the '96, but still quite nice and impressive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blind Wines (Paprika): Poured blind in a flight with 2000 Cos d'Estournel, a pair of Sassicaia's, and a California cabernet, all of which tasted kind of New Worldy to me. I had this down as my favorite but I can't say I loved any of them at least in terms of current drinking. This is very richly fruited stuff showing essentially no development whatsoever for its 12 years in the bottle. It's not bad and I had it down as my favorite of the flight mostly because it seemed a bit better proportioned than the rest, but it was still pretty much a one-note wine. If you're looking for a first-growth experience out of this it seems likely that if it's destined to happen at all it's at least two decades away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Incredibly youthful with primary cassis and ripe dark fruited flavours seasoned with cedar, tobacco and violets. It's very polished and elegant after a lengthy decant, conveying power with a sense of restraint and impressive length - lovely right now, but still a very young wine with a long life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Extraordinary and still young. Lots of blackberries, currents, cedar, and sweet tobacco just layered and layered in an intense, focused, deep package that just keeps giving an giving. It's seamless and intense. It has structure and terrific balance throughout with lovely acidity on the back of the palate and the lengthy finish. This is drinking beautifully now but don't feel you have to rush to drink it any time soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Inky saturated cork. Deep ruby core paling at rim. Very young in appearance. Nose of resin, meat, cedar, leather, cassis, oak, violets. Highly perfumed and concentrated. On the palate the tannins are very apparent, some liquorice, cassis. The high cab sauv content is apparent, very little merlot plum or softness. This is one to keep and to give time. Tannins softened with a couple of hours in the decanter. Overall quite elegant and concentrated but still too austere to approach. It will be nice to relax with in 2020!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Marvellous, stupendous and outstanding. I'm flabbergasted for words! Truly one of the greats. At opening of the bottle, nose was already promising of the delights to come with earth, sweet tobacco and dark red fruits initially but with decanting, opened up to a bouquet of roses, sweet tobacco, strawberries, raspberries, black currant delights. Deep crimson color, barely some signs of aging and great density in the wine. Full bodied, pure silk upon entry, then covers the palate with layers and layers of dark red fruits and strawberry compote and a long lingering finish. A truly impeccable wine, the nirvana an avid wine lover like me aspires to achieve. This wine is now fully open for business.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Massive, brooding and aggessive. Thisnis out of a half bottle Very tight and subdued aromatics on opening. Splash around (back and forth between glasses) 12 times before it began to even release a little of the margaux perfume. After about an hour open, it began to slowlybopen, revealing beautiful elegance and fruits I just need to wait 0 years before opening another
Black cherry with cherry rim; nose of perfumed cassis, orange blossoms and lavender; pfn with pronounced black fruit; incredible finish; big mouthfeel; slight touch of tar on the midpalate; outstanding wine - worthy of hours of rumination
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A magnum bottled opened up at Christmas, enjoyed next to a Harlan Estate 1996 (750 ml). Almost equal in taste, the Harlan won best of the night, with that added je ne sais quoi! Both were very enjoyable. The Margaux, had a great earthy bouquet, deep redish/brown hue, with a full on Margaux taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted two different bottles tonight with consistent notes. Both had double decanted and sitting open in the cellar for roughly 3 hours. Fragrant dark red currant, cassis, and plum on the nose with cedar and some earth notes. Powerful and full bodied on the palate, the fruit was a touch shut down with a good bit of minerality in the foreground. Expansive on the palate with great acidity and a long finish. Still quite a bit of tannin remaining.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
For me this was more a wonderful exercise in a "classic Margaux" than it was a truly extraordinary wine. The classic inky purple, the fragrant flowers and fruit on the nose were tantalizing. The mid palate yielded rich ripe blackberry and cassis, vanilla and wonderfully silky, warm tannins. The wine is still a little backward, and one can believe it will be even better in a couple of years. In the great years, I find this wine has a far more intensity to the fruit and an even sweater and silkier tannin feel. Perhaps this is due to the lower levels of merlot in this years blend.
Overall, unmistakable a wonderful wine, a real classic year for Margaux, but just short of an extraordinary effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great nose of both floral and barnyard. It is a big wine on the palate with still lots of tannins and acidity. The fruit is still taking a backseat, but there nice black cherry notes and a touch of spice. Great body that reminds me of the '00. Really should let this sit another 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perfumed pleasure. We decanted for two hours and savored the rich purple pure class in a glass. Full bodied with aromas and flavors of blackberries, cassis, and lovely flowers delicious layers filling the mouth with gorgeous fruit and a long lingering beautiful finish.Heavenly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Full bodied exquisitely balanced. Decanted for two hours while we drank a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Rare Millesime 1998 at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia. Opaque, deep and rich purple color, elegant and graceful aroma. Complex yet always retains the pure style that makes this wine special. Notes of blackberry, cassis, and vanilla support the layers of fruit that envelop each sip.The floral scents leap and soar through our senses and the innate sweetness reaches to our core.This wine lasts forever in the mouth and mind.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent wine. Although still very young, it is mature enough to give off that sexy, sweet yet slightly reserved character of a fine Chateau Margaux. The most complex of the vertical so far (beginning with the '06), there's a wealth of blueberry, blackberry, cassis and a wallop of black licorice as well. The tannins are still prominent so patience is required. There's not the density and concentration of the very best vintages even though it is a clear winner. Better to let it sleep another decade (or two).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened at 10 am, decanted for 4 hours, rebottled and brought to an Acker BYO auction at the Oak Room. Well balanced with great floral nose, vanilla, cocoa and strawberries on the palate. Nice long finish with a touch of acidity. This is a much bigger wine than the '95, more akin to the '00. This is a classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Commanderie de Bordeaux (Rittenhouse Hotel (Lacroix)): A beautiful purple color, turning towards ruby at the edge. An off the charts bouquet, particularly for such a young wine, offering up powerful and complex aromas of cassis, blackberry, black truffle, vanilla and lilly. Medium to full bodied, with a lush texture, stunning delineation, and unbelievable concentration. Already has a beautifully complex finish, which went on for well over a minute. This classic has the structure and stuffing to age for decades, and was easily the wine of the night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the first Margaux that I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Had dinner with a good friend of mine. Fillet mignon, roasted sweet potato, basil garden mix, and parmagiano reggiano and salami apertif. fantastic food, even better wine. The nose was not easy to understand, dark fruit, smoky leather, cedar wood, floral. Velvety purple in the glass with a little lavender-garnet rim. Dense and highly concentrated, but not thick. Very balanced!!!. Proper amount of acid up front, and satin-like tannins in the mid. Very long after-taste, but not absolutely tongue coating.Still a youngster from my approximation. This can only get better. WOW!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Anniversary dinner at the Pluckemin Inn (Bedminster, NJ): This Chateau Margaux boasts the balance of a prima ballerina in her prime, with a gorgeous, full body, everything in exactly the right place. This beauty has an opaque purple color, elegance, grace and dances with complexity yet always retains the pure style that makes her special. The notes of blackberry, cassis, and vanilla support the layers of fruit that envelop each sip.The floral scents leap and soar through our senses and the innate sweetness reaches to our core.This wine lasts forever in the mouth and mind. Paired with our third and fourth courses ( 3 - a sumac rubbed salmon, abalone mushrooms, savoy cabbage & pumpernickel and 4 - paprika-rubbed lamb chops with glazed money mint sauce on the side ) and we finished the bottle after our dessert (a Valrhona Grand Cru Araguani soufflé with jasmine tea ice cream), I am ecstatic that I have five more bottles of this glorious wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hart Davis Hart Wine Co Comparative Bordeaux Tasting Vintages 1995 & 1996 (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): First time tasting this vintage and wine in the same night. Color: PURPLE!!! Kind of like I could just stare at this wine for a while - the color could be used to color Easter Eggs! Nose: Lots and lots of flowers. Strong floral presence. Also - one other odd component that I did not really know how to describe - a Butteryness and blackberries. Again before tasting I had to comment about how strong the floral component of this wine was . . . . Body: Medium body. Taste - Awesome. What hit me as odd was that I did not really know how to describe the taste - other than awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
taste: can a wine be explosive and silky at the same time, I would've said no until this one. It's an amazing feeling on the palate. Cedar, tobbacco, earth, cranberry, and smoke notes
overall: this finish just doesn't want to quit. This is powerful and full of finesse at the same time. A tremendous wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1996 Cal Cab Dinner (Bonsoiree Cafe): A bit disappointing and overshadowed among all the Cali Cabs. Tighter nose has minerals and cigars. Palate shows purity and length but lacks the intensity and richness other wines offered tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
eBob 1996 California Cabernet Dinner (Boinsoiree): Medium full black fruit and briar on the nose. Big black fruit on the attack, but almost fades a bit through the mid palate and finish. Good, but disappointing for what it is. Perhaps it suffered a bit next to all the big ripe California cabs?? 92-93 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened 1.45 hours before decant and testing. ( testing along with Latour 1978, Lafite 1994, Haut-Brion 1991 and Mouton 1992 )
Still young !!! Flinty in the beginning then becomes wonderful aroma de Chateau Margaux. So complicated and deep into layers, black fruits, green fruits, yellow fruits, mineral, flowery, mineral-water, best scent of greeny and mild lavender, very beautifully well-made for Margaux-lovers but not for me.
In the mouth, medium to full-bodied with a perfect structure. Everything is so good, round and round, elegance, very very silky smooth tannin, superb...too good for me.
Aftertaste is high-class. Nice, smooth and long finished...too easy delicious for me...I never fall in love with this wine so I made a big mistake of buying Ch.Margaux 1996, Imperial bottle.
Drink it between 2010-2035
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted 5 hours before. Still a baby. Smooth and seamless with soft tannings. Complex. Long finish. Got better as time passed. This is already amazing, but will get much much better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was a gift in 2001. I am therefore a little suspicious. It was not the equal of a number of others I've enjoyed. A bit closed and a bit thin. Most concerning was a hint of oxidation, thence the reason for suspicion....may have sat in a hot window waiting to sell?????
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau Margaux vertical (11 Madison Park in NYC): Like all top 1996s, this wine has fruit across the entire flavor spectrum with tar & tobacco notes and a wonderfully solid dense punch in the middle. It was elegant and powerful with a very very long finish. Only on a night like this could a wine like this land outside of my top three! This will become something special, but needs a little time to get there. A
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jeroboam Club: Ch. Margaux Vertical (Bordeaux Quay, Bristol): Ripe dark plum colour. Clean, fresh and elegant on the nose, with ripe sweet fruit (blueberry / blackberry / blackcurrant) and minty and cedar notes and some secondary development. Spicy with nutmeg and orange peel. Really quite splendid. In the mouth, clean fresh but mouthfilling. Very good attack and nice mid-palate sweetness and weight. Beautifully proportioned with an excellent, elegant finish. Very fine. WOTN for me and overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and drank over 2+ hours. An amazing wine and thoroughly enjoyable. This is a wine that will only get better with another 10+ years on it as many have noted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pre-Harlan Warm-up at Brad England's House: My second Margaux. I thought the nose on the 1996 showed much better than the 1985 with more intensity and more secondary notes. However, in the mouth this is thicker and more concentrated -- favoring power and structure over silkiness. It is probably a bit closed. I would guess that this will develop very well. Hopefully I will get to try it again in 10-20 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, intense, and aromatically explosive. This wine is somewhat restrained at the moment in terms of expressivity, and it seems to be hiding its complexity inside a perfectly engineered structure of steel. Having this wine in my mouth was one of the most interesting tactile sensations of my life. It filled the mouth and seemed to be neither liquid nor gas but rather exist in some kind of in between state. It was simply aromatically explosive in the mouth. If this structural quality persists while the rest of the wine ages and harmonizes, this will be a transcendent wine. Drink after 2016. 96+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, opaque color, a complex, intoxicating perfume and layers of fruit that flow over your palate and senses! Absolutely compelling juice. Very primary, this was opened for educational purposes. In 15-20 years when fully mature, this will be an “Oh My God” wine and tasting experience!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Wine Summit; 6/2/2006-6/3/2006 (The Post Hotel in Lake Louise): Deep, dark black/ruby color; dense and full on swirling; much more complexity in the nose – full, ripe cassis and spices; elegant styling; very harmonious – exquisite balance; cassis flavors mixed with spicy oak which carry through the long finish. Some strong potential here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic Bordeaux aroma, complex, medium bodied. Very enjoyable on day 1. Surprisingly, the wine seemed to thin out and shut down on day 2. I expected this wine to have have more body. Nonetheless, this is a very enjoyable wine. I think Parker's rating is a bit inflated, as usual. Wine Spectator is spot on, as usual!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perhaps I just don't get it. I opened this at about 3:00pm in advance of nice at-home dinner...I kept expect the wine to open up and put on a show for me. It just never did. Throughout the evening it showed a petrol/medicinal character on the nose, and was thin and austere in the mouth. My wife said it was "elegant", but she kept reaching for the 2001 Bond Matriarch just the same. Given some of the descriptions in the Tanzer and Parker tasting notes, as well as the other notes on Cellartracker, I expected much, much more. I don't think this was a flawed bottle - the fill level was fine, the cork was solid and no hint of TCA (I'm very sensitive)...I'm not going to to post a score that would dilute the other scores in Cellartracker, but if I did it would be 87 points. If it is possible for a wine to put on weight in the bottle, I sure hope this one does.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Heaven sent. My first tasting of a first-growth Bordeaux and I have now been seduced entirely. Expecting the wine could not meet the hype, I was ecstatic that upon tasting this wine it exceeded all expectations. Should you have money to burn or be in need of a fine wine for a special occsasion I have no reservations recommending the 1996 Chateaux Margaux. Beware, however, that it is still quite young and should not be approached for several more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just a beautiful, classy nose showing pencil shavings and underlying dark fruit. A mouthful, but almost weightless on the palate. Good length and impeccably balanced throughout. Framed by fine, tart Bordeaux tannins and an obvious core of layered fruit. Clearly in need of significant time but really charming now. I don't drink much Bordeaux, though wines like this make me wonder why.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2004 WS Wine Experience: Ch. Margaux Vertical (Hyatt Regency, Chicago): This wine contains only 7% merlot. It rained everyday during the merlot harvest, but weather was perfect during the cabernet harvest. Pontallier said that is the best cabernet sauvignon vintage that he can remember. This wine was very tight, but classical in profile. Needs lots of time. Glassy mouthfeel and abundant tannins. $300
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
WS CWE 2004 - Margaux Vertical (Marriott Marquis): Deep ruby purple red. Big nose of ripe black cherry fruit - clean. Round even red fruit with substantial but round tannin. Herbal tea notes - still puckering tanning. 11/04
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red. The bouquet revealed notes of tobacco and dark fruits. Concentrated , dense and with great intensity, this wine was sweet and packed with ripe fruit. Not tight and hard as one might expect, but nicely focused and complex. Singularly elegant and seductive with great promise for the patient owner. Superb, long aftertaste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at the Quilceda/Margaux standoff at the HerbFarm. More piercing floral notes, hints of cabbage??/ very shut down, hard to get much here. In hindsight it's obvious that this was the far more massive Margaux, but I was clueless at the time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
($200) Deep purple color with no clearing. The nose shows a minty asparagus quality and a cedar slight must. Full-bodied with thick tannins. Shows some grace and potential, but the fruit is still a bit vacant. Hints at nuance underneath the blanket of tannin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Probably the most closed of the ‘96’s tasted, it is unfocused, but intense. The alluring Asian spice aromas that made it such a lovely wine on release have receded into the snarling mass that the wine has turned into, so let it rest and wake it up for another visit in a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/5/2024 - AaronMaxwell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over a few hours at dinner at Benu. Classic left bank nose, tons of floral perfume and barnyard. The body wasn’t as rich as other Margaux’s I’ve had. Very feminine and light, and thinking other posters were right that it might have needed much more air to really open. But nevertheless, this is delicious, and I’m just nitpicking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2024 - RobinTeo wrote: 94 Points
The one with Old Bordeaux (Praelum): Quite unlike my experiences with 96. Then again, I have not had any first growths from 96. The opening bouquet on this was lovely, some sweet black plums, smoke, herbs and blueberries and while initially tightly wound on the palate, it opened up with good depth and strong fruit concentration on the palate alongside youthful exuberance - this will surely get better in another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2024 - lltl2021 Likes this wine: 98 Points
What a beast! PnP, enjoyed over three hours. Upon opening, still quite primary... Blackberry, plum. Some green pepper, slightly spicy, quite mineral. Cocoa, coffee, like a mocha. Layered flavor, evolving over the entire three hours. Forest floor and some tertiary note at the very end. Probably we finished up too fast. I think this can still develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2024 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
Margaux Extravaganza: Margaux vs. Palmer vs. Brane over two decades (1996/2009/2015). Given the pedigree of the vintages, particularly for Chateau Margaux, expectations were quite high, but especially the last two vintages didn't live up to past performances (I've previously rated Ch. Margaux up to 100pts, Ch. Margaux 2015 up to 99pts, and Palmer 2009 98pts) at first. There were some overripe aromas that were too prominent and an uncharacteristic imbalance. Of course, Ch. Margaux and Palmer showed remarkable complexity and precision, but the balance was a bit off. Still, these are some good to great wines, especially on day 2 and with more air they got better and better. Ultimately, Ch. Margaux 2015 (96pts) was the winner with its unique aromatic profile, slightly outperforming the 1996 and 2009 vintages, both at 95pts. Brane and Palmer were a notch or two below, with the Palmer 2015 particularly affected by premature oxidation. I don't doubt the potential of these wines, given the many fine examples I had last year, but I wouldn't open them today.
TN: Very complex nose with smoke, layers if red fruit, some dark berries, floral notes, herbs , and lots of minerality. Very complex and precise. Same depth on the palate where the red berries and more floral notes are even more prominent. Some layers of red fruit showed a bit chemical. Surprisingly, there was almost no tertiary development at first and only with time some tobacco and truffle notes came forward. This is a highly elegant and fresh wine, with a lot of aromatic intensity and an airy structure. Today it is still a bit too young but, in a decade, this could be close to perfection, the substance is there and so is the structural frame. I've had this before (rated up to 98pts) and this was the weakest showing so far.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2024 - Rounder16 wrote: 94 Points
The nose is astonishing and has it all, but on the palate the wine is quite disappointing at the moment, still quite closed with brutal tannins. It will easily keep for another 50+ years.
I would not open another bottle sooner than 2030+.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2023 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Part of a Margaux appellation mini-vertical and horizontal comparing Margaux, Palmer, Brane Cantenac 1996, 2009 and 2015. The 1996 were double-decanted prior to the tasting while some of the 2015 spent time in the decanter. The wines were served single-blind in vintage line-ups. Unsurprisingly, Margaux came in first in all 3 vintages, Palmer in the middle and Brane last, expect in 2015 where I think we might have hit a bad bottle for Palmer. 1996 is coming along beautifully and appears to be in its prime drinking window while 2009 took a steep step down from its 10-years state a few years ago. For now, the 2015 appear to manage the concentration better (although Palmer was disappointing).
Tasting note:
Scented aromas wafting out of the glass right away. Fruit of red cherry and blueberries, stylistically forming a sweet core, wrapped into a mineral layer of schist. Perfumed, floral top notes. Maybe just a hint of nail polish as the only point of contention. Amazing tension on the palate. Juicy with impeccable balance, soft structural tannin, satin texture and fresh acidity. A feminine and elegant wine but with flashy make-up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2023 - TenchCoxe Likes this wine: 92 Points
With CH. Angelus 1994, Paired with Duck Confit
Preferred Angelus which was more open and resolved.
1996 first growths taking long time. sill a bit tannic
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2023 - J_H Likes this wine: 96 Points
Margaux battle: 1996 vs. 2009 vs. 2015: - Immediately very open and polished on the nose, perfumed, floral, beautiful and intense blue fruit. Cinnamon, tertiary flavours are still in the background. We have as well coffee, plums, powdered sugar, vanilla. Very elegant.
- Significantly more present than the Palmer 1996 drunk together.
- Beautiful and multi-layered on the palate, extremely drinkable, smooth tannins, just amazing. The acidity is full there and everything is extremely balanced. The finish is a massive pleasure, very long. Outstanding bottle!
- 96-97 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2023 - PDavisMarble wrote: 96 Points
This is lovely but still showing a great deal of promise rather than the heights it will reach. Black & blue fruit abounds, with a delicacy and sweetness that suggests far more to come. Despite decanting 2 hours before the meal, it needed at least another 2 hours in the glass to start to sing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 97 Points
The 1996 Margaux continues on its slow progress toward maturity. While it's still not fully ready, it is most certainly an enjoyable drink today, bursting with blueberry, raspberry, Perigord truffle, fresh coffee, and pencil. This sits on the palate nicely, its biggish frame matched well by fresh acidity. The long finish suggests the promise of what's left in reserve. Drinking from 2026 on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2023 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Holiday Dinner - Mostly Bordeaux (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Wine 5 - Exquisite nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, a hint of strawberry, dark milk chocolate, cabernet floral dust, cedar and limestone. Excellent concentration, very finely layered perfectly ripe black fruit, sensual, almost weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, no noticeable tannins, and a seamless pure black and red fruit driven finish with a hint of cedar at the end. This is the best balanced wine of the flight. My guess is Lafite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
This could hit triple digits in a few years. It continues filing out, gaining in complexity, richness, and texturally, additional layers of silk and velvet on the palate are the order of the day. This stunning wine is showing beautifully today, and while pricey, it is the best deal for a mature vintage of Chateau Margaux in the market today. Drink from 2023-2055.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2023 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deeelish! As good or better than the bottle opened two years prior. This thing is still holding strong and would have lasted many more years had I not been impatient to drink it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2023 - aquacongas wrote: 98 Points
not blind
Fresh, joyful, fruity with great acidity and tannin structure. At least 4-5 hours of decantation recommended to get "more fun". 98
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2023 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle showed some age. Lots of bricking. Nice big nose though. Lots of raspberry fruit, but also with secondaries like cedar, tobacco and leathery notes. I liked it but maybe lacked that first growth grandeur?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2023 - Volleyball Likes this wine: 95 Points
Enjoyed at Gage & Tollner with Jenny for my birthday with steam and mushrooms, with some seared foie gras to start (which was too rich). Decanted for 2 hours beforehand and returned to the bottle.
A fully mature wine with flavors and aromas of leather, Forest floor and pencil shavings and earth more prominent that the remaining dark fruits and mint. Powerful - full bodied with a long finish - which made it a good complement for the steak. Tannins are fully integrated. Not a lot of acidity. Aroma was reasonably prominent but didn’t leap out of the glass.
Overall, a very good wine, thoroughly enjoyed, but not as memorable as I might have hoped.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2023 - luHar1423 Likes this wine: 97 Points
All four of us immediately recognized this wine during our blind "Summer of 96 Tasting event" - a classical and definitely a "once you must try this Margaux" vintage.
Finds its spot on my "Repeat to Threepeat Wine Bucket List" and was the clear runner-up.
Still youthful in your mouth hints to me a decade or two of longevity. No hurry to rush into this one though - love it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2023 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nicely floral. Better on second day with classic 96 sensations.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Workshop: Chateau Margaux (Gabriel Kreuther): Another wine where we’re fully in the place of needing more time to come together. This is bright and classic and even a touch of bramble and I was hoping that it might be about ready but there is something that just makes it feel a hint closed or at least not as brightly open and expressive as some others. It will come around. Lots of good pieces to it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2023 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
TOP SHELF WINE WEEKEND: Leather, burnt orange peel (or maybe I just think of this because this Margaux has an Old Fashion type of vibe to it), stewed Amarena cherries, forest floor, bark, and sherry. There is still some freshness clinging to life here, but it was surely held on by a pinkie. Air helped fan out some of the fruit for a hot minute, but the intensity bailed pretty fast once it peaked. An interesting bottle of wine that showed much more “youthful” than the 1983 Margaux next to it.
This is a smoking jacket and leather Barcalounger kind of dealio. So if that’s your jam and you are holding on to bottles, perhaps it’s time to bust off a cork, call the hounds to your side, and binge BBC’s Masterpiece Theatre (Yes, with a “tre” – pronounced “ta”) on PBS for a day or so (referencing the original 1970s Masterpiece Theatre; not the reboot that, like many reboots, should’ve probably just ended up in the busted pilot round-file bin).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2023 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Checking in on this again.
This bottle seems to be a little more earthy/bretty than the last, but still nice on the nose.
On the palate, this is great but slightly thin. Hoping some air will turn things around. Thinking it will last another 5-10 but trying to not judge this one particular bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/27/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Memorial Day Weekend, Day 1: Inglourious Basterds: Nose of fresh red fruits, with some hints of orange skins, dried autumn leaves and scents of a dried forest floor.
Flavors of dark red fruits, dried dark earth with hints of tertiary notes. Has a bit of olive notes in the background.
Seems kinda tired unfortunately.. not the same as when I had it with I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine some time ago. This still a freshness to it though. Might've needed a watchful amount of air for it to show well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2023 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 92 Points
Memorial Madness at Case de Chris y Melissa - Day 1 of 2: Ok, we are the right path now after coming off of the ’83. Notes of orange peel, a bit of leather and that smell from an older, well worn baseball mitt. Lurking in the back, there was still some fruit trying to come to light but the tertiary notes were just a bit too dominant. Thank you for letting us taste this Jason (IRBDW)!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Saturday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): This wine didn't show as well as I was hoping. It was a PnP and decanted immediately prior to consumption. Fortunately, it was a small crowd and I was able to revisit this wine throughout the afternoon and into the evening. I will start out by saying that counter-intuitively for such an aged wine, this baby still needed some air to really show any signs of life or for it to emerge triumphantly from its slumber. So if you are planning on opening one of these, I would recommend a 1-2 hour decant (or at least that much time to decant and follow the wine) or 2-3 hours slo-O.
This wine started out fairly fragrant on the nose, although not quite as perfumed as past bottles have shown. On the palate, the wine started out very tertiary with faded fruit present, but in the background. Later, with some air, the fruit came to the foreground, but still was outshone by tertiary flavors. It was a good showing, but not nearly as great of a showing as previous bottles. At this point, I will chalk it up to bottle variation. Don't get me wrong, this was a very good bottle of wine, but given the vintage and pedigree, and knowing its potential, this should have been more than very good....it should have been great! 93+ to 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2023 - Cailles wrote: 98 Points
Informal dinner, no notes taken. This wine was absolutely brilliant tonight. With a bit of air, this was the epitome of elegance, despite still being fairly young. So soft and silky but with lots of tension and energy, light and airy texture, absolutely perfectly balanced. While the nose was good and inviting, the palate was the real deal, highly layered and with laser sharp precision. What stood out for me was a strong, beautiful minty note I’ve never had in a Ch. Margaux before, and the fact that there is not yet much tertiary development. I’ve had this twice before and both bottles showed far more age (with loads of truffle and tobacco). So this was different but equally fantastic. Easily 97/98pts.
Decanting: A bit of air is needed, 2 hours should do the trick.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
4/19/2023 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs, inky, black fruits, graphite, iron, lots earth, powerful nose with zen like mouthfeel, elegance elegance elegance! Will get better, drank with 01 Comte Vogue Musigny, 08 Rayas & 2011 Rousseau Clos Roche
96+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
4/1/2023 - JohnLI Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank with friends. Cork in perfect condition. Still purple in colour. Amazing nose of black fruits, jasmin, violets and a little earthiness. The palate was wonderful with integrated tannins and very long length. Softened a little as we drank over an hour or so. A beautiful wine and much enjoyed by all. Definitely in it’s drinking window. Very sad to see the end of the bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2023 - lifebreath wrote: 96 Points
This wine is amazing and in a perfect drinking window.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2023 - BillyT wrote: 96 Points
Easily 96 but youthful and may score higher with time. Unfortunately, I just savored the wine and don't have any notes. Impression, as well balanced and nuanced wine as I have had with years to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 97 Points
A Margaux at Margaux's Table (Margaux's Table, White Bear Lake, MN): Very dark red/purple color, fully saturated. Double decanted for 15 minutes. Drank a couple glasses over 2.5 hours. Well this turned out beautifully, but it too its sweet time to get there. Still on the youthful side, this definitely need the air to shine. Starts witha lot of soil and forest floor, purple flowers, number two pencil, cassis, huckleberry there becoming more enveloping and showing more crushed flowers, bright deep black and purple fruits, truffle and shellac. The palate was always two steps ahead of the nose and showing well from the start, though it improved measurably too; cassis, huckleberry, wood spices, truffle, clean funky earth, pencil, with this immense energy, depth and intensity. Fantastic - thanks Jason for sharing this. Air baby, air. 96+ to 97pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2023 - El_Dougo Likes this wine:
Blind tasting of paired 1986 and 1996 Ch. Margaux at Fine Wine Experience. Slow ox in glass for one hour before session. Dramatic difference in the two vintages, perhaps an unfair comparison:
1986 tannins aged but not integrated, perhaps shielding any fruit as fruit and even acidicity blatantly MIA. Dusty and lacking despite being an obvious left bank claret (I guess Pauillac).
1996 seemed a striking, young vintage, very much alive, vibrant and calling out to the blind tasters. Tannins mellow but offering some grip. Fruit forward, almost. Ended up being WOTN amongst the 12 of us.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2023 - fvigno666 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank on Feb 2023. Very smooth, balanced, nice finish, tanjns not overpowering but present. Will be interesting to compare over the years. Seems in it's prime right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking unbelievably young but so open and delightful. Classic nose of leather and dark red fruits, literally could have smelled this all night long. And speaking of long, the finish was unbelievable…. Such a treat and drinking so well but also will continue to evolve and for me will probably get even better. Drink or hold, if you have a good bottle you can’t go wrong.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/17/2022 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
Bryant's Send Off Party (Noreetuh): Silky, but the 96 acidity is very present. Less strong in showing that last bottle, decanted too short, but easily WOTN. 94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2022 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic '96 left bank with its chiseled character and very refined tannins. Still quite youthful with crisp acids and streamlined dark fruit flavors. Very finely-grained and fully integrated with a complex finish sporting notes of crushed rocks and violet spice. Somewhat overshadowed by the 2000 tonight but stylistically a different wine. A fresh, youthful bottle that should fan out with more age. 94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2022 - galewskj wrote: 97 Points
No poker night (Jason and Mariellen's house): The nose on this wine is killer. Pretty red fruit, minerality, savory bell pepper, slight anise and great tertiary notes, with mushroom standing out. Clear wine of the night if you don't count the 2009 Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2022 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wine weekend in the Twin Cities; 11/10/2022-11/12/2022 (Where the frosty air is refreshing.. kind of): N: Clean and aged leather, some fermented notes, with beautifully dark and aged red fruits. Imagine if dark plums, ripe blueberries and strawberries can somehow stay fresh and last for years without spoiling or going bad. Rotted autumn leaves in soil, damp rotting wet oak in a good way, black mulch and a light veil of green pepper. The green pepper does integrates into the leather with time, becoming like a spiced leather note.
P: Graceful, deep red fruits, so intense yet elegant red fruit, beautiful. Subtly spiced bark, dark but finely powdered graphite. A touch of fermented notes from the nose. Steeped tea and a bit of aged leather on finish. With time, close to wilting dark red and white flowers appear, goes so well with the fruit and earth. The new notes of flowers are so beautiful.
Fruits are still so dark and good here but there’s an elegance and power to it, almost stoic if that makes any sense. This is in an amazing spot to me, where there's still beautiful fruit that is showing off its intensity while tertiary notes are slowly creeping up like vines on castle walls. If you enjoy fruit as much as me, drink before the tertiary notes completely engulfs the fortress that is pure fruit. That's not to say it may happen any time too soon but I'm also unable to tell when that may happen in the future.. so, good luck and have fun with that. I hope it's really down the line instead of sometime soon.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2022 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Sorry, Not Sorry! No Poker on Poker Night! (Jason's House): This wine was singing tonight and could have dethroned the 96 Harlan as king of the hill....unfortunately, the Harlan did not want to play this night! Classic Margaux nose, so perfumed with lilac and purple flowers, plenty of red, purple and black fruit on the nose, some chocolate and some old leather as well as some earthiness and sweet tobacco notes. The palate was equally stunning with red and black fruit, lavender, mushroom, forest floor, leather, pencil lead, cigar and sweet oak. Very nice balance between fruit and tertiary flavors and both were equally prominent...in a perfect place for my palate! A phenomenal wine, and 98 points, tying my highest score to date! Will definitely need to do a face off with Harlan one of these days! The best Bordeaux wine I have tasted to date too!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
10/30/2022 - BBencz wrote: flawed
A bretty mess for the first three hours in the decanter, and then fell into a thin, lifeless disappointing state from which it never recovered. A flawed or fake bottle, it seems. Too bad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2022 - Romol Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. This bottle was not as exceptional as my last bottle (99 pts. 2+ years ago). It seemed like everything was there but not at 100%. Possibly the 1996 Margaux is now rather closed again. However, it was still a super wine. I will wait at least 2 more years before opening another bottle. 95 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2022 - Motox Likes this wine: 99 Points
Purchased my first case in 07, drank #12 (2 hr decant) last night with RIA group for a 60th...Was astonished how Burgundian in style it has evolved over the years & how more perfectly balanced it has become with each passing bottle...The nose was a cacophony of aromatics with hints of sweet tobacco...On the palate, the intense cherry red fruits were singing in perfect harmony with a powerful grip that morphed into the most amazing silky finish that lasted for minutes...This wine could go for another 30 years! Near Perfection...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2022 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
PnP
This smells fantastic. Harmonious. Deep red fruit, tobacco, new leather, wet stone, and hints of vanilla.
It’s pure silk on the palate. Medium body, medium acid and just lightly chalky tannin.
What a treat. This wine will drink well for at least another 10+ years but it’s screamingly good right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2022 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 97 Points
Perhaps a conservative score. Absolutely astonishing nose on opening, still some youthful fruit but showing nice secondary development. Beautiful rich and deep palate on PnP. Double decanted, further reporting in several hours with dinner.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2022 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a Wow! Such balance, such perfume of rose petals. Deep and intense palate, touch of tobacco and tar. Long and complex. Drinking now will last for decades.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Drinking beautifully today, this has everything you could ask for in a great vintage of Margaux. Soaring, floral, tobacco and red berry aromatics, full, rich, concentrated layers of ripe, sweet, red fruits, silky, velvet-textured tannins and a long finish. This is simply great wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2022 - jmoon wrote: flawed
Marked as flawed as totally confusing wine - nothing like other ch Margaux I’ve enjoyed do much… this was a dull and lifeless old bordeaux. Could be an off bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
1/24/2022 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not up to the ambitious standard set by some recent bottles of this which I scored in the high 90's, but still very rewarding. The wine needed significantly more aeration than I expected, and even after an hour+ in the glass still showed quite tight. The anticipated dark cherry flavor profile eventually emerged, with a bit more green than I recall from the earlier encounters. Well balanced and powerful, with a lush, velvety texture, but not an ideal showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2021 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 97 Points
side by side with the 2007 dominus
Pretty red ruby color
Medium plus viscosity
Nose is lilacs, wildflower, red fruit, tobacco, wet socks
Pretty bright red fruit, black tea notes, terrific acidity, lithe and elegant, long persistent smooth finish.
amazing
WOTN
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Guys Night Out - Holiday Edition!: Splash double decanted 3 hours ahead of dinner - Wow....loved this wine! It made me wonder if this was better than the 1996 Harlan (I scored a 98, and my benchmark wine) I will need to do a taste off one day and see which is better! In the meantime, I scored this a conservative 97+
Nose showed layers of perfumed flowers, red fruit, some earth, some black fruit, some chocolate, some tobacco and some old leather. On the palate was layers of elegance! Red fruit, lavender, leather, forest floor, graphite and mushroom, wrapped in tobacco leaf and sweet toasty oak. A complete wine that is pleasing in every sense of the word. 97+ and that may be conservative. Mine and the group's WOTN.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/16/2021 - galewskj wrote: 97 Points
A Guys Night to Remember (Jason's house): The nose on this wine is killer. Pretty red fruit, minerality, slight anise and great tertiary notes, with mushroom standing out. This reminded me of a Napa trip a couple weeks before, this is kind of what the best producers are going for and not quite achieving.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 97 Points
Guys Night Out: One to Remember - Heavy Hitters (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red/purple color with a 4mm edge. Splash double decanted; drank a glass plus over 3 hours. Oh my this has a pretty nose, thoroughly engaging in the purity of the perfume of black and blue fruit, truffles, violets, dried flowers, sweet herbs, and blood orange. The palate is full bodied and layered with the same gorgeous fruit, truffle, lavender, damp earth, graphite, and round, well modulated tannins on a stimulating finish. This is vibrant and bright with great lift and acidity. Outstanding, unanimous WOTN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2021 - SonnyChiba wrote: 96 Points
Very elegant with a knockout nose. Great texture on the palate, with a layer of ripe cherry fruit and nice acidity on the finish. Great complexity you only find in first growth Bordeaux. Drinking excellent right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped and poured, and drank over three hours. Wow! What a wine! WOTN. Powerful, and not as silken as expected, and as a result I thought it was a Pauillac and not a Margaux. Looking forward to drinking the second bottle in a year or two.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
More classic than the ’95 with great mouthfeel and super-refined tannins that need another decade to soften. Tannins are stubborn but this will be great in time. Doubled decanted 5 hours before consumption and needed longer. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2021 - S1 Likes this wine:
Chas Offlineorama VI, Another embarrassment of riches; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Various locations): Really soft tannins with layer after layer of power, Great structure with lovely perfume. Beguiling mix of fruit with polished soft tannin. Wonderful
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston VI; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Left this to my last flight mostly because it was the flight I was most excited about and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. Lovely and plush and velvet in the glass. It's darker than I'd normally think - more dark fruited than red. A hint of green. Lower acid. Mouth coating. But drinking very well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2021 - drjb Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wine Group Dinner #187, Harvey's Restaurant, Brisbane. Purchased ex-cellar from the Chateau in 2015 this bottle opened perfectly with a still deep crimson colour and a lovely lifted nose of violets, black and red berry fruits, dark plums, dark chocolate and cedar. The palate is intensely flavoured with a quite strict linear structure that persists beautifully with a Pauillac like austerity. This is a classic expression of cabernet from the Margaux appellation in a vintage that was marked by quite structured wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2021 - KenK wrote: 94 Points
NYWE savory black cherry aromas with hints of bell pepper. Dark still chewy structure and nice dark fruits. Nice flavors and spices add real complexity. Very well made and balanced. A more refined example. Doing eRly signs of maturity.
Challenging vintage with rain and cold followed by hot, then rain again. Turned out rain came at right time. Really freshned the wine. Shows the superior terrior. There was a lot of worry before picking, but turned out great.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/13/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 100 Points
blind
For me perfection. Still on the primary side, starting some tertiary aromas but in the background. Juicy, fruity, but with a lot of ripe tannins. Some hint of dark chocolate in the end. My guess was between Margaux and Mouton 1996. 100 without discussion. Decanted for 3 hours and drank over 3 hours.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
9/6/2021 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 97 Points
beautiful. plenty of years ahead for this beauty. delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/14/2021 - ScubaSommelier Likes this wine: 95 Points
82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Decanted around 6 hrs. Paired with grilled tomahawk steaks, mashed potatoes, and creamy cold pea salad. A little more fruit-forward and acid than 1995. Not necessarily better than 1995, just a bit more "fresh". Dark fruit and hints of tea. Well integrated. A touch of black slate and anise on the finish. Really nice.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2021 - jee27 wrote: 95 Points
Dégustation Open Dreamer Style chez Simon B: Servi côte à côte avec le 1995 celui-ci était moins expressif et semble demander encore quelques années avant d'atteindre son apogée. Plus compacte et moins souple que le 1995. Grand potentiel malgré le fait qu'il ai souffert de cette comparaison.
95-97 pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2021 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 97 Points
Even better than when I tasted this from a double magnum almost 6 years ago. A very solid cork, limited seepage. Sheer class from the moment uncorked, with rich red currant and ripe red berry notes along with a touch of cinnamon spice. Plenty of structure. The texture was lovely, silky but also evidencing fine grained tannins, seamlessly. There were fewer tertiary notes than I recalled from the earlier tasting.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Great nose, classic, florals, perfumed, softening black fruit, smoke, graphite, mineral, dense, chocolaty, faint forest floor / damp earth. Palate is sweet and chocolaty too, texturally soft but still has plenty of fruit and strength. Elegant edges and silky. Lovely all around. 94+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2021 - lolo66 wrote: 98 Points
The previous note by grand amateur describes my experience, although the bottle was drained within 2 hours. Damn this was so seamless, elegant and so complex. What a true pleasure to drink and one of the greatest wines I have ever had.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2021 - Grand Amateur Likes this wine: 98 Points
Opened 6 hours before drinking. Tasting nice at that moment, but not overwhelmingly so. Decanted just before drinking just to separate from the deposit. At that moment, it is sooooo long, great, complex, with a haunting nose. Beautiful, ethereal mouth. Still some tannins. Long (Very). I am so happy it did not turn out to be brett like another bottle of the 2 (6 b.) cases I bought "en primeur". Kind of sweet, like most beautiful old clarets. Beautiful wine. So complex. Long. In the top 20 of my life (I am 60). Indeed, a very successful Cabernet Sauvignon. An understatement. One hour later. Still perfect. So subtle. Bravo! One more hour later: So smooth. Complex. Enticing. Superb fruit. Tannins nearly gone. Day after: The decanter smells very nice, red fruits, no sign of decline.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2021 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sadly no formal note as this was a relaxed setting. Drank alongside a Latour 2000. The Margaux was far lighter and far more delicate, floral and elegant. Everything you would really expect stereotypically when thinking about the two. The perfume on the Margaux 96 made it a more enjoyable wine in my view. Just delightful. Drank at DC
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2021 - jordanj Likes this wine: 96 Points
45th Bday 1934-1999. When Diamond Creek is weakest of the night (Zoom): I would say this was the most youthful of the night with the most upside. Very dark and opaque. I have seen 2005s that look younger. Classic Margaux nose but trading some of that floral feminine quality for a bit of rustic earth. A little bit funk appeared after several hours. Fruit is brooding; plum, currant, dates, black cherries dirt, tree bark a little green pepper. The palate is incredible. Still showing tannins that need to resolve. Plenty of acidity, more than any other in the flight but delicious and long. 96 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2021 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Super Bowl 2021 (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): 94+ Dark core with brick rim; more open nose than the last, boxwood, red currant, a bit youthful and 1-D, cedar, good core of fruit, tightly wound acids, barely into secondary character, red fruit, very long and nice wine; '01 Lafite?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2021 - jrh82 wrote: flawed
Some ox unfortunately.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2021 - pkouchu wrote: 98 Points
leather, pencil shavings, cassis, cigar box, cedar, black currant, red currant, dark cherries, menthol, blackberries, tea, violets, and mocha.
Finely textured, silky and smooth texture, elegant. The fruit is still ripe and has entered early stages of maturity, clean pop of acidity.
classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2021 - baxter67 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted. Very shy at first. After 1 hour still reticent and lean. Really needed 4 hours to fully open up. Worth the wait. Nose still quite restrained, palate beautiful, subtle, complex, mouth-coating, tannins fully integrated. Black fruits, cassis, tobacco, a little spice and violet. Approaching perfection.
*****
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
Why is it that Chateau Margaux is so often heralded as a superlatively elegant wine? Because it often has a gentle floral note? true, but it’s always big and structured. Because it was really elegant in the pre-Ginestet era? perhaps, but lots of chateaux were more elegant renditions of their current selves prior to the 70s. Because “elegance” is sometimes the positive spin on the bevy of light-ish Margaux commune wines that underperformed for so long (many of which are admirably striving to better themselves) and that attribute must be epitomized by the king of the commune? I’m not entirely sure, but since Margaux’s rejuvenation in the 1980s I have admittedly not found it a particularly elegant wine.
So why the long preamble? Well, I’m not sure it’s helpful to cling to that notion that success at Chateau Margaux *should* be linked to this notion of a diaphanous, ephemeral wine. If you insist on that, the 96 Margaux might fall short - but if you don’t, it’s really quite nice. Best after about 4 hours of air, the 96 Margaux shows what I think of as a typical Ch Margaux nose, full of sweet raspberries, pencil, cedar, a touch of acacia, Ethiopian coffee. The palate is quite concentrated with almost painfully intense pencil shavings. The loads of tannin here can distract a bit from the long, pencilly finish but time should rectify that and while I readily agree this is muscular I wouldn’t call to corpulent. I do admire its integrated alcohol and good acidity. Ideally, forget about these for another 5-10 years.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
11/15/2020 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 99 Points
not blind
decanted for 5-10 hours, undestroyable. Still the fruit notes are dominating. Black currant, black berries. some cedar wood and beginning tobacco. at a great stage now and for the next 30 years. 99-100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2020 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 96 Points
Ok a 96 for a 96. Ive scored two diff Margaux @ 100 and this one may get there. I mean that because it was youthful, and I would’ve guessed it to be more like mid 2000’s. Slightly lighter edge but no bricking really. Medium garnet color and translucent. Medium bodied. Polished tannins with good acidity. Cedar, dried autumn leaves, rose petals and chartreuse on the nose. Cedar notes, cassis and black cherry on the palate. A little tobacco leaf. Elongated savory finish, very signature there. It’s awesome. Highest recommendation
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2020 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 97 Points
What a difference a day makes - strange because wine had been coravin’d night before so theoretically not breathing. Suddenly the wine had more freshness/lift and depth. The fruit was there, the complexity was there but all within this beautifully feminine wine. A really special wine experience - a thing of beauty. Classic dark fruit and soft savoury secondary notes - cigar, olive, cedar. Now this ‘pretty thing’ also presented with character and allure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
11/5/2020 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Colour deep crimson with some drift to cherry. Little age showing - perhaps a degree more translucence. 1hr+ decant. Very classy, very feminine, very approachable perhaps slightly linear experience. For me lacked a little depth and complexity - lacked a ‘wow’ factor. Gentle black and blue fruits hard to detect tertiary flavours. Ultra smooth perhaps a little closed. Super pretty and stylish but just lacking character/personality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2020 - Eric wrote:
M&PD Zoom Tasting: Bordeaux (Zoom): From the very first sniff, this is just textbook Bordeaux. As John says, "straight down the fairway." Tobacco, cedar, some horse. I would guess that is is clearly Pauillac but also with heavy Montrose/St. Estephe elements. As it turned out, I was totally wrong. This was my 1996 Margaux, and it was a stunner! It shows an amazing interplay of mineral, earth and stern fruit. At first it seemed more black, but now it is showing more cranberry and red elements. Really clean, pure, almost austere but stunning.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2020 - LB88 wrote: 95 Points
Superb wine! Just beautiful and quite approachable at this stage. Buy more
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2020 - peternelson wrote: 94 Points
Killer nose of forest floor, wet tobacco, mocha, cassis, plum, prune, smoke, etc. etc. Mouth is silky, med. body, finely structured silky tannins starting to resolve, in balance, in a great mid-life period right now with tertiaries just starting but still shows classic Margaux/Left bank character. Really nice and absolutely perfect with the small piece of breaded filet mignon. Oo Toro in Walnut.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2020 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Bordeaux 1996 Left bank versus 1998 Right bank (more or less) (By SK In Vught Aan het Fornuis): In the bouquet red berries and quite much bell pepper. On the palate dark and red berries, herbs and spices as well as bell pepper again. Classical style. In this bottle there was less refinement as I recall from several other vintages. But certainly an excellent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2020 - dcwino wrote: 100 Points
A small gathering at Jailbreak Brewing Co. (Jailbreak Brewery, Laurel, MD): Perfectly harmonious yet incredibly expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe intense black fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry concentrate, ink, licorice, perfume, lead pencil and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense opulent black fruit, incredibly density, silky, polished and detailed, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, very fine tannins and a seamless intense black fruit driven finish that easily lasts over a minute. It seems to gain weight without losing the perfect precision, which is hard to believe. The resemblance to the older brethren is uncanny. Although it remains very youthful, simply perfect!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
8/7/2020 - Ozen Does not like this wine: 92 Points
After having Chateau Margaux at least some 20 times I just continue to be utterly surprised this is a premier cru. I am in the ridiculously luxurious position to have enjoyed premiers crus from 1959 Lafite to Mouton 1982 etc and will testify those as legendary but never had a single Aha moment with this Margaux. I had Palmer 1983 next to this. Both bottles were opened well in advance: Margaux was a shadow of Palmer. A correct wine for sure but never close to the 600 euro bottle value. Palmer on most occasions is a personality, Margaux is your next door neighbor, and uninspiring. I wonder how many tasters would recognize a Margaux blind when in a line up with Palmer, Pichons or Montrose of top vintages.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
5/3/2020 - King Julien wrote: 97 Points
Decanted 3.5 hours, excellent for the 2 hours following.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Close to the sweet spot, this sexy, sensual, silky velvet-textured beauty has it going on. Concentrated, full-bodied, intense, balanced, long, fresh and complex, it is hard to find a better wine. There is so much pleasure here, it's impossible not to finish your glass and fill up for more.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2020 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 98 Points
Double decanted two hours in advance. It started off slowly but as it unfurls it expresses its wares, and delivers a masterclass of what is so special about top flight Bordeaux in general and the Margaux appellation in particular. Such poise and such perfect equilibrium it has an initial attack of black tea, lead pencil, and black pastille fruit, and then as it opens up tobacco, incense, lavender, violets, Margaux berries, rosemary & thyme, mineral and crushed rock; it is seamless albeit with stern acidity, with such precision as it unfurls and relentlessly gains in richness, layered intensity and complexity. At the same time it is dextrous and light on its feet. Still holding a little back in reserve this will continue to gain in stature and complexity over 5-10 years, but it is more accessible than Mouton and Latour 96s and compelling now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2020 - BROpus One Likes this wine: 96 Points
2+ Hour decant and this wine really opened up. I recently had a 1996 Latour and feel they are neck and neck. I'm sure this one will hold up for many more years but don't feel bad about opening one now as it is drinking quite well already.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2020 - curtr Likes this wine:
My favorite wine of the evening, still showing tannins at 24 years of age, great character, I would wait 4 years before considering again, drink 2024-33.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2020 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
I could definitely get the Margaux terroir here with that violet spice thing on the nose and palate but this remains a very structured Margaux in need of further aging. The wine is full and deep with loads of acidity balanced out by the rich flavors of black and blue fruits. The texture is velvety but also crunchy at the same times as the tannins are still very prominent here. Great precision and refinement and should be incredible in time. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2020 - ThauA wrote:
Drink with Wolff.
Thau 2 remaining and konsker :.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2020 - Romol Likes this wine: 99 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Perfect bottle. Wow, what a wine! Still has a lot of life ahead. 99 pts at the moment with potential up to 100 pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2019 - llink wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Nose of rosemary, cedar, saddle leather and black Currants. Lithe and acidic palate, still closed and tight. Drying finish, medium tannins and moderately structured.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2019 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
A small impromptu dinner - 08 Champagne and Chateau Margaux (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Incredibly sophisticate classic Margaux nose displaying intense fresh black fruit, crème de cassis, crushed blueberry and black berry, licorice, incense, sap, rose, lead pencil, cedar and crushed rock. Perfectly harmonious sensual palate, unbelievably layered pure black fruit, silky, detailed and weightless, bright acidity, strong mineral, beautifully integrated very fine tannins and a seamless long black fruit driven finish with crushed rose and rock mix at the end. The most sophisticated and delineated Margaux of the flight that flirts with perfection.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2019 - overkloud Likes this wine: 98 Points
Don't have the notes. It was a dinner night with many many great wines yet this stands out as one of top 5.
I recalls it has succulent black and red fruits, layered with notes of mushroom and wood. A wine of great depth. It stayed in the mouth goes on and on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2019 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
deepish red-purple color, cedar and violets on the nose, cassis, the cedar presence from the oak is nicely integrated coming in pebbled little bursts like the violets but the overall intensity is a bit distracting from what is normally a very genteel and feminine wine, on the palate fairly open but still somewhat primary, very pretty, cassis, red fruits, dill note from the oak which- as on the nose- is well integrated but more of a presence than I consider ideal, smooth and elegant despite the large scale imparted by the vintage, fine long finish, drinking well but I think a good bit of development is yet to come.
**(**), 2025-2040+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2019 - ZMAng wrote: 92 Points
Sampler. Green, leather, herbal, dark fruit, slight gamey notes. Well-integrated tannins, slightly tart fruit. Moderate length finish. 91-93.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2019 - hprphf wrote: 95 Points
Zachy's BYO 2019: Silky smooth tannin, super fresh, great balance, lagging finish. Just incredible harmony. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2019 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Second and last bottle. Only a short decant this time which made it feel fresher. Youthful deep purple core with ruby edge. Light nose of library leather and tobacco leaf. Palate of muted blackberry with a midpalate of redder fruit and finish of tobacco. At times a little monolithic on the fruit with some medicinal notes emerging. Showed better than the prior bottle and classic but not the fireworks reported by some other users. Drink now with short decant. 93-94
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2019 - phol wrote: 98 Points
Outstanding herbal dark fruit blackberry with a long long lingering taste ,almost totally integrated tannins my best Margaux ever.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2019 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine:
Initially floral nose and milk chocolate pebble palate. The wine closed in the decanter and re emerged somewhat later. Next bottle will just pop n pour. Score withheld.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2019 - cbuhlman wrote: 100 Points
Newport-Chanler
1 hour decant
I was going to write a detailed note but found the RP note absolutely spot on. here it is..
" It offers everything you desire from this First Growth. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation and freshness on the nose, understated at first and then blossoming with mineral-infused black fruit, hints of blueberry, crushed stone and violet. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, a wine where everything seems to be in its right place. Blackberry, crushed stone at the front of the mouth, just a touch of spice towards the finish that shows supreme control. This is a Margaux that seems to light up the senses..."
the "understatedness" at first glance is truly what sets this wine apart from the 2nd. growths.
The wine is coy and just shows a glimpse then reveals more and more flavor and nuance as the minutes roll on. It literally does NOT plateau.
Just amazing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2019 - ralaspech wrote: 94 Points
An elegant beauty. I was glad I got the opportunity at Wine Bar George Orlando.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2019 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
This is pure magic, even though it was not as expressive and intense as a bottle I had two years ago (no CT review). The two highlights: A) The very high complexity with the whole spectrum of primary, secondary and tertiary aromatics. B) The softness, femininity of the wine which makes you wanna drink it by the liter. This seems to be at a first peak but I didn’t get the feeling that it will deteriorate anytime soon. 97 to 98 points today.
TN: Lots of black truffles, dark fruit, meaty notes, ashes on the nose. Not as sharp and as fresh as it could be but still a solid 96 point nose. Sensational on the palate with black truffle, farmyard, leather, tobacco, lots of dark fruit, red berries, floral aromas all embedded in a ultra-soft structure with the finest tannins and a perfectly integrated acidity and a medium+ length. 98 to 99 points for the palate.
Decanting: Decanted for roughly 2 hours and that was fine. Got a bit more expressive thanks to the decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted Blind. This ranked #2 behind the ‘90 Haut Brion. Nevertheless, this was a close second. This is the first time I’ve had this wine where it was showing it’s stuff. My prior two tastings of ‘96 Margaux it was closed and in a dumb phase. Not this bottling... high toned, big & brawny but also very refined showing itself to be finally entering its drinking window. I would still wait 10 more years to allow it to come out of its shell more. Nevertheless, this is greatness in a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2019 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 98 Points
2h decant. Los of precision here with unique forest floor and brushwood, slightly meaty too, black tea, mixed forest berries and blueberries. Over time even some minty and herbaceous notes emerge. On the palate a finely knit texture with mushrooms and lots of red berries. Tannins completely molten into the structure. Light like a feather, broad range of aromatics, sufficient acidity to provide freshness. This immediately shines in the glass. In a perfect drinking spot right now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2019 - dkentaustin wrote: 97 Points
really drinking beautifully right now. the nose was ethereal and the fruit and back end minerality was as good as it gets. one of the best Margaux's of any year i have ever had
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
8/17/2019 - Frances1991 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice aroma with perfume, herbaceous and fruity.
Medium bod. Seems still need more years to reach its best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2019 - havana4 🍾🍇 Likes this wine: 94 Points
No decant. Should have, But one of the other members at the party claimed this wine was old enough and needed nothing. I did not want to argue or sound pompous but I just poured myself two glasses and set them aside and let them percolate on their own. Amazing nose on this claret. . One of the best that I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. On the pallet dark black fruits were so well integrated with the Tanic structure. A very pleasant medium acidity kept this wine in perfect balance and made you longing for your next. Most definitely opened up over an hour and a half window in the glass. Also I found a bunch of sediment in the bottom of my glass at the end of it. Another reason this beast needed to settle in a decanter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2019 - rwstorer wrote: 96 Points
Three hour decant and still needs more time. Beautiful wine with a long life ahead of it. Wont try this again for at least another year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2019 - Latache01 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Recently tasted the 2nd bottle of this magnificent wine over the last 3 years: What a delightful development.
While it had been sort of shut down in 2016, obviously whilst still showing up very nicely - it is turning into a stunner these days: Subtlety, elegance and complexity are no longerdismantling delicious fruit and forest flavours. Velevety mouthfeel complemented with a firm yet never austere structure that only the greates Bx will deliver. Finesse, mulit-layers aromes, long finish: This will bump into 100 points for sure, if you give it another 4+ years. You'll have to look for the greates Musignys and La Romanees to find am match in Burgundy - yes, and 1-2 DRCs will do. :-)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2019 - UFGators Likes this wine: 100 Points
This was my first tasting of 1996 Margaux and now I believe the hype. This wine is one of the most complex and balanced wines I have ever had. This wine has a beautiful floral nose including violets. I could smell it all day. The best way I can describe this wine is that It has everything that anyone could ever want in a wine. It has balance, complexity, acidity, ripeness without being overripe, structure with room for further aging and a long long finish. Dark cherries, violets and tobacco Captivate the senses. This may be The best overall wine I’ve ever had.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2019 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Lucky enough to be able to have two bottles of this in the space of 18 hours. Each time with three hours decant the wines showed pretty identical and consistent. A true classic Bordeaux thoroughbred left bank. Some barnyard, library, and then a great acidity that all top Medoc 96s share together with some blue fruits. Lovely showing here and probably will be better with 5 years plus more bottle age. But already drinking with a decent. Reason this didn’t score higher is that a DRC RSV99 somewhat put it in its place in my absolute ranking and hence 96+ here. It is in a way a faultless wine however.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2019 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank with some big hitters 78 Margaux, 78 Las Cases, 85 Lynch, 97 Rayas, 13 Opus, decanted more than 2 hours, dark, pure ink & irons, heady nose, layers of complexity, soaring aromatics, opulent, young, be perfect in 10 years time, one of my wotn with the 85 Lynch
95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2018 - LOZFOZ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at the La Jolla Hotel
There is no doubting the quality of this wine. I brought it (from afar) to drink on NYE and it certainty didn't disappoint insofar as power was concerned. Primary fruit dominated the nose and palate with a left-bank sensory overload which could've been mistaken for LMHB.
All in all, trying too hard. Ch. Margaux shouldn't - and doesn't - have to. I'll give this another shot it ten years time but, until then, will enjoy the '83, '85, '88, '89 and '90 which are all singing now.
See you in 2028/29 mon cherie
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2018 - straight outta iowa Likes this wine: 98 Points
First, rib eyes at Centro DSM on Sunday night with a very generous friend. The 1996 Ch. Margaux (served blind) was, in a word, dazzling. It possessed a quality that the greatest wines seem to share, which is an underlying power cloaked in an almost weightless form. To this tippler, not quite so well versed in Margaux, the perfume came across rather Pauillac, which was my initial hunch. A decent amount of lead pencil. The silky texture, on the other hand, led us back to Margaux. The wine was evolved enough to very much appreciate, yet I suspect it has decades of life remaining. It was very hard to put the glass down.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2018 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 100 Points
Sublime! This was by far the best bottle of wine I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The nose was oak and cigar box. Blackberrys and black currant were the most prevalent flavours. The finish was so, so long. Honestly bliss in a bottle. I am not sure if wine can get any better than this. I think this is at the perfect level of maturity, colour is barely starting to fade. No signs of bricking at all. Easily good for another 20+ years. Today I give my first 100 point rating. Wow!
100
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2018 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 100 Points
Holiday dinner at Annie Gunn’s. Stole the show. Sent this note to Dave Sokolin to describe.
It was ideal. Coloration was barely waning. A nice dark garnet slightly lighter at the edge. Sexy silky texture, perfect tannin for the age with medium acidity. Nose was cedar, mocha and cigar box. Fruit was ample. I would call it black currant and black raspberry. The thing about the wine was the finish. Easily 1 minute maybe 130. I would give it 100 myself. Highest recommendation.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/6/2018 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Felt a bit shut, needs a decant from well-stored bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2018 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
A bit more pine forest but again nice showing. Attractive and multi facetted
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2018 - onboisduvin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful wine of great year! Pity that it was rated side by side with 96' Latour.
20200310 Another great performance of Margaux. 94+
20200806 stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Perfect fruity and floral integration. Juicy, delicate and silky. One of the best Bordeaux. 98+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Stunning! That is the only word this tasting note really needs. But for those that like more detail, this is intensely concentrated, opulent, silky and fresh. The fruit is perfectly ripe, pure, sweet and offers lift and length. Elegant from start to finish, this has entered into maturity, but there is no hurry to drink it. I am sure the 96 Margaux will provide pleasure and positive evolution for at least another 25-35 years, if well stored.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2018 - steinersing wrote: 97 Points
This is again showing beautifully, singing. sweet, violets, good structure, good length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2018 - Collector1855 wrote: 99 Points
Vertical blind tasting. A very complete wine. Expressive and complex nose of cloves, cigar box, cedar, very Margaux. The palate is fresh and elegant, yet dense at the same time. WOTN of this tasting.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2018 - hajoha wrote: flawed
Ikke optimal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2018 - robertek wrote: 98 Points
Brilliant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2018 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
showed very well again. Great energy. uplifting. an excellent 1996.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2018 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Energetic black fruit, floral aromas. Depth, intensity and class. Better wine than 82.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
Out of magnum- big and burly with firm tannins, this needed 5+ hours in a decanter to start to reveal itself. Very deep flavors of dark fruits along with notes of rich earth and violet spice. Finishes powerful and intense with great depth and complex spices. Everything is poised for greatness here but this wine, especially out of magnum, is going through a period where the tannins are showing fairly rigid and grippy. 95+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 96 Points
The nose on this is from another world with this incredible floral/violet thing with dark berries and pure Margaux earth which I know but can’t describe. Firm tannins in the style of the vintage with fabulous material underneath. Just great flavors of rich smokey black currant, eucalyptus and charred oak. There is a silky but chiseled texture that is thickening up as it approaches it’s window of drinkability. This is a big-boned Margaux with tight tannins but also great class and refinement. Spell-binding juice and this could be perfect down the road when the tannins let up a bit. 96+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2018 - IvanLi Likes this wine: 100 Points
This wine left me speechless and in awe at how good Cabernet can be. With the silkiest texture imaginable, with the most intense and aristocratic interlacement of incredible flowers and black and red fruits this elixir possesses an out of this world finish that technically lasts a couple minutes but will in fact stay with you forever.
I have tasted other vintages of Margaux like 2006, 1995 and 1990 and this description fits with every one of them.
For me personally this wine goes to 101 and is the greatest of all the Bordeaux chateaux, if not the greatest in the world.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2018 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 97 Points
this showed very well versus a 96 latour side by side. this was feminine, floral - more violets and pretty notes - the mouthful was so smooth, full and delicous - and a long seamless finish. the latour in contrast had more tobacco and pencil lead notes on the perfume - but was a bit disjointed in the body - tannins and finish were a bit harsher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2018 - rrchavez Likes this wine: 97 Points
Beautiful ruby color and intense long finish. Could or should have decanted for another hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2018 - rrchavez Likes this wine: 96 Points
A bit acidic and should have decante longer. Had a game taste and a very long long finish. Beautiful color.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2018 - cab blends wrote: 96 Points
AHA Hearts Delight Vintners Dinner with Chef Daniel Boulud (Mellon Auditorium - DC): Light cellar nose and potato but not corked wet potato. This seems to be far more in its prime that the 2004. Smooth on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 97 Points
Deep brick red with a ruby hue. Lovely age on the nose with leather, dusty, mushrooms, dried cherries and a little dirty diaper. Medium tannins (6/10) and full bodied. Layered palate with notes of dried cherries, leaves, forest floor and truffles. Long finish. Drink till 2045.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
5/10/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 99 Points
Château Margaux vertical dinner (Taberna Del Alabardero): What a gorgeous wine! Paul Pontallier's notes on this vintage are so on target to the bottle we enjoyed this evening: "The Cabernet Sauvignon has seldom achieved such a perfection of style and such good balance," he wrote. After the 1995, the nose already seemed to exude such ripe but such cooler fruit. The palate? Far more finesse than the 1995, which seems a bit “hotter” on the palate - going back and forth between the two. In this flight of three 95-96-99, going back from the charming 1999, the 1996 has riper mint aspects, and riper earth, too, as it shows touches of tertiary. The texture is oh so smooth and nuanced, and the finish lasts for at least 40 seconds. Pontallier ended his notes for this vintage as "a dream of a Margaux". I agree.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
5/9/2018 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Chateau Margaux dinner with Thibault Pontallier (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): As expected, it flirts with perfection. Perfectly harmonious and precise nose displaying decadent yet pure black and blue fruit, crème de cassis, crushed blackberry and blueberry, cornucopia of flowers, subtle perfume, lead pencil, cedar and limestone mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, pure, precise, detailed, silky and polished, very finely layered cool black and blue fruit, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, incredibly fine tannins and the finish that resonates over a minute. IMO, the 96 Margaux, Latour and Lafite represent the epitomes of classic Bordeaux. It is drinking perfectly in a very youthful way but will improve another decade or more.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2018 - UTPK wrote:
Clean and classic nose of herbs, dust, cedar. Still in the beginning of its drinking window. Almost more Pauillac than Margaux. Very finely grained and precise on the palate. Exquisite balance. I would wait 10 more years if you want the tertiary aromas to show. However, if you like them fresh and clean, now is a good time to try a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2018 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Clear, deep ruby; clean medium nose of lily and violets, cassis, cedar, cracked fall leaves, wet soil and sweaty saddle leather; dry; full body; high tannins, high acidity; pfn with addition of tar and licorice; long finish that highlights saddle leather; big wine that somehow seems clean and light; fabulous
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Château Margaux Vertical (Chef's Club NYC): Intense bouquet that has pen ink and violet florals. Graphite. Classic Margaux blue fruit and perfume nose. On the palate this has a medley of red, black, and blue berry fruit, nice punch but still well balanced. Great now and have to think this will keep adding nuance and texture for a long while. A consistent classic I always enjoy, and always find it outperforms the '95 side-by-side.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/25/2018 - King Julien wrote: 97 Points
Decanted about 3 hours and really needed it. It was pretty closed down when first popped with a little barnyard, but after sitting 3 hours in the decanter had opened quite nicely. It continued to blossom for another hour and then was consistently great for the next couple hours until it was gone. Recommend about 4 hours in the decanter next time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2018 - Collector1855 wrote: 98 Points
From Magnum. Tasted blind. First sniff it was clear. Aged, high quality Medoc. Nose of spices, earth, dark fruit, complex. Medium bodied palate, still lively tannins and acidity to support the body. Long finish. Great, aristocratic stuff. Very nice claret, early drinking window from this format at least.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2018 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
While still on the upswing, the class and strength of this wine were obvious from the first taste. Will drink best in 3 to 5 years but easy to drink now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2017 - tbabes wrote: 100 Points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was pristine; opened about 2 hours before service, but not decanted. Perfect in every way imaginable. A beautiful purple core, turning to ruby at the rim. Ethereal notes of lily, blackberry, plums, and campfire, with hints of truffle. On the palate, medium-bodied, with layers of flavor, perfect delineation, velvety mouthfeel, and incredible focus on the long finish. Wine does not get better than this! A pleasure and privilege to share with Nicole on our anniversary.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2017 - robertek wrote: 98 Points
This is the essence of why Bordeaux is a reference point for wine. Love it. Very approachable now but no hurry - this will work in 20 years as well. But why wait....?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2017 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Lunch de Noël des anciens de C&S 2017 (Restaurant Prince): Immédiatement reconnu comme un vin du Médoc, puis de 1996, je me dirige ensuite vers Pauillac, en raison de sa bouche droite et longue, qui montre puissance et concentration, une structure bien construite que j'aurais placé davantage sur un Lafite par ex. C’est encore un vin très jeune, qui affiche longueur et profondeur d'un premier cru, encore sur la réserve. Grand vin et le meilleur reste à venir. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2017 - kingkanu wrote: 96 Points
The Sampler Xmas Icons 2017: Medium body and still vibrant and bright. Classic Bordeaux nose, graphite and black currant fruit, very lovely indeed, just starting to show some developement. Mouth filling fruit, but so elegant. Gentle fine tannin provides a little texture and grip. Long finish. It’s a cliche, but this is real class in a glass.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2017 - SlimShaney wrote: 89 Points
Great colour. Classic nose. Big (for Bordeaux) yet gentle. Chocolatey but way to sour for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2017 - the player Likes this wine: 96 Points
Outstanding Margaux that balances power with the elegance of the Chateau. Deep ruby red color, decanted and aerated for an hour then drank over 2 - 3 hours. Real style here. On the nose lots of cassis, red berries, perfume, flowers, sweet tobacco. Entry on the palate is quite delicate then works up tremendous power and energy mid palate, with tannins well coated by the power of the dark red fruits and a very gratifying and precise long finish to the wine. One of my favorite 1996s. 3 bottles left!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2017 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Half drunk bottle left over from wife, call this benefit of doubt.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2017 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened at White's in London. 1996 First Growth Dinner.
Beautiful bottle of Margaux, and alongside the Lafite were clearly the best performers of the night.
The palate here was as good as the Lafite, going down extremely smoothly yet providing beautiful complexity and structure to contemplate. I felt like the nose on the Lafite was just a tad better - but this was still a wonderful expression of Margaux. Slightly more red fruits coming through than I expected, but that was very welcome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2017 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Well I thought the last glass was good but this is one is "special"
particularly smooth and sadly too easy to drink - sadly for my head in the morning
xxxx
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2017 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 98 Points
1996, a fantastic year for Bordeaux, this blend drinks smooth and beautifully balanced. blackberry fruit and spice balance this wonderful first growth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 95 Points
Mivvy Back in Town: Blind. Oak, blackcurrant, earthy, cherry, some flint, pencil shavings and roses. Really impressive fruit depth on the palate, this is rich and full and works well when paired with the strong tannins - it tastes youthful but there is obvious complexity to it. Has plenty of potential to continue improving from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2017 - lifebreath Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking perfectly now, but needs some air. After 30 minutes, started to open and sweeten up. After a couple hours, everything humming. I put some gas on 1/4 bottle, sealed and evacuated the bottle. Two nights later, finished it and the wine was divine! Decant for at least an hour, but I'd slow ox it for a couple hours, recook and let it sit overnight to really make it shine. I'm looking forward to the other 11 bottles in my cellar!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2017 - Blair Curtis wrote: 95 Points
On its own, this is a fantastic and noble wine. It had the misfortune of being served in a flight of First Growths that also contained 1989 Haut Brion, 1990 Margaux, and 1990 Latour (voted wine of the flight!). I have a soft spot for Margaux. These are elegant and regal wines. They have great poise - both the 1990 and the 1996 showed this in spades. But they are not wines of masculine force...that was the Latour...and that was the preference of the tasters on this night. This wine shows young, but not undrinkably so. Quite enjoyable with a top USDA Prime cut of steak.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2017 - Labrador Likes this wine: 93 Points
A fantastic Margaux of great depth and purity. Served along side a 1996 Chateau Mouton Rothschild and a 2007 Frederic Magnien Chambertin-Clos de Beze. The Margaux was like a fan dance that kept showing layer after layer of beautifully balanced, rich dark fruit. It was liquid velvet.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
6/25/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
About 2 hours of air, and this really exploded into everything you were hoping it would be. Rich, silky, plush, polished, and fresh, with layers of perfectly ripe, sweet, opulent fruits that tasting and felt great were impossible not to enjoy. This is really getting close to optimum drinking here.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2017 - burgcamel wrote: 93 Points
This bottle seemed much tighter than the last bottle I opened. Tasted along side the the 90 Margaux that really outclassed the 96.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2017 - redknife Likes this wine: 94 Points
Au Pied de Terre with Felipe and Monica more than a year ago
Was great I remember
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2017 - UTPK wrote:
Decanted 3 hours. Sexy nose of tobacco, violets, green peppers and subtle forest floor. While this is clearly still in its first phase, it is not a young wine. The nose is nicely developed and has none of the fresh black currants and leafy young notes. On the palate it is medium bodied and extremely well balanced, almost "boring", i.e. nothing sticks out. Very polished with sweet tannins, perfect clean fruit and balancing acidity. The real surprise comes when you sink it. The finish is racingly long, and you taste every corner of the wine on the palate, as if it was still there. Beautiful. Drink a bottle now! Keep some for 10 years!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2017 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Vague d'Or. Still baby, most backward of recent bottles tasted. Opaque purple, tannins yet to resolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2017 - RaphaelMalago Likes this wine: 97 Points
Chateau Margaux 1996 - no doubt that this is one of the best Margaux produced. Still so young that seems it was bottled yesterday. The nose enters with red fruits, cassis, currant, pencil lead leading to a beautiful, fine and classy palate very delicate, velvet, filling the mouth in perfect balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2017 - King Julien wrote: 97 Points
Decanted 2 hours, definitely needed some air, very nice nose. Drank over 3 hours.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2017 - fcxj wrote: 96 Points
Delicious. Less expressive aromatically than 1996 Latour last week, cassis and flowers, no tertiary scents. Very fresh and balanced, no hint of heaviness. Surprisingly, more concentration and length than Latour.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
[Magnum] Classic bouquet including violets and ripe blackberry fruit. Perfumed but restrained tonight. Large format lent to a more primary showing with less development and complexity than experienced with past 750s of this. Very elegant and understated. Silky tannin already though.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2016 - levinml wrote: 95 Points
Well, this note is going to sound strange. Drank early at a New Year's Eve dinner, opened and decanted as my cocktail (rather than champagne). Loved it; very balanced, nuanced and elegant. But later in the evening had a big, fruit forward 2010 cal cab with main course and just enjoyed the flavor so much it made me re-think the bordeaux "elegance." Know it could be disparaged as a "fruit bomb," but now I don't know. Anyway, choice is always a good thing.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2016 - Old Vino Likes this wine: 96 Points
no tertiary notes as it needs more time. make no mistake about it....this is already great and will age gracefully.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2016 - capacious Likes this wine: 99 Points
Once in a while, everything comes together perfectly in a wine and a dinner and an evening. With no prior plan, we brought this, friends brought the 2000- divine guidance? The 1996 was magnficent, and maybe leaves the question- what's a 100 point wine - one I better answer soon, since 70 is around the corner and I risk getting some of my wines by IV eventually. Back to the Margaux, drink one if you have, makes friends with someone who has if you don't. Not to be missed, can't provide the words to characterize, this is why first growth Bordeaux has little to look over its shoulder at when you want magnificence in a wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2016 - Vino_Veritas Likes this wine: 96 Points
Courtesy of Francophile1's never-ending magnanimity. Rated 96 for where it is now, but no doubt this is on its way to 100 points in about 20 years. Great marriage of power and elegance which only rarified terrior can achieve. Certainly a more masculine Margaux, indicative of the strong vintage for Cabernet. Decanted and over the course of the evening the wine was unrelenting, providing a peek at its potential but not budging one bit. Great one for the cellar if you don't yet have it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/17/2016 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
While the '82 Pichon Lalande is a tough act to follow, the '96 Margaux did not disappoint. This is most definitely a 100 point wine, but in the future only because it needs more time in the bottle to evolve. Nevertheless, this is one of the most balanced wines I've had in a while. The nose is singing and the finish goes on for over a minute powering through the tannin. Everything is in perfect harmony & order with this wine. Decanted for an hour and consumed over the following three hours. This is a wine for the ages and it will most definitely warrant a 100 point score with 15 more years on it. I look forward to tasting it again, but not before 2030. Incredible wine!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/7/2016 - RayOB Likes this wine: 97 Points
Chateau Margaux Masterclass Dinner (67 Pall Mall): Structure power and depth in a silk glove. This is beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2016 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 98 Points
Had this at La Trompette in Chiswick side by side a Leoville Las Cases 1990. Thought it was a good time to sample this at the 20 year age mark and after NM just awarded it a perfect score in the 20 year retrospect. The wine is perfectly made, statesmanlike, very correct and pure with a lovely saline finish. The high Cabernet % in the wine is evident. This is at the (very) early part of its drinking window and will last another 3 decades easy. Ideally you probably wait for this for another 5+ yrs to come out of its shell a bit more. Lovely. Albeit it was in my eyes not superior to the marvelous 90 LLC drank alongside. And I think it may just lack that 'little something' to ever become a truly perfect wine in my opinion / for my taste. 96-97 points for me based on NOW and 98 on the undoubted further potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2016 - MrBrege wrote: 97 Points
From Coravin, what a lovely glass for a lazy Saturday afternoon. Let it sit for an hour. Lots and lots of cedar and blackcurrants on the nose. Still has quite a young feel to it, very structured on the palate with fruit aplenty but tannins also still noticeable. I would not call this silky or velvety, rather it has complexity, intensity and a decent length. I find myself reaching frequently for the glass to try to pick out the layers of flavours, it really is lovely I may have to poor another glass....
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 96 Points
1996 Bordeaux Blind: Lovely bouquet here with rustic earth-driven aromas, actually quite opulent. Tannins have grip but this is the best balanced of the first four. Quite precise on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2016 - fatfishzsy Likes this wine: 98 Points
瓶醒6小时，换醒酒器单宁结构宏大，果香四溢，入杯四小时无疲态
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2016 - RayOB Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
What an elegant wine. Nose of cassis, forest floor, raspberries, pencil and cedar. Elegant smooth palate with a long length. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2016 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Still tannic and youthful. A terrific Margaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2016 - buckeye76 wrote: 98 Points
BLACK CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, AND A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKBERRIES, LICORICE, AND CURRANTS IN THE FLAVOR. AMAZING COLOR, COMPLEX, LONG FINISH. SIMILAR NOTES WITH 2/08 TSTG
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2016 - Kim Gerner wrote: 95 Points
1. cru Chateaux Haut Medoc 1996 horisontal - Wine tasting dinner (At home): Lots of tannins and not as velour-like as expected! On the other hand less intense than Mouton Rothschild '96. We started with Margaux and after that Mouton Rothschild. Going back to Margaux was a pity for Margaux as it disappeared in Moutons very high flavour intensity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2016 - Rupert Does not like this wine: 96 Points
At 67PM: wow! though not an obviously wow wine - the qualities here were its cool coal flavour profile, sharp focus, chiselled, amazing finesse - very special
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2016 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 94 Points
No formal note. Still a lot of fruit, not overly complex, but deep. Classic Margaux. Obviously too expensive :)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2016 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful bouquet with cassis and other dark forest fruits, beautiful oaky flavors and caramel. On the palate a still youthful wine, with beautiful dark forest fruits, luxurious oak, cedar, firm acidity and still slightly sticky tannin. Young maturity stage now, but there is still future and room for improvement. 95 – 96+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
With bottle age, every wine turns out different. While still a stunning tasting experience, this bottle was not as ostentatious as other examples. Young, fresh, full bodied, silky and with great, purity of fruit, it lacked the expressiveness found in the best bottles.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2016 - RayOB wrote: flawed
Drank at 67
Still drinkable but quite faded and musky
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2016 - RayOB Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank at Home
Absolutely incredible depth and complexity with a long long length. This is just beautiful and drinking now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2016 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Mostly FGs Bordeaux dinner - 82 & 86 Mouton, 00 Pavie, 86 & 95 Lafite, 96 Margaux and 95 Latour (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): For my palate, the 96 Margaux is one of the most classic Bordeauxs. Perfect balance and absolute finesse. Expressive youthful pure nose displaying crushed blackberries, cassis, expensive perfume, flowers, lead pencil and mineral. Very precise and sophisticate palate, nothing out of place. A noble wine. As usual, so consistent and flirting with perfection.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2016 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 97 Points
A fantastic Margaux in the making, but for me this needs to be left for at least another 5yrs (ideally 10!). At the moment it is a reticent ball of fruit - more dark fruit than mature Margaux - and yet to develop the aromatics I look for (violet, etc). However, it will come - the structure and stuffing is absolutely all there. At the moment this is more like a cross with ripe-vintage St Estephe. I'll crack open my remaining bottles from 2025. 97+pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2016 - Dehrmann Likes this wine: 97 Points
ny eve...after 1990 rieussec...chocolate, cigar box, red fruit...bold...deep...long...simply amazing
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2015 - burgcamel wrote: 97 Points
Gave it a 2 hour decant but still took another hour to open up fully. This is starting to drink beautifully now. Nice floral notes on the nose with earth and dark fruit thrown in. Beautifully balanced with soft tannins and a great mouth feel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 96 Points
My favorite from the bunch tonight; classic Margaux nose, aromatic, floral, sandy, and lots of currant, a feminine masculinity; palate is still quite structured, piercing fruit, great acid; seems like it needs more time to flesh out just a bit; really good, wow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2015 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 96 Points
Decidedly the wine of the night out of '95 and '96 First Growths. A huge nose that initially head-faked Pauillac with forest floor, lead pencil, loamy soil, and soaked leather, but later gave off more floral perfume and medicinal aromas. Some sweetness on the palate with great boulder / river rock minerality. Rich red berry fruit throughout, never tart. Interesting notes of acrylic paint appear later on. Tannins are melting in perfectly. Just awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 96 Points
An Outstanding Array of High-End Wines at a Charity Dinner (Fairmont Miramar, Santa Monica): From a double magnum, decanted for 2 hours. This was all silk and rich fruit, along with the early appearance of some secondary, earthy notes of mushroom and cedar. Chewy and refined at the same time. Soft tannins. Impressive structure and a nice finish. 20+ years ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2015 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 97 Points
open for business. Fully mature dark ruby/ garnet, clean with minimal sediment.
Deep brooding nose of dark fruit and cassis on a spice box stage.
Seamless broad complexity and open-knit power. Years of terrific drinking ahead.
If a date, this was a 40 year old former lingerie model turned neurologist who can discuss dozens of topics over the course of a dirty weekend at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons. Easily loved and admired, but not easily forgotten
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2015 - lepetitchateau wrote: 95 Points
Lovely silky ripeness from the nose through to the palate and rich finish. This was served at Château Margaux about 2-3 hours after opening, and was at first still tight and firm. With some of Hélène Darroze's amazing food it opened up and really blossomed! Lovely wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2015 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Still primary but more developed than Latour 96. Enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Silk and velvet tannins, ripe, pure, fresh, sweet, vibrant fruits, a perfume of violets, tobacco, cassis, blackberry and earthy notes and a finish that does not quit. What more can you ask for? This is close to ready. It is going to get better and better for a long time, but at close to 20 years of age, this is starting to enter its prime time drinking window.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2015 - fatfishzsy wrote: 95 Points
高达99分的酒评家分数使得我在挑选96波尔多时自然地关注到了玛歌。如此实力的波尔多使得我在侍酒时也颇为大胆，在中午11点开瓶透气，原瓶瓶醒近9个小时后倒入醒酒器，在醒酒器中待了一个多小时后入杯饮用，后来证明长时间的醒酒对于当晚的表现大有裨益。蓝色和黑色浆果香气充盈杯间，铅笔芯和杉木香气提醒我们它仍是一支经典的左岸波尔多。单宁精细有力但绝不剌口，酒体细致复杂，超长的回味令人击节赞赏！显然这支酒仍属青年，可轻松陈年数十年。总体而言这支属于玛歌的经典之作，一派端庄雍容之气象，从波尔多的角度诠释了优雅！Candidate of wine of the vintage!
转自kimiburg
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2015 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
Great wine, interesting back to back with 1995. At thus stafe 1996 a bit more flamboyant and open, but 1995 may have a bit more promise still. Violets, great structure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2015 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 97 Points
Rød med vandig kant.
Solbær, jordbær, lær,te på nese.
Lag på lag i munn: følger opp nese i tillegg til pepper og noe vanilje og paprika i bakgrunnen. Konsentrert, tanninrik, frik men ligger som fløyel i munn - lenge. Fremdeles ungdommelig og har et langt liv foran seg. Ble bedre i 4-5 timer i glasset etter åpning før den begynte å tape seg litt. En fantastisk vinopplevelse!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 97 Points
Verticale du Château Margaux: "Un nez de cabernet!" ai-je d'abord écrit spontanément. Séduisant avec ses notes de prunes, de mine de crayon, de cèdre avec quelques accents fumés.
En bouche, un corps moyen, il joue admirablement la carte de l'élégance, avec une texture crémeuse, beaucoup de finesse, une finale saline qui s'étire longuement. C'est un vin complet, le plus aérien du groupe, un grand vin qui s'impose naturellement sans rien forcer, comme un grand diplomate! 97 pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2015 - darky999 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wine doesn't get much better. Decanted for 2 hours although I tried a glass upon pop too. Magical aroma of flowers, chocolate, lead pencil, red fruit, but it just had something different. This was not Bordeaux, it was magical.
The palate is just insane. Silky smooth. Supremely balanced. It's drinking wonderfully now but will last for 2 decades or more.
Finish last forever.
The only reason I don't give 100 is that i bet this will be better in 10-20 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2015 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Whoa! This exactly the mind-blowing perfection your senses conjure up when you are lying in bed thinking of your favorite encounters with Chateau Margaux. Pure and clean with minimal sediment, this wine is fully mature at age 18
The rich nose of boysenberry and dark fruit leads to an explosion of layers and seamless fruit which sail on and on forever.
If a date, this is a highly educated 30 year old 36-24-36 bombshell who takes you home and makes you reconsider your entire life of sexual escapades as being minor and somewhat insignificant to that point.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2015 - Wineguy76 wrote: 99 Points
The flamboyant 1996 is another momentous Chateau Margaux. It is endowed with a lavish deep ruby core and exuberant aromas of blueberries, chocolate, led pencil shavings, damp earth and cigar humidor. This hedonistic concoction spoils the palate with its incredibly soft texture and perfectly integrated, well polished tannins while revealing delicate, yet pronounced notes of wild raspberries, burnt tar, caramel, kirsch and creme de cassis. And as one may expect after such a high display of refinement and finesse the endless velvety finish is yet another stunning quality of this truly outstanding wine. A marvel with a long and bright future ahead of it still. Enjoy it over the next twenty-five years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2015 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Trelio with the fellas (Clovis Ca.): Had along with the 89….this 96 was drinking really well! Great balance, yet still quite youthful. Beautiful earth spice perfume….elegant, darker berried fruit than the 89…..complexities of leather, wood spice, pencil shavings, graphite powder, dusty earth….soft and silky. Wonderful!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2015 - conviction buy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted also 3 hrs, deep red, nose of cassis, cedar. Extremely balanced in mouth, more than four-squared, perfect acidity gives freshness but melt in nicely with fruit. Typical floral aroma of Margaux that is unmistakable. Plush and really lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2015 - McKraftyWino Likes this wine: 100 Points
As part of a Nashville Wine Auction charity (www.nashvillewineauction.com) tasting dinner with Paul Pontallier of Margaux we tasted 2 of each 2004,2003,2003,2000,1998,1996,1995,1990,1989,1988,1986,1983,1982,1982, 1975
There was some bottle variation.
My pick for best of evening was the 1996
(and i must mention: how does one really pick a best from so many great wines??!!)
Paul added "this wine epitomizes what Margaux is, the wonderful nose, the complexity, the softness, the finish"
I completely agree. It was a perfect very feminine wine which contrasted with the 1995 which was also near perfect yet was more masculine.
1996 is drinking spectacularly.
Enjoy!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2015 - ramblindrunkard Likes this wine: 97 Points
Good ruby colour at its core, with a clear ruby/garnet rim. Very aromatic straight off the bat. Lots of cedarwood and a hint of breakfast tea, dried black fruits intermixed with blackcurrant and star anise. Lots of complexity here. The palate's more backward than the nose would suggest. The vintage's character shows through a lot here, particularly in the tannins which are firm but very fine. A much more masculine version of margaux than normal. Good concentration and plenty of freshness. The wine tastes much younger than the nose would suggest. A more fresh blackcurrant character coming through. The wine was quite cold on opening it will be interesting to see how much it opens up as it comes to room temperature. A long finish. Tasted at Koffman's restaurant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2014 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 98 Points
A profound Margaux at its prime.
Ethereal, complex and intense nose with notes of maturity, noble leather, florals and herbs along the cassis and cedar notes.
Silky on the palate with long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2014 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 98 Points
Secret Dinner with 9 Chateau Margaux Vintages (Grande Bretagne Hotel, Athens, Greece): A majestic wine, and my choice if I had to open a bottle for New Year's Eve. Knock-out, etheral nose of pronounced florality, noble barnyard scents, cedar, damp earth and cassis. Med+ bodied, balanced, refined, very complex with textbook structure and length. Liquid poetry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2014 - alittle wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours. Deep purple, almost inky in colour, with no bricking noted. Condition of the bottle was immaculate and it showed. The nose was soaring straight out of the gate, with florals taking the forefront, accentuated with dark fruits; blackcurrant, blackberry; cedar, spice, and a touch of graphite. The nose is still relatively primary at this stage, but beautifully perfumed. On the palate, this wine shines; such beautiful structure, perfectly balanced, showing medium acidity, moderate silky tannin and a tremendous depth of flavour and purity. Finishes quite long, with tastes of flowers, dark fruits, earth, spice and a touch of cedar. Based on this tasting, I would wait another 10 years to open another. While this still gave immense pleasure today, its finest days are yet to come. Classic even today, but eventually, this will merit a near perfect score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2014 - Dave Canada wrote: 96 Points
1996 Horizontal Tasting (David's House - Kitchener, ON): Liquified flowers.....that is what this wine is. I haven't had a wine this floral since the 1983 Chateau Palmer from magnum.
So floral....violets, lavendar, cedar, spice, vanilla, black currant, cassis, leather and a hint of earth.
Palate is so pure and focused....plum, cassis, flowers, raspberry, cedar, leather, spice, blackberry and lavender.
Finish is singular....yet so complex all at the same time. This is in a tunnel of flavour, power and complexity that just explodes in sheer complexity and power. Love this wine....awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 95 Points
The Wine Nerds do Christmas Dinner (Dave' Place - Kitchener, ON Canada): This is a gorgeous wine that is deep and rich. I can't help but think that it has more to give down the road though. It pours inky dark with zero bricking and features very deep dense youthful nose that is driven on purple fruit and purple flowers. Nose is of lavendar, blueberry, blackberry, licorice, cedar and other mixed florals. Dave said liquified flowers and I get that. The palate is so perfectly polished with loads of lush dark fruit. Everything is in the right place in this gorgeous first growth. The acid and tannin are immaculately balanced and the texture of the tannin is remarkable; velvet, sweet and ripe. Should age gracefully for many many years. We're catching some of the early appeal here with full maturity perhaps another 20+ years away. An amazing wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2014 - clayfu wrote:
Tons of cherry creme on the nose, bright exciting fruit on the palate, softer less tannic than the 95 but showing a bit more rusticity on the finish with an earthier tone, but still very pure fruit, very nice wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2014 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
4 Days 4 Great Events and lots of Parker Points; 11/14/2014-11/18/2014 (Paris & London): A Class act albeit 10years away from peak. Very consistent with last time when we tried it about a year and a half ago (Papies 96)
Needs decanting, like 2 hours to develop and open up. Post that its just a recital of balance and elegance, very much a cab sauv wine ( 90% in this vintage) , white pepper, dark fruits, light floral. Very primary still. Great acidity here. This wine will reach its peak in 10 years we think and will stay there for a bit of time. 95 today but the future is for much higher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2014 - TightLettuce Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped and poured at an engagement party. 18 years does not provide enough to go without decanting, should benefit from another 5 years. Regardless it was an amazing bottle, the fruit was vivid and lightly perfumed, couldn't take it away from my nose long enough to sample it. Wish I had a few more, certainly lived up to its pedigree.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2014 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Chateau Margaux tasting with Thibault Pontallier (Rockpool Bar&Grill): Sweet fruits, has opened up. A little dark edge adds to the trademark red berry with an overall lovely balance. Power and poise, delicious drinking. Soft, very fine tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2014 - JJB007 Likes this wine:
with Ken Rivers
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2014 - jeremy@ wrote: 97 Points
Big wines @ La Fleur (La Fleur): Excellent nose. very floral, dark fruit with lots of minerals. taste very nice. smooth very well rounded. still quite fresh. dark fruits, minerals, lead. Tannins are very fine and well integrated. great aftertaste. with medium to long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for six hours. Started off nonetheless with an off edge - unsure if corked or what. Worried. Will drink another soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2014 - jaxpaj wrote: 95 Points
Mineral, old leather, pencil lead, and aged fruit. Not what I like in a wine but I could appreciate it. The group was split between this and '07 Quilceda Creek Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Now we're talking my language! Packed with licorice, coffee bean, coconut, cassis, blackberry, earth and floral characteristics. Intense, concentrated, long and powerful, this still young wine will really turn on the charm with another 5 - 10 more years in the bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2014 - noppakit s. wrote: 99 Points
" Shut Down Bangkok "
From Imperial, 6.0 litre
The creamy scent has gone and now showing the truly Margaux, classic Bordeaux.
Very good at the moment. Firm structure and very powerful finished. I can feel the aftertaste until the next morning. Great!!!!
Really want to drink again from a normal bottle.
Drink now (1996 is good performance from 2013)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2013 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Lazy Sunday group Holiday dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): The 96 Margaux is a great wine, a classic claret with perfect balance and harmony. Expressive nose of black fruits, cassis, lead pencil, flowers and earth. Seamless from the beginning to the end, beautiful polished fruit expression, silk and sophisticated palate and nicely integrated tannins. Still quite primary yet all the components are in perfect harmony. One of the most sophisticated classic clarets that are consistently flirting with perfection. Perhaps the Chateau Margaux version of the 90 Latour. Long life ahead.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2013 - King JR wrote: 99 Points
My goodness! I've been saving this one for years and it did not disappoint. At first there was a pleasant nose, but there was almost no mid-palate - it seemed a little awkward. Let it decant for about 3 hours, and it had changed significantly - now there was a deep, complex powerful nose and the wine was bursting with flavor. HOWEVER, it wasn't until about 4.5 to 5 hours in that the wine showed its true pedigree. It was now exploding with new and powerful scents and tastes. This is a true legendary Bordeaux, and a real treat for anyone who is fortunate to experience it. (with TF Nov 14)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2013 - johnh1001 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Drank over 2 hours and saved a glass for day 2. This is a big serious wine and didn't budge on day 2. Deep dark fruit, leather, dark tobacco, a bit of vanilla, black current. Nice sweetness on the palate. Very long, deep and structured finish. For my taste this is extremely young and coiled and needs another 10 years to open and round out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2013 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 97 Points
G6 (Kevin): Black in color. Perfumed nose of blackcurrant and Asian hardwood. Tastes of blackberry, cherry, currant, and cedar. Deep mid palate complexity. Medium bodied. Beautiful elegance on the long finish. Simply Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2013 - DarinC Likes this wine: 98 Points
Perfect cork and fill. Poured into glass and consumed over 3.5 hours. Still youthful in color with almost no bricking. A glorious complex perfume immediately flows from the glass immediately after pouring. Bordeaux elegance comes to mind with the floral and red fruit spectrum in the forefront with some black fruit, fine tobacco, soil tones, and cedar box in the backdrop. Beautiful essence of Cabernet Sav.
While the palate was a bit watery initially it really opened up after the first hour. The medium bodied palate feels like it caresses every part of the tongue. Tannins, alcohol, acid, ripeness...all in harmony. Slightly darker fruit profile than the nose. Subtle, very fine tannins and minerals coat the mouth after the favors subside. The finish, while not explosive, really carry a lovely cherry and mineral element at least a minute after the wine leaves my mouth. This should continue to develop more secondary nuances over the next few years, but there really is no reason to wait, especially if you like more primary characteristics.
It's amazing how the tasting notes are so diverse about this wine but nearly everyone says it's amazing, despite tasting totally different things. If you're expecting a modern, thick, rich, super-ripe, in your face, fruit and oak bomb, you might be disappointed. Terrible value at current prices.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
After a string of perfect bottles of Margaux, this particular bottle was good, but not great. And definitely no performing at the level it is capable of. It seems to lack the polish and precision normally experienced in this wine. Once again, with the passage of time, there are no great wines, just great bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2013 - MWiking wrote: 100 Points
Återigen ett fantastiskt vin. Vet inte om vin blir bättre än så här. Bordeauz när det är på topp. Världsklass
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2013 - Ramberg wrote: 97 Points
Consistent with my previous notes.
It’s in a great place right now, and drinks beautiful!
Very balanced and layered, just lovely!
97 points again for this beauty.
I want more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2013 - Timbalimba wrote: 97 Points
Château Margaux Masterclass, Paul Pontallier and Alexandra Mentzelopoulos (London): Good concentration, still looks young. Big, bold nose, making no excuses, developed and broad shouldered. Cassis, beef blood, warm earth, manure... smoke and quality tobacco. Very complex bouquet, ripe, gutsy. The palate is ripe, very fleshy, with integrated tannin. Hallmark old school Claret approaching its peak. Long, balanced finish. The nose suggests otherwise but I actually think it needs another decade or so. There's still room for the palate to fill out even more. Ready on the nose, but not on the palate. 97-99/100? Time will tell. I felt an urge to try this with quality food... it was almost unfair to judge it on its own, naked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2013 - Papies wrote: 96 Points
Chateau Margaux Masterclass with Paul Pontalier (Decanter FWE, The Landmark hotel, London): Colour shows a bit its age. The nose in a way remided us of the 2008, with minty, floral elements, herbs. Beautiful nose. The herby notes continue on the palate. Blind we could even think this was an 80s wine in a way as the style is very classic and has more than a few secondary notes to it. We could go on and on here but this is a magical wine. Nicol 97 / Andreas 95
Paul Pontalier said this wine was the first to push the grand vin to 90% cab sauv (96 was not such a great year for merlot) and for him th enose of this wine is the essence of marguax.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2013 - rossi.wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
This beauty concluded an amazing line-up of wines from the Chateau Margaux stable. And it didn't disappoint. The nose is just stunning, with wonderful notes of cedar, tobacco, spices, mushrooms, chocolate and sweet fruit of course. Still a lot of grip, great balance, silky mouthfeel and supreme length. An exceptional wine, very elegant, subtle, drinking perfectly now, but with many years ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2013 - mwanasheria wrote: 96 Points
Much more approachable than its sibling from 1995. Nose of dark fruit, on the palate dense, cassis, pepper, licorice. All harmony and elegance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2013 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
For the first hour, this was utterly perfect.
After aerating for a while, though it came down to 95 point level
Loved it, but not my favorite of the 1st growths....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2013 - CWang wrote: 96 Points
Shared by a friend and was slightly "heated" during a power incident, but turned out to be quite alright in today's tasting event; also 4+ hour of air time in the bottle first then 30 min in the glass prior to tasting; the nose was so rich yet elegant like baskets of black cherries and various berries surrounded by bouquets of roses and violets; wait a second, did someone pour honey, cedar shavings, tobacco leaves, and truffles over those flowers and fruits? on the palate, full-bodied; much more approachable and enjoyable than the 1986 tasted alongside; cassis, green and red apples, dark cherries, mixed berries, caramel macchiato, exotic spices, and whipped cream; very creamy, round, and velvety, more so than Pichon Baron 1996 tasted last year; the finish was still tannic yet very long almost like forever; overall, wow, a very amazing wine; drinking very well at such a young age; 96-97 points for now, and will definitely benefit from more cellar time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2013 - jasonbolton Likes this wine: 96 Points
half-bottle- soft, elegant, so much finesse. tannins were well-integrated, good amount of acidity present, everything in perfect proportion. leather, mushroom, ash, a little vanilla, just delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2013 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
it was good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2013 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
it was good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2012 - levinml Likes this wine: 99 Points
Fantastic, what great wine should be. Great flavors off the top, lots of complexity, long finish. Didn't tire the palate, either. I understand the description of "elegance" with Margaux, especially in comparison to other "blockbusters." Great stuff, drink anytime, but no rush.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2012 - tbabes wrote: 100 Points
An astoundlingly perfect wine. The fill was well into the neck and the cork was pristine; double-decanted 2.5 hours before service. A purple-ruby core, turning to ruby at the rim. An intriguing and exciting bouquet -- I was perfectly content to just smell this beauty -- with complex and extroverted scents of cassis, plum, white truffle, lilly, campfire and crushed stones. Medium-bodied, with velvety, ripe and round tannins; incredibly expansive on the palate, with layers and layers of flavor; otherworldly precision and life on the finish that must have lasted for over a minute. A beautifully elegant wine, yet will certainly last for decades -- this remains (along with the best bottles of '82 Pichon Lalande and the '90 Montrose and '90 Haut Brion) as the finest bottle of wine that I have had the privilige to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2012 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 99 Points
All Five First Growths Tasting (Kevin's (Minneapolis)): A hammer lock for wine of the year! Amazing and the groups wine of the night! Blueberries, coffee, chocolate, leather and minerals. Complex and wonderful perfume to this wine. Decanted 3 plus hours and it never lost a step in the glass for over 2 more. Long finish and young wine. Wine of the Vintage?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 99 Points
Big Bordeaux IV: All 5 First Growths (including '96 Margaux, '95 Mouton and Latour, plus '89 Lynch Bages and more) (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Dark purple color. Decanted for 5.5hrs and drank 1 glass over 2+hrs. Absolutely stunning. I believe this to be the finest wine I have ever enjoyed. This wine really defies accurately describing the experience and sensation of drinking it, but I will try. It is sex in a glass. Beautiful, alluring, tempting, elegant, soft yet firm, everything you dream of in a perfect wine. I'm not sure what perfection is, but this as close as I think I have come, and it is hard to imagine anything more. The nose is simply stunning and offers a gloriously complex perfume that wafts out of the glass and makes me just giddy. Perfume does not do this justice, a cornucopia of florals, creme de cassis, black and red berries, forest floor, leather, tobacco leaf, and more. The palate is complex, layered, extremely elegant, cassis, blackberry, vevety tannins. The wine is impeccably balanced, power, depth, and elegance and has a finish that is 90+ seconds. I can't write some of my notes, so I will just say OMG & WOW. My & group unanimous WOTN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Very disappointing. Did not resemble pro reviews or other CT scores. I bought it in 2007 so I question previous storage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2012 - MWiking wrote: 99 Points
This wine is just fantastic, with a great nose & taste of stable tones, cedar & Lether.
Well matured, in my opinion a perfect wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2012 - Ramberg wrote: 97 Points
A truly magnificent wine this is!
Had it blind, and immediately had it down as left bank Bordeaux.
My guess was a 95.
This wine is just fantastic, with a great nose filled with stable tones, cedar, graphite, leather, cigar tobacco and great soft expensive fruit!
Simply a nose to die for!
Surprisingly developed already.
Its drinking extremely good.
On the palate its silky and complex, with layers of great, great, dark deep fruit and very good acid in a perfect seamless balance.
The tannins are very integrated and soft.
I had this as my wine of the night!
Need to find a couple of bottles of this truly great wine!(97+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2012 - Patrik H wrote: 95 Points
Notes from a blind tasting.
On the nose we have a fantastic box of flavors that hit you in the face and it screams out "I am a quality wine from Bordeaux", brilliant! Stable, cedar, tobacco and a hint of cassis.On the palate is the taste quite long and nice with a hint of well hidden tannins and some dark fruits in the aftertaste. ("A taste of France")Some minerality well integrated with the cassis. The length is not as long as expected, but very harmoneus. A brilliant wine which I can put my nose into during a whole evening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2012 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Chateau Margaux vertical dinner with great whites and 2007 Rayas (Ruth Chris Tysons Corner, VA): This has been one of my favorite Chateau Margauxs along with the 00. Very cool fruit expression, fresh blackberries, cassis, lead pencil, mushroom and anise. The palate is incredibly silky and suave, almost weightless. Tom mentioned the stylistic change from the 96 to the 00 and the 03 which seem more fruit forward. This is incredible youthful but drinking beautifully in primary way. This is truly a classic claret with the perfect balance and extremely long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2012 - dream wrote: 97 Points
Deep ruby color with no signs of fading. Beautiful nose of violets and dark fruits with notes of graphite and spice. A big, brooding wine with deep black fruit flavors and hints of eucalyptus and minerals and a wonderful floral lift. While this is a young and powerful vintage of Margaux, it's incredibly refined and elegant and the tannins are firm but so pure and fine. As with many of these '96 Left Bank Bordeaux's, there's almost a chiseled character to the wines as in a sharp knife cutting through granite. The finish is already complex but there is so much more to come here. This will last forever and I now believe it will ultimately be one of Margaux's finest vintages ever. 97+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2012 - Fatty Cat wrote: 95 Points
Early Mar 2012, Chateau Margaux tasting (22 different vintages) at the Rheingau Gourmet Festival: rubin red color; smoke, tobacco, coffee and restrained red fruits; full body; extremely tanninic; long finish.
Great, great, great! Another star in the making. Already at an extraordinary level the 1996 Margaux will rise eventually even up to perfection.
Flight III: 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 2000
Monster flight: 1995, 1996 and 2000 Margaux performed on the same quality level and it's very hard to pick a flight winner. However, I would choose the 1995, simply because he's the most mature one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 95 Points
Some great wines: Alcohol :: 12.5%
Deep ruby core with garnet hue. Oh my, is this a perfume? The aromas is heavenly, absolutely fantastic and seductive. Highly complex, perfume and intense aromas of cedar, cigar box, tobacco, graphite intermixed perfectly with blackberry, creme de cassis, mint and violet. With more air, pain grille note emerged. Such lushness, freshness on this wonderfully balance and delineated Margaux with haunting inner perfume of floral and sweet dark fruits that filled up the mouth immediately after the first sip. Everything is in place, harmony! Excellent drive, incredible intensity yet so weightless, endless layer of succulent dark fruits, savory meatiness, cigar box, roasted herbs and secondary nuanced of earthiness all integrated into the firm but polished structure, along with the medium level of silkiest tannin for the lush, elegant mouth feel that finished off with superb length that lingering with juicy mineral, sweet dark fruits aftertaste. Long life ahead with great upside potential. Incredible! 95-97
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2011 - jusuf Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Top year in Bordeaux. Top winery. Top price. In the bottle is a simple red dry table wine. Tasted blind. Among friends, this wine was ranked last out of 10 Bordeaux wines from 1995 and 1996 by all 5 testers. Even if I don't make any friends with this, I still maintain that the mass of good ratings for big labels comes from the fact that the tasters know what they are drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/21/2011 - dream wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful dark ruby color with a nose of violets and ripe dark berries. This has beautifully ripe fruit within a structured framework and it will be years until it's ready but you can taste the potential. Quintissential Margaux perfume with firm but carressing tannins. Much better than the '86 which although made in a similarly firm style, cannot compare to the purity and balance of this '96.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Ripe fruit stands out to start on the nose with big oak and spice elements. Dense and very muscular on the palate that mostly seems to have good textures and good overall balance, other than some heat on the finish. Also, tonight's four1996 1st Growths were served in new glasses that all seemed tainted by an odd combination of dust and soap residue, making them hard to fairly assess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Showing deep ruby with bricking at the edges on the color, this stunning Chateau Margaux is filled with complex aromas of Cuban cigars, truffles, flowers, spice, ash, blackberries, tobacco, cassis, stone and fennel. In the mouth, the wine gushes over your palate with sensations of sweet crème de cassis, tobacco and roasted cherries. The silk and powerful finesse finish remains on your palate for over 60 seconds. This is already starting to show well at 15 years of age. This special Bordeaux wine has the fruit and structure needed to continue developing for at least another 20-30 or 40 years!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2011 - dlinlaw wrote: 96 Points
drank this with my wife for our anniversary at a very nice dinner at Royce restaurant at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, CA. decanted for 2 hrs, initially tight but began to open up with time, very nuanced, great nose, structure and impressive balance. Drinking quite beautifully and surprisingly soft now but still young, with nice tannins and structure to last another 15 yrs minimum. overall, was expecting a more explosive finish than what I got, the Margaux '05 I would clearly rank above the '96, but still quite nice and impressive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Blind Wines (Paprika): Poured blind in a flight with 2000 Cos d'Estournel, a pair of Sassicaia's, and a California cabernet, all of which tasted kind of New Worldy to me. I had this down as my favorite but I can't say I loved any of them at least in terms of current drinking. This is very richly fruited stuff showing essentially no development whatsoever for its 12 years in the bottle. It's not bad and I had it down as my favorite of the flight mostly because it seemed a bit better proportioned than the rest, but it was still pretty much a one-note wine. If you're looking for a first-growth experience out of this it seems likely that if it's destined to happen at all it's at least two decades away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2011 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Incredibly youthful with primary cassis and ripe dark fruited flavours seasoned with cedar, tobacco and violets. It's very polished and elegant after a lengthy decant, conveying power with a sense of restraint and impressive length - lovely right now, but still a very young wine with a long life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2011 - Anonymous Likes this wine: 98 Points
Extraordinary and still young. Lots of blackberries, currents, cedar, and sweet tobacco just layered and layered in an intense, focused, deep package that just keeps giving an giving. It's seamless and intense. It has structure and terrific balance throughout with lovely acidity on the back of the palate and the lengthy finish. This is drinking beautifully now but don't feel you have to rush to drink it any time soon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2010 - UK Don wrote: 96 Points
Inky saturated cork. Deep ruby core paling at rim. Very young in appearance. Nose of resin, meat, cedar, leather, cassis, oak, violets. Highly perfumed and concentrated. On the palate the tannins are very apparent, some liquorice, cassis. The high cab sauv content is apparent, very little merlot plum or softness. This is one to keep and to give time. Tannins softened with a couple of hours in the decanter. Overall quite elegant and concentrated but still too austere to approach. It will be nice to relax with in 2020!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2010 - Parklife wrote:
from a 375ml... Very big, dark and brooding. Still plenty of grip and power behind this wine as it came across as stll rather youthfull.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2010 - JJB007 wrote: 97 Points
it was good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2010 - the player wrote: 99 Points
Marvellous, stupendous and outstanding. I'm flabbergasted for words! Truly one of the greats. At opening of the bottle, nose was already promising of the delights to come with earth, sweet tobacco and dark red fruits initially but with decanting, opened up to a bouquet of roses, sweet tobacco, strawberries, raspberries, black currant delights. Deep crimson color, barely some signs of aging and great density in the wine. Full bodied, pure silk upon entry, then covers the palate with layers and layers of dark red fruits and strawberry compote and a long lingering finish. A truly impeccable wine, the nirvana an avid wine lover like me aspires to achieve. This wine is now fully open for business.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2010 - Margauxguy wrote: 99 Points
Massive, brooding and aggessive. Thisnis out of a half bottle Very tight and subdued aromatics on opening. Splash around (back and forth between glasses) 12 times before it began to even release a little of the margaux perfume. After about an hour open, it began to slowlybopen, revealing beautiful elegance and fruits I just need to wait 0 years before opening another
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/29/2010 - Miceri wrote: 98 Points
Dark red brownish; licorice, saddle, forest ground; smooth, velvety, powerful, deep black fruit; long dark fruit aftertaste; very lovely
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2010 - JJB007 wrote: 98 Points
very good witj brocollini and steak
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2010 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 95 Points
Verticaal Margaux (Chalet Royal): 1996 Château Margaux (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux) Kleur: Robijnrood Aroma / bouquet: Donker fruit, heel klein vleugje maresquin-kers, snuffelwijn. Smaak / Afdronk: Meest krachtige en jonge wijn, frisse zuren, krachtige tannines, boordevol. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtig glas. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 95/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2010 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Black cherry with cherry rim; nose of perfumed cassis, orange blossoms and lavender; pfn with pronounced black fruit; incredible finish; big mouthfeel; slight touch of tar on the midpalate; outstanding wine - worthy of hours of rumination
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2010 - JJL wrote: 95 Points
Just like the bottle from 12/09. Still needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2010 - DOCTA WINE wrote: 96 Points
A magnum bottled opened up at Christmas, enjoyed next to a Harlan Estate 1996 (750 ml). Almost equal in taste, the Harlan won best of the night, with that added je ne sais quoi! Both were very enjoyable. The Margaux, had a great earthy
bouquet, deep redish/brown hue, with a full on Margaux taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2010 - kenmmm wrote: 95 Points
Inky color; NOSE -- toast, Oak, truffle; TASTE -- cherries, chocolate, bacon; was at its best after three or four hours
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2010 - MatthewF wrote:
Tasted two different bottles tonight with consistent notes. Both had double decanted and sitting open in the cellar for roughly 3 hours. Fragrant dark red currant, cassis, and plum on the nose with cedar and some earth notes. Powerful and full bodied on the palate, the fruit was a touch shut down with a good bit of minerality in the foreground. Expansive on the palate with great acidity and a long finish. Still quite a bit of tannin remaining.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2009 - jcgarcia wrote: 94 Points
Classic Margaux. Excellent aromatics. A bit short on finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2009 - huntly wrote: 94 Points
For me this was more a wonderful exercise in a "classic Margaux" than it was a truly extraordinary wine. The classic inky purple, the fragrant flowers and fruit on the nose were tantalizing. The mid palate yielded rich ripe blackberry and cassis, vanilla and wonderfully silky, warm tannins. The wine is still a little backward, and one can believe it will be even better in a couple of years. In the great years, I find this wine has a far more intensity to the fruit and an even sweater and silkier tannin feel. Perhaps this is due to the lower levels of merlot in this years blend.
Overall, unmistakable a wonderful wine, a real classic year for Margaux, but just short of an extraordinary effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2009 - JJL wrote: 96 Points
Great nose of both floral and barnyard. It is a big wine on the palate with still lots of tannins and acidity. The fruit is still taking a backseat, but there nice black cherry notes and a touch of spice. Great body that reminds me of the '00. Really should let this sit another 5 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2009 - Tour Eiffel wrote:
Thanksgiving 2009
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2009 - gsquireh wrote: 100 Points
Perfumed pleasure. We decanted for two hours and savored the rich purple pure class in a glass. Full bodied with aromas and flavors of blackberries, cassis, and lovely flowers delicious layers filling the mouth with gorgeous fruit and a long lingering beautiful finish.Heavenly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2009 - gsquireh wrote: 98 Points
Full bodied exquisitely balanced. Decanted for two hours while we drank a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Rare Millesime 1998 at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia. Opaque, deep and rich purple color, elegant and graceful aroma. Complex yet always retains the pure style that makes this wine special. Notes of blackberry, cassis, and vanilla support the layers of fruit that envelop each sip.The floral scents leap and soar through our senses and the innate sweetness reaches to our core.This wine lasts forever in the mouth and mind.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2009 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
Excellent wine. Although still very young, it is mature enough to give off that sexy, sweet yet slightly reserved character of a fine Chateau Margaux. The most complex of the vertical so far (beginning with the '06), there's a wealth of blueberry, blackberry, cassis and a wallop of black licorice as well. The tannins are still prominent so patience is required. There's not the density and concentration of the very best vintages even though it is a clear winner. Better to let it sleep another decade (or two).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2009 - JJL wrote: 95 Points
All the same components as my last tasting note, but just a little more muted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2009 - JJL wrote: 97 Points
Opened at 10 am, decanted for 4 hours, rebottled and brought to an Acker BYO auction at the Oak Room. Well balanced with great floral nose, vanilla, cocoa and strawberries on the palate. Nice long finish with a touch of acidity. This is a much bigger wine than the '95, more akin to the '00. This is a classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2009 - Paul D wrote:
Chateau Margaux Tasting - 1983-2006 - With Paul Pontallier (Merchant Taylors' Hall, Threadneedle Street, London EC2): Wow - this has a lovely complex, fragrant almost ethereal bouquet. Floral, classy, perfumed. On the palate this shows elegant, fresh strawberry fruit and is already quite approachable. Lovely, sweet lingering fnish. Elegant, lithe and harmonious. Gorgeous wine. *****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2008 - tbabes wrote: 100 Points
Commanderie de Bordeaux (Rittenhouse Hotel (Lacroix)): A beautiful purple color, turning towards ruby at the edge. An off the charts bouquet, particularly for such a young wine, offering up powerful and complex aromas of cassis, blackberry, black truffle, vanilla and lilly. Medium to full bodied, with a lush texture, stunning delineation, and unbelievable concentration. Already has a beautifully complex finish, which went on for well over a minute. This classic has the structure and stuffing to age for decades, and was easily the wine of the night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2008 - winechem wrote: 95 Points
This is the first Margaux that I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Had dinner with a good friend of mine. Fillet mignon, roasted sweet potato, basil garden mix, and parmagiano reggiano and salami apertif. fantastic food, even better wine. The nose was not easy to understand, dark fruit, smoky leather, cedar wood, floral. Velvety purple in the glass with a little lavender-garnet rim. Dense and highly concentrated, but not thick. Very balanced!!!. Proper amount of acid up front, and satin-like tannins in the mid. Very long after-taste, but not absolutely tongue coating.Still a youngster from my approximation. This can only get better. WOW!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2008 - gsquireh wrote: 98 Points
Anniversary dinner at the Pluckemin Inn (Bedminster, NJ): This Chateau Margaux boasts the balance of a prima ballerina in her prime, with a gorgeous, full body, everything in exactly the right place. This beauty has an opaque purple color, elegance, grace and dances with complexity yet always retains the pure style that makes her special. The notes of blackberry, cassis, and vanilla support the layers of fruit that envelop each sip.The floral scents leap and soar through our senses and the innate sweetness reaches to our core.This wine lasts forever in the mouth and mind. Paired with our third and fourth courses ( 3 - a sumac rubbed salmon, abalone mushrooms, savoy cabbage & pumpernickel and 4 - paprika-rubbed lamb chops with glazed money mint sauce on the side ) and we finished the bottle after our dessert (a Valrhona Grand Cru Araguani soufflé with jasmine tea ice cream), I am ecstatic that I have five more bottles of this glorious wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 98 Points
Hart Davis Hart Wine Co Comparative Bordeaux Tasting Vintages 1995 & 1996 (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): First time tasting this vintage and wine in the same night. Color: PURPLE!!! Kind of like I could just stare at this wine for a while - the color could be used to color Easter Eggs! Nose: Lots and lots of flowers. Strong floral presence. Also - one other odd component that I did not really know how to describe - a Butteryness and blackberries. Again before tasting I had to comment about how strong the floral component of this wine was . . . . Body: Medium body. Taste - Awesome. What hit me as odd was that I did not really know how to describe the taste - other than awesome.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 96 Points
HDH 95/96 Comparative Tasting (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): nose: wow, what a deep nose and massive. Black currant, earth, tobbaco, kirsch, and cranberry. Very sumptuous nose
taste: can a wine be explosive and silky at the same time, I would've said no until this one. It's an amazing feeling on the palate. Cedar, tobbacco, earth, cranberry, and smoke notes
overall: this finish just doesn't want to quit. This is powerful and full of finesse at the same time. A tremendous wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2008 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
1996 Cal Cab Dinner (Bonsoiree Cafe): A bit disappointing and overshadowed among all the Cali Cabs. Tighter nose has minerals and cigars. Palate shows purity and length but lacks the intensity and richness other wines offered tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2008 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
eBob 1996 California Cabernet Dinner (Boinsoiree): Medium full black fruit and briar on the nose. Big black fruit on the attack, but almost fades a bit through the mid palate and finish. Good, but disappointing for what it is. Perhaps it suffered a bit next to all the big ripe California cabs?? 92-93 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2008 - GA wrote: 96 Points
Margaux vertical: The '96 was huge - not nearly ready - dark fruit and monstrous tannins - long term laydown - but well-balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2008 - mattiasjansson wrote: 96 Points
Backstreet - No theme (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Wow. Magnificent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 94 Points
pencil lead, cassias, flowers. a little acidic on attack, but good complexity, good red fruit on the finish. on the feminine side
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2007 - noppakit s. wrote: 99 Points
Opened 1.45 hours before decant and testing. ( testing along with Latour 1978, Lafite 1994, Haut-Brion 1991 and Mouton 1992 )
Still young !!! Flinty in the beginning then becomes wonderful aroma de Chateau Margaux. So complicated and deep into layers, black fruits, green fruits, yellow fruits, mineral, flowery, mineral-water, best scent of greeny and mild lavender, very beautifully well-made for Margaux-lovers but not for me.
In the mouth, medium to full-bodied with a perfect structure. Everything is so good, round and round, elegance, very very silky smooth tannin, superb...too good for me.
Aftertaste is high-class. Nice, smooth and long finished...too easy delicious for me...I never fall in love with this wine so I made a big mistake of buying Ch.Margaux 1996, Imperial bottle.
Drink it between 2010-2035
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2007 - assaf wrote: 97 Points
Double decanted 5 hours before. Still a baby. Smooth and seamless with soft tannings. Complex. Long finish. Got better as time passed. This is already amazing, but will get much much better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2007 - Double D wrote: 90 Points
This was a gift in 2001. I am therefore a little suspicious. It was not the equal of a number of others I've enjoyed. A bit closed and a bit thin. Most concerning was a hint of oxidation, thence the reason for suspicion....may have sat in a hot window waiting to sell?????
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Chateau Margaux vertical (11 Madison Park in NYC): Like all top 1996s, this wine has fruit across the entire flavor spectrum with tar & tobacco notes and a wonderfully solid dense punch in the middle. It was elegant and powerful with a very very long finish. Only on a night like this could a wine like this land outside of my top three! This will become something special, but needs a little time to get there.
A
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2006 - wineamateur wrote: 98 Points
Jeroboam Club: Ch. Margaux Vertical (Bordeaux Quay, Bristol): Ripe dark plum colour. Clean, fresh and elegant on the nose, with ripe sweet fruit (blueberry / blackberry / blackcurrant) and minty and cedar notes and some secondary development. Spicy with nutmeg and orange peel. Really quite splendid. In the mouth, clean fresh but mouthfilling. Very good attack and nice mid-palate sweetness and weight. Beautifully proportioned with an excellent, elegant finish. Very fine. WOTN for me and overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2006 - carls_wines wrote: 98 Points
Decanted and drank over 2+ hours. An amazing wine and thoroughly enjoyable. This is a wine that will only get better with another 10+ years on it as many have noted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2006 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
Pre-Harlan Warm-up at Brad England's House: My second Margaux. I thought the nose on the 1996 showed much better than the 1985 with more intensity and more secondary notes. However, in the mouth this is thicker and more concentrated -- favoring power and structure over silkiness. It is probably a bit closed. I would guess that this will develop very well. Hopefully I will get to try it again in 10-20 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2006 - Siggy wrote:
Harlan Warm-Up Dinner (Brad's House, Minneapolis): Dark black/ruby color. Rich, dense blackberry fruit. Still very tannic and closed. Should be a blockbuster in 20+ years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2006 - D. Fulton wrote: 96 Points
Dark, intense, and aromatically explosive. This wine is somewhat restrained at the moment in terms of expressivity, and it seems to be hiding its complexity inside a perfectly engineered structure of steel. Having this wine in my mouth was one of the most interesting tactile sensations of my life. It filled the mouth and seemed to be neither liquid nor gas but rather exist in some kind of in between state. It was simply aromatically explosive in the mouth. If this structural quality persists while the rest of the wine ages and harmonizes, this will be a transcendent wine. Drink after 2016. 96+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2006 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Dark, opaque color, a complex, intoxicating perfume and layers of fruit that flow over your palate and senses! Absolutely compelling juice. Very primary, this was opened for educational purposes. In 15-20 years when fully mature, this will be an “Oh My God” wine and tasting experience!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2006 - Eric wrote:
An unreal tasting of Château Palmer and Château Margaux with Thomas Duroux of Palmer (Los Angeles, CA): Well, this was the first flight where my favorite was a Margaux instead of a Palmer. This 1996 was lovely with crushed raspberry and intense floral notes. Loads of minerality on the palate. This is very tight, but it is exceptionally elegant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2006 - Hank Gillespie wrote:
The Wine Summit; 6/2/2006-6/3/2006 (The Post Hotel in Lake Louise): Deep, dark black/ruby color; dense and full on swirling; much more complexity in the nose – full, ripe cassis and spices; elegant styling; very harmonious – exquisite balance; cassis flavors mixed with spicy oak which carry through the long finish. Some strong potential here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2006 - JJA wrote: 94 Points
Classic Bordeaux aroma, complex, medium bodied. Very enjoyable on day 1. Surprisingly, the wine seemed to thin out and shut down on day 2. I expected this wine to have have more body. Nonetheless, this is a very enjoyable wine. I think Parker's rating is a bit inflated, as usual. Wine Spectator is spot on, as usual!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2006 - WestJohnson wrote:
Perhaps I just don't get it. I opened this at about 3:00pm in advance of nice at-home dinner...I kept expect the wine to open up and put on a show for me. It just never did. Throughout the evening it showed a petrol/medicinal character on the nose, and was thin and austere in the mouth. My wife said it was "elegant", but she kept reaching for the 2001 Bond Matriarch just the same. Given some of the descriptions in the Tanzer and Parker tasting notes, as well as the other notes on Cellartracker, I expected much, much more. I don't think this was a flawed bottle - the fill level was fine, the cork was solid and no hint of TCA (I'm very sensitive)...I'm not going to to post a score that would dilute the other scores in Cellartracker, but if I did it would be 87 points. If it is possible for a wine to put on weight in the bottle, I sure hope this one does.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
Good gracious this is fine! I give a slight edge to the Lafite, but this is incredible for its balance and purity of fruit. Yum. (19.5)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2006 - bleiwejm wrote:
Heaven sent. My first tasting of a first-growth Bordeaux and I have now been seduced entirely. Expecting the wine could not meet the hype, I was ecstatic that upon tasting this wine it exceeded all expectations. Should you have money to burn or be in need of a fine wine for a special occsasion I have no reservations recommending the 1996 Chateaux Margaux. Beware, however, that it is still quite young and should not be approached for several more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2006 - psmith wrote: 95 Points
Just a beautiful, classy nose showing pencil shavings and underlying dark fruit. A mouthful, but almost weightless on the palate. Good length and impeccably balanced throughout. Framed by fine, tart Bordeaux tannins and an obvious core of layered fruit. Clearly in need of significant time but really charming now. I don't drink much Bordeaux, though wines like this make me wonder why.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2004 - otisabdul wrote: 93 Points
2004 WS Wine Experience: Ch. Margaux Vertical (Hyatt Regency, Chicago): This wine contains only 7% merlot. It rained everyday during the merlot harvest, but weather was perfect during the cabernet harvest. Pontallier said that is the best cabernet sauvignon vintage that he can remember. This wine was very tight, but classical in profile. Needs lots of time. Glassy mouthfeel and abundant tannins. $300
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
WS CWE 2004 - Margaux Vertical (Marriott Marquis): Deep ruby purple red. Big nose of ripe black cherry fruit - clean. Round even red fruit with substantial but round tannin. Herbal tea notes - still puckering tanning. 11/04
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2004 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Better than the 1998 Margaux poured at last years WS Grand Tour. This wine has leather and blackberry notes. Tannic and closed still. 92+ points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2004 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 96 Points
Dark red. The bouquet revealed notes of tobacco and dark fruits. Concentrated , dense and with great intensity, this wine was sweet and packed with ripe fruit. Not tight and hard as one might expect, but nicely focused and complex. Singularly elegant and seductive with great promise for the patient owner. Superb, long aftertaste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2003 - Eric wrote:
Tasted at the Quilceda/Margaux standoff at the HerbFarm. More piercing floral notes, hints of cabbage??/ very shut down, hard to get much here. In hindsight it's obvious that this was the far more massive Margaux, but I was clueless at the time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2003 - Jason wrote: 90 Points
Nose of cedar and black cherry
Thick, mouthcoating, little mid, tannic
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2002 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($200) Deep purple color with no clearing. The nose shows a minty asparagus quality and a cedar slight must. Full-bodied with thick tannins. Shows some grace and potential, but the fruit is still a bit vacant. Hints at nuance underneath the blanket of tannin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2002 - MikeATL wrote:
Probably the most closed of the ‘96’s tasted, it is unfocused, but intense. The alluring Asian spice aromas that made it such a lovely wine on release have receded into the snarling mass that the wine has turned into, so let it rest and wake it up for another visit in a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment