Château Margaux 2019

A stunning, monumental Margaux, this has all the power, concentration and class expected of a First Growth. Cool on the palate, with an emerging floral bouquet after a few minutes swirling in the glass; Asian spices also appear, supported by ultra-fine tannins and beautifully managed, subtle oak. Dark red fruits abound with fantastic purity on the palate, and there is remarkable length on the finish. 37% of the production went into the Grand Vin. A vin de garde that has years ahead of it but is already showing so much promise.

The 2019 Château Margaux boasts off-the-charts richness along with plush contours and mind-blowing balance. All the elements are so beautifully interwoven. It’s as if all the Château Margaux signatures are turned up to eleven, yet without losing any of the classic Margaux character. The purity of the red-toned fruit is simply breathtaking. The Merlot was picked early, but rain during harvest delayed the ripening of the Cabernets, which turned out to be a huge advantage. Estate Manager Philippe Bascaules and his team crafted two spectacular wines in 2019. Bascaules describes 2019 as an easy vintage. Flowering was normal and set was good. Yields came in at a healthy 47 hectoliters per hectare, higher than 2017 or 2018, despite summer heat spikes. Bascaules chose to pick the Merlot early and gave those lots very gentle extractions at low temperatures, whereas the Cabernet Sauvignon vinifications followed a more typical 20–22 days at 28–30 degrees Celsius. In tasting, the 2019s have more tannins than any other vintage, with the exception of 2018, and yet the wines don’t show that at all. The bottled wines are every bit as impressive as the barrel samples.

This could be the most sensual vintage of Chateau Margaux ever produced. The palate is pure silk and velvet with an incredible sense of purity and refinement. Utterly seamless, the wine glides over your palate, builds, lingers, and expands for well over 60 seconds. If you have ample disposable income, buy this wine; it will be a legendary wine in the years to come. Drink from 2029–2065.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening on the edge. Fine cassis, black cherries, a hint of liquorice, nuances of cedar and incense, exotic woods, candied violets in the background, candied mandarin zest. Juicy and elegant, ripe black cherries, round, integrated tannins, fine nougat, pleasant acidity, mineral and very finely meshed, shows elegance and length, has an incredible texture and complexity, silky body and convincing length. Simply delicate. (2030-2060).

Beautiful intensity and perfume, as in the great years, inky dark fruit, always with a floral hint, finely tuned oak, wonderful purity and finesse with enormous concentration, yet appearing feather-light on the palate with a tremendously long finish.

Another utterly heavenly wine from this estate is the 2019 Château Margaux, a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot coming from a selection of just 37% of the total production. Deep purple, with an incredible array of ripe currants, blueberries, sweet tobacco, sandalwood, and toasted spices, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, powerful, yet incredibly sexy mouthfeel, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. As I wrote in the barrel review, it reminds me slightly of the 2016, but has a touch more sun-kissed profile. It already offers incredible pleasure yet deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will blow you away any time over the coming 40+ years.

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 13.9% alc., 37% of the harvest. Purple with a ruby rim. A regal perfume of blackcurrant, sandalwood, and Brazilian tobacco. On the second approach, blackberry, star anise, and a beguiling iris scent. On the regal palate, silky texture, cocoa-like tannins, and perfectly supportive verve that gives the delicacy structure and length. In the focused, never-ending finish, a firework of small black berries, graphite nuances, and deep, dark terroir spice; the perfect symbiosis of impressive balance and the striking intensity of verve catapults the wine to 1st place in the appellation! Strongly reminiscent of the 2009 vintage with a touch more freshness, and of 1996 thanks to the perfect Cabernet ripeness!

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot) Concentrated, complex, profound, fresh, and elegant bouquet, featuring various red and blue berries, mulberries, cassis, slate, delicate nougat, fine graphite, and subtle herbs. Powerful, tightly knit, elegant, and multi-layered palate with plenty of fine tannins, dense fruit, a concentrated, finely muscular, elegant structure, a varied and monumental aromatics profile, and a very long, dense, fresh finish with plenty of lingering flavors. Perfect elegance combined with power.

(90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot) Concentrated, complex, profound, fresh and elegant bouquet, featuring various red and blue berries, mulberries, cassis, slate, delicate nougat, fine graphite and subtle herbal notes. Powerful, tightly knit, elegant and multi-layered palate with plenty of fine tannins, dense fruit, a concentrated, finely muscular, elegant structure, diverse, imposing aromatics, and a very long, dense, fresh finish with plenty of echoing flavors. Perfect elegance combined with power. 20/20 2027 - 2060

A wine that you sink into, drink in the aromatics before taking a sip. You can sense the velvety texture from the first moment. There is so much density here, and yet each tannin plays its part with skill, holding the perfumed black and blue fruits in place without restricting their expression. A signature Château Margaux, with so many different elements lending momentum and energy, and a feeling of effortless balance. 37% of total production, 100% new oak. Loved En Primeur, but this is an upscore.

A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Chateau Margaux is deep garnet-purple in color. Classic scents of cassis, plum preserves, pencil shavings, and wild sage leap on the nose, followed by suggestions of underbrush, truffles, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is elegant and fresh, with firm, grainy tannins and an amazingly long savory finish. Forget this in the cellar for 6-8 years, then watch it produce fireworks for the following 40 years or more.

Deep color, a noble cedar nose, intense and precise on the palate, but lacking a bit of body in terms of texture. Its extreme finesse and the upright character of its almost exclusively cabernet-sauvignon profile will reveal themselves more with time.

Margaux 2019 will go down in the legend of the cru: it is impressively powerful, yet also delicate. Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, it unfolds incredible intensity of fruit flavors and, above all, its legendary silkiness. Endless.

A silky, elegant nose of heady fruits (blackberry, damson), highlighted by a saline complexity of black olives and rosemary, with notes of orange and dried rose. Endowed with majestic grace, a chiseled, streamlined palate with extremely velvety tannins, revealing subtle hints of spice and a mocha finish.

If Pavillon aims for finesse, the grand vin is above all about complexity with many facets. It reveals shades of both red and black berries, with notes of blueberries and blackberries complemented by the freshness of Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate, the wine stands out for its finesse and its chiselled, powerful, and elegant profile. It displays a healthy vigor, perfectly controlled, and an acidic framework that shapes the breadth while imparting freshness. In short, a beautiful balance between power and temperament. A wine with texture, character, serenity, and finesse. It certainly remains one of the most Burgundian of Bordeaux wines.

The nose is elegant, aromatic and precise, offering lovely controlled/delicate power with a subtle restrained edge. The wine benefits from decanting. It reveals notes of pulpy cherry/morello cherry, vibrant raspberry and, more lightly, pulpy/fresh plum, joined by small touches of crushed strawberry, fine hints of blueberry, nutmeg, Bourbon vanilla pod, tonka bean and sweet spices, along with a discreet hint of racy minerality and bergamot. The palate offers superb freshness, a beautiful tangy backbone, attractive racy minerality, a velvety feel, power with finesse, a subtle sense of restraint and a delicate airy touch on approach. A certain richness with delicacy. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of vibrant small red berries, juicy/fresh cherry and, more lightly, crushed blackberry, combined with a touch of purple plum, chocolate, vanilla, fine hints of lilac, nutmeg, saline minerality, and a discreet hint of cardamom and toasted oak. The tannins are elegant, supple and beautifully handled. A subtle hint of blond tobacco and dried almond on the finish/aftertaste.

Dark, intense, beautiful color. Highly aromatic nose—refined, fruity, subtle. A hint of blackberry. A woody backdrop and a touch of hazelnut like a dry white wine. Swirling amplifies these nuances and makes the wine more complex. Ultra-refined on the attack, delicately perfumed, with a slightly creamier texture than usual, the wine melts on the palate before gaining structure—juicy, complex, poised, and very long. So hard to spit out!

The structure of the wine is magnificent. With its dense concentration and ripeness, the wine is still just starting out. The wine's texture is rich, firm while also smooth. Drink from 2027.