Margaux

wines

(Château Rausan-Ségla) Popular claret culture, in the wake of Robert Parker’s pronouncement many years back that the 1986 vintage of Château Rausan-Ségla was the first top flight vintage here in a generation, tends to ignore the wines made here in the first half of the decade of the 1980s. However, I have been very impressed previously with both the 1983 and 1985 versions, and had higher expectations than any of my guests for the 1982 Château Rausan-Ségla in our lineup. Happily, my expectations were born out with a superb bottle and this has to be one of the finest wines made in the commune in 1982. The bouquet is beautifully complex and quite exuberant, jumping from the glass in the property’s signature blend of black raspberry, black cherry, cigar smoke, dark soil tones, a beautiful spread of spice elements, just a hint of nutskin and a discreet framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and really has an excellent core of fruit (particularly for a 1982 Margaux, as this commune is not as universally successful as most others in this vintage), with excellent focus and balance and still a bit of suave tannin adding backend grip to the long, complex and utterly satisfying finish. This is a bit more sappy at the core than the classical 1983, and has a bit less silky elegance of the 1985, but these three vintages at least prove that the reports of Château Rausan-Ségla not starting its renaissance until the 1986 vintage were a bit tardy! Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2020-2050)John Gilman | 92 JG

Still loaded up with firm tannins, this is a rich, gorgeous wine, with complex, smoky, pencil lead and graphite notes through the mid palate, before things soften to a cigar box and truffled finish. Cabernet Franc 4% rounds out blend. This stands out better than the 1983 today. Owner Corinne Menzelopoulos was at this point just two years in to her tenure at Margaux (and sharing ownership with the Agnelli family). She will not be surprised by this result - as the last time we discussed these wines, she said the 1983 was a standout for the first few decades but that, slowly but surely, the 1982 has stated to claim its spot. On this evidence, it’s fully on the podium.Drinking Window 2018 - 2045Decanter | 100 DECThe 1982 is Chateau Margaux at its most opulent and decadent. The opaque purple/garnet color is followed by a bouquet that soars from the glass, offering scents of roasted blackcurrants, herbs (thyme), licorice, and spring flowers. Magnificently concentrated and expansive on the palate, this voluptuously styled, huge, lavishly rich, overwhelming style of Chateau Margaux is almost too much of a good thing. Its low acidity and huge tannins in the finish make it approachable, so I would not quibble with anyone who wants to drink it. But do not forget that this wine should have at least 25-35 years of evolution. If indeed it turns out to be a clone of this estate’s legendary 1900, it may have 3-4 times the longevity I have suggested. Last tasted, 7/93.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe 1982 Chateau Margaux is glorious stuff and is Margaux in all its finesse and elegance paired to some serious richness, power, and depth. Awesome blackcurrants, smoked earth, lead pencil, truffles, and hints of dried flowers all emerge from this full-bodied, remarkable, seamless effort that is loaded with fruit and texture. With a thrilling sweetness of fruit, perfect balance, and a magical sense of opulence paired with classic Bordeaux elegance, this is Haute Couture at its finest. Its fully mature, but sound bottles should easily keep for another two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDWhat a youthful ruby color. And it’s fresh and young on the nose with currants, plums, mints, and flowers. A full-bodied red, with slightly tight and firm tannins, it opens to a long and satisfying finish. What freshness. Leave it five years, or decant three or four hours in advance before serving.James Suckling | 97 JSThis bottle of 1982 Château Margaux was wonderful yet atypical. This has a heightened sense of brine on the nose that initially drew me towards an older vintage such as 1961. Yet the colour was clearly not as old as that, and it has more youthfulness than you would anticipate. Very complex, yet more reserved than expected, it just seems to “flow” on the palate. Very fine structure and perfect sapidity, yet this bottle seemed to hold something back. It is an occasion when I wonder if the 1983 Margaux had been juxtaposed, this would have come out second best, taking nothing away from its own virtues.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis relies on sheer muscle, with dark, plush layers of warmed fig, currant preserves and charcoal lined with extra notes of roasted vanilla, espresso and bittersweet cocoa. The tannins are ever-so-slightly drying on the finish, and this rumbles more than glides, lacking the full range of perfume and beguiling elegance the greatest Margauxs have.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Approaching full maturity, this beautifully sweet Chateau Margaux has a dense plum/purple color and a huge, sweet nose of black currants intermixed with licorice, toast, underbrush, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannin and a fleshy, juicy, very succulent and multi-layered mid-palate, this expansive, velvety wine has entered its plateau of maturity, where it should remain (assuming good storage) for at least another 10-15 years. A very delicious, seductive, and opulent Chateau Margaux to drink over the next two decades. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 10/02.Robert Parker | 95 RP(Château Margaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) A beautifully seductive and charming wine at this point giving meaty, savoury tones on the nose with chocolate, leather, cigar box and smoked cherry and strawberry flavours on the palate. Still such a vibrant colour in the glass with a lovely brightness in general. Sophisticated and elegant with freshness. It’s lost some fat and overt power but retains such an expansive amount of flavour. A real treat to taste and enjoy. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 95 DECShows mint and savory notes out front, with a very elegant structure weaving gently around the core of dried cherry, red currant and pomegranate fruit. The long sandalwood and singed cedar finish is very stylish. A bit outpaced by ’88 and ’86 in this flight, but as a standalone wine this is very confident in its old age.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2024.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A magnificent example of Chateau Margaux and one of the most tannic, backward Margauxs of the last 50 years, the 1986 continues to evolve at a glacial pace. The color is still a dense ruby/purple with just a hint of lightening at the rim. With several hours of aeration, the aromatics become striking, with notes of smoke, toast, creme de cassis, mineral, and white flowers. Very full-bodied, with high but sweet tannin, great purity, and a very masculine, full-bodied style, this wine should prove nearly immortal in terms of its aging potential. It is beginning to budge from its infantile stage and approach adolescence. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2050. Last tasted, 12/02.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 1986 Chateau Margaux was even more emotionally moving. Still incredibly youthful, it showed incredible focus and depth, all backed up by considerable structure. As hard as it may seem to believe, on this night the 1986 appeared to still be some years away from peaking. It was striking in every way.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGThis has matured fully but still clings to a slightly rugged feel, with a briar patch note framing the core of dried currant, blackberry and bitter cherry fruit. Twinges of alder, plum skin and cedar fill in the finish, which shows a decidedly grippy edge of smoldering charcoal. Impressive for depth and power, though this very tannic Margaux may never yield fully to the inherent elegance of its terroir. It can certainly handle more cellaring.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2030.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis was really tannic when it was young and is still tannic and hard. Full yet lacks some fruit. Mushroom. have tasted many times but suggest drinking.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 1989 Palmer has vied with the 1983 as the highlight of the decade, so it is fascinating to revisit it at 30 years old. It has a wonderful bouquet of degraded red berry fruit, singed leather and hints of game and mint, beautifully defined and still so fresh, yet undeniably old-school in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and still brimming with vigor, delivering a fine bead of acidity and a touch of cracked black pepper. A very detailed, engaging finish urges you back for another sip. A brilliant Palmer, and judging from this showing, it has another two decades of pleasure to give. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château.Vinous Media | 97 VMTasted 6 Times Since Bottling With Consistent NotesPalmer has done a magnificent job with their 1989, which continues to be a wine of immense seduction. The expansive, rich, fat texture owes its opulence to the high percentage of Merlot used by this property. Opaque deep ruby/purple, this full-bodied, satiny wine has considerable alcoholic clout, is low in acidity, but splendidly concentrated and abundantly full of velvety tannins. It will be fascinating to see if this wine ultimately rivals the great Palmers made in 1983, 1970, 1966, and 1961. This is a thrilling 1989! Anticipated maturity: Now-2012.Robert Parker | 96 RP(Château Palmer) At our vertical tasting in October of 2007, the ’89 was corked, so I have had to go back to a note on this wine that is a few years old. I have always liked the 1989 Palmer quite well, but have never ranked it quite in the same league as the greatest vintages of this château. The nose on the ’89 offers up scents of ripe plums, mulberries, dark chocolate, tobacco, minerals, violets and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite lush and voluptuous on the attack, with a firm tannic structure kicking-up in the mid-palate, and a long, complex and chewy finish. While there is plenty of depth in the mid-palate, I do not find quite the reserves of fruit at the core as found in vintages such as the 1983 at a similar stage of development. The tannins here are ripe and quite buried in the fruit, and while it is more than drinkable today, it clearly will need another decade to allow some of the secondary layers of complexity to emerge.John Gilman | 92+ JGDisplays impressive sweet berry and floral aromas, with hints of cedar and light new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, offering fine tannins and a fresh finish. This wine is just now opening, with a racy backbone of tannins and dark fruits on the finish. This is turning out to be more balanced than I remember. Ready.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WSI find this a little austere with mineral, tar, and currant character. It’s a little subdued. Full and silky on the palate, it’s firm and bright, even tight. Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 91 JS

The 1990 Château Margaux is really beginning to hit its stride at age 31, soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries and cassis mingled with notions of licorice, cedar and violets, framed by subtle hints of vanilla and spice. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it’s seamless and complete, its velvety tannins and ripe acids entirely cloaked in a lavish but vibrant core of fruit. This is an especially dramatic, fleshy rendition of Margaux, yet it remains impeccably balanced and has decades of longevity ahead of it.Robert Parker | 100 RPFull ruby-red. Wonderfully perfumed nose combines redcurrant, plum, mocha, minerals and rose petal. Plush, fat and rich, with great sweetness and class. This has utterly compelling mouthfilling richness. Finishes smooth and endless, with great breadth. This wine showed fabulous potential from barrel, but this is the first truly outstanding bottle I’ve had. Drink 2005 through 2035.Vinous Media | 98 VMA brilliant wine, still star bright in colour, and full of flesh and fruit. Opens with smoky cigar notes, touches of figs, blackberries, cedar, fine tannins, violet and peony aromatics even at 30-plus years old, and it certainly stays with you long after the glass is finished. Owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos was celebrating 10 years at the helm at this point, with (the late) Paul Pontallier just promoted to MD after arriving at the property in 1983. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 98 DECA stunner, with a glorious aromatic display of mulled plum, blackberry and cherry notes seamlessly melded with rooibos tea, singed balsa wood and ground vanilla bean accents. The structure is so fine-grained that it’s almost hard to find, but the marathonesque length shows it’s there. As gorgeous as it is, this remains a hair behind the modern greats in terms of concentration. Still, it should hold at this peak for some time. Awfully close to the ’89, but sometimes we have to split hairs.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2025. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A complex nose of subtle menthol intermixed with black currants, cherries, spice box, cedar, and herbs emerges from this fully mature 1990. It is a fleshy, round, generously endowed Margaux with silky tannins, low acidity, and beautiful purity. Drink it with great pleasure now, or cellar it for another decade. Release price: ($300.00/case)Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 1990 Rauzan-Ségla is another vintage that I have not tasted for some time. It was picked from September 17 to October 7. Now at 28-years of age it shows some maturation on the tawny rim, the core a little lighter in colour than the 1998 for example. The bouquet has certainly matured in recent years: blackberry, strawberry pastilles, touches of garrigues, clove and fennel, and freshly tilled soil. It is very...1990! There is little oak presence here (the new oak was in fact just 40%, so unsurprising.) The palate is medium-bodied with grainy, slightly rustic tannin. I love the flavor profile here: dark chocolate, leather, clove, oregano and a touch of soy that is, for me, quite Saint-Julien in style. One can tell that this 1990 will not improve with continued bottle age however, it has great depth and you come away with the sense that it wears its heart on its sleeve. Tasted at the Rauzan-Ségla vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 93 VMVery concentrated. Dark garnet color. Pretty licorice, plum and currant aromas. Full-bodied, with velvety, ripe tannins and a long black licorice and cherry aftertaste.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2004. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 1996 Chateau Margaux, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, must be a strong contender for wine of the vintage. 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. It was outstanding in its youth...something that has not changed one bit over the intervening two decades. This may well turn out to be the Left Bank pinnacle of the 1990s. Tasted July 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 100 RP-NMSoftly spoken, fine tannins, pencil lead and leather, with truffle, earth, campfire and spice. Long drawn out finish, achingly slow, crushed stone, tobacco and dried roses. As with the 2001, the generosity and beauty of the aromatics tells you that this is absolutely ready to drink - although in many ways it feels like it will last longer than the 2001, as the tannins are still holding everything in place. This got the audience award on the night, and no question it is a stunning wine that is still giving so much pleasure at 25 years old. The 1996 has really grown into itself - it was a late harvest at the time after a burst of rain at the end of September that they decided to wait through before picking, and were rewarded with beautifully ripe Cabernet that was high in dense tannins and a little surly at first, but that has turned into one of the greatest vintages of the 1990s (rivaled only by the 1990 itself in my opinion). 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, 100% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 100 DECWhile the 1996 Château Margaux has been closed and difficult to read for the past decade, it showed beautifully on this occasion, with its hallmark elegance and purity paired with a dense, powerful profile. Still youthfully ruby-hued with notes of pure crème de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, incense, and chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building yet seamless tannins, and an awesome finish. This is pure class as well as a quintessential Margaux! To be on the safe side, give bottles another 4-5 years and it’s going to keep for 50-75 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBright full ruby. Pure, perfumed aromas of cassis and violet. Dense and tactile in the mouth; a huge, chewy wine with major extract but also considerable refinement. Almost painfully backward today, and a bit less perfumed than it was in the year or so after the bottling, but the huge tannins show no hardness. Another great expression of cabernet sauvignon from the ’96 vintage. Drink 2015 through 2040.Vinous Media | 96+ VMFully formed now, with a rush of steeped currant and black tea notes that are melded with a backdrop of anise, sandalwood, bergamot and charcoal. The long, suave finish lets the perfume linger, with a weighty feel. This seems to mark the start of the refinement of tannins; despite the power, this is all grace and elegance.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2031.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 1999 Château Margaux is an immensely charming wine that’s drinking beautifully today from both bottle and, in this case, magnum. Bursting with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and violets framed by subtle hints of cigar box, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and sensual, with an enveloping core of fruit, ripe and melting tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Analogies with the immensely charming 1985 vintage are very persuasive, as the 1999 is quite reminiscent of how the 1985 tasted fifteen years ago.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPMedium ruby. Expressive aromas of black raspberry, Cuban tobacco and grilled nuts; a bit more red fruit in character than either the 2000 or the 2001. Silky, seamless and enveloping, but the wine’s excellent vinosity gives its creamy fruit very good definition. Consistent from start to finish. Tannins are substantial but fine, allowing the fruit and floral flavors to linger impressively. Along with Latour, an early candidate for the wine of the vintage.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis has a rather friendly, fleshy feel, with a plump core of crushed plum, currant and cherry notes out front, backed by bergamot, lilac and sandalwood accents. Not superdense, but with lovely mouthfeel and a balance that carries the finish gracefully. A beautiful wine in a vintage where most of the Médoc struggled.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2022. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Tasted from magnum, the 2000 Château Margaux is a prodigious, flawless wine that shows the elegance and seductive hallmark of the estate paired with incredible density, depth, and richness. Its still-ruby/purple color is followed by sensational notes of crème de cassis, spring flowers, lead pencil, and sandalwood that develop beautifully with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, opulent, and seamless, with a multi-dimensional, layered texture, it has a massive mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s drinking brilliantly today, and there’s certainly no need to delay gratification, but it’s going to continue evolving for another 3-4 decades. Bordeaux (or red wine, for that matter) doesn’t get any better. The 2000 is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot brought up new barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDAbsolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multi-dimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The color remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2000 Margaux kicked off a string of great wines. The aromas are spellbinding, with notes of raspberry and strawberry. The palate is incredibly silky yet structured. Impeccable balance.James Suckling | 100 JSViolet and iris aromatics curling out of the glass, starting to reach their full expression at 20 years old. Beautifully finessed and elegant, with hints of black truffle, cloves and rich blackberry fruits, this is a vintage that showcases the best of Margaux. It took its time to reach this point but it has been worth the wait, and the wine just gets better and better over a few hours in the glass. Highlights the success of the partnership between owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos and director Paul Pontantallier, with this château delivering some of the most memorable wines of the turn of the century years in Bordeaux. Drinking Window 2020 - 2050.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2000 Château Margaux has always been one of the stars of the millennial vintage. A dozen or so bottles over the years, starting with my first encounter from bottle with the late Paul Pontallier, have never disappointed. Philippe Bascaule did not decant this bottle, although it does deserve an hour’s aeration before serving. Deep in color with little aging on the rim, it has a very intense bouquet, sophisticated and almost aloof. Oddly, it reminds me of the 2000 Latour in its sense of aristocracy and breeding. The palate is medium-bodied with gorgeous, rounded, pliant tannins that frame the multilayered red fruit. Always a Margaux with considerable backbone, the 2000 has mellowed in recent years, though it has lost none of its complexity or ethereal balance. There is substance but not sinew, and the silky-smooth finish fans out gloriously. A brilliant Château Margaux from beginning to end. It’s difficult to find fault with this magnificent wine.Vinous Media | 99 VMNo written review provided. | 98 W&SThis continues to be a jaw-dropper, with beguiling lapsang souchong tea, singed sandalwood and fresh bay leaf aromas slowly wending along, while the core of pure cassis, raspberry reduction and warmed fig notes sits on a throne of perfectly embedded charcoal and tar-laced tannins. And with all the heft, there’s a beautifully long iron note to give the finish cut and elegance. Just dreamy.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Best from 2018 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 98 WS

Probably the finest Giscours made since the 1975, this black/purple-colored 2000 offers up terrific notes of camphor, creosote, blackberry, and cassis jam intermixed with notions of smoke and earth. Spicy, with low acidity, a big, rich, fleshy, full-bodied palate, outstanding texture, and a long, pure finish, it is, to reiterate, one of the best Giscours produced over the last 25 years. A sleeper of the vintage, it is still available for a realistic price.Robert Parker | 92 RPThis is very perfumed, with mushrooms, berries, and even strawberries. Full and round on the palate with soft tannins and lovely sweet finish. This is very long and balanced, but still needs time. Just starting to open up now, but give it a couple of years. Pull the cork in 2012.James Suckling | 92 JSThis is a big, powerful, firm wine, with a top layer of ripe, glamorous fruit flavors. Blackcurrant jelly fruits are shot through with ripe acidity and soft tannins. It should develop relatively fast, but then last well.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA touch more advanced than the rest of the pack, with beautiful singed alder and juniper notes starting to lead the way while the core of lightly steeped black currant and fig fruit notes is simmering nicely with subtle charcoal and loam elements. Stylish bay-infused finish.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2020. 27,500 cases made. Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis is a big, rich style of wine with a deep inner core of colour and fruit that is almost on the overripe side. The extraction seems a little more pushed, the tannins chunky and slightly chewy on the finish. That said, there’s still an innate freshness and gourmand nature to the wine. It will appeal to those that prefer a plusher style, less so those that have a more classic leaning. Drinking Window 2021 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DECThe 2000 Giscours is a vintage that I last tasted at the 20th-anniversary vertical in 2015. It has a lovely nose, not powerful, but pure and less rustic than some of the others tasted, offering red plum and cedar (as I have noted on previous bottles) and hints of fig jam and black olive. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and just a splash of balsamic infusing the red fruit. It lacks a little length and feels a bit compact on the finish, but there is ample freshness and tension. Decanting would benefit this millennial. Fine.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Wonderful aromatics of walnut, leather, soft truffles, touches of cloves, this is a perfect wine for the winter months. The high acidity maintains freshness and backbone but there is a definite tertiary feel at this point with autumnal raspberry and blackberry fruits. It’s gentle and welcoming with the elegant edge that Issan does so well. Feels like an old friend and practically begs you to stop what you are doing and open a book. A yield of 36hl/ha. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2034.Decanter | 94 DECFully mature, the 2000 D’Issan is a quintessentially elegant, yet concentrated, aristocratic Margaux that defines the appellation. The wine has a dark ruby/purple color just beginning to lighten at the edge. Notes of charcoal, acacia flowers, black raspberries, and blue fruits are followed by a medium to full-bodied wine that builds incrementally on the palate. With its outstanding purity, richness, elegance and length, this is a beauty that has reached its window of maturity, where it should stay for another 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 93 RPChâteau d’Issan produced a very good wine in the 2000 vintage, but it is still several years away from starting to blossom and drink with generosity. The deep and still quite primary nose delivers scents of cassis, tar, herb tones, cigar smoke, coffee bean and a bit of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and potentially complex, with a rock solid core, firm tannins, very good focus and a long, youthfully muscular and chewy finish. Like a great many examples of the 2000 vintage in Bordeaux, this wine is completely hunkered down at the present time and is a bit sullen, but it should prove to be very good with sufficient bottle age. Just how much charm it will eventually deliver is still an open question, but that is a question that really should be asked of the vintage in general! Drink between 2020-2060.John Gilman | 92 JGNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 2000 tasting in London. This seems quite fleshy on the nose, just a touch of reduction at first although it blows away. Cranberry, strawberry, a touch of fig, then more secondary aromas coming through: saddle leather and Provencal herbs. The palate is medium-bodied, quite opulent and generous, silky smooth tannins but there is also real backbone to this wine. As always, this wine is masculine and broody at birth but now is coming into its own and lightening up. Red-berried fruits, a touch of pepper, orange zest, tightly coiled and pointed towards the finish. Great weight and grip on the finish. Superb. Drink 2013-2040. Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NMI loved the 2000 Rauzan-Ségla, another mature yet balanced wine that shows the hallmark complexity and elegance of the estate. Beautiful currants, strawberries, lead pencil, and spice notes give way to a medium to full-bodied wine that has a layered texture, resolved tannins, and good mid-palate depth. I love its complexity, its seamless texture, and its great finish. This is a beautiful 2000 that’s drinking at point today yet will easily keep for another two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAt first taste, this wine seems more new world than Bordeaux. But then the subtle, perfumed aromas and structured fruit show through, along with the clean acidity and black tannic fruits. Give this wine at least 12 years before openingWine Enthusiast | 94 WENo written review provided. | 94 W&SThe 2000 Rauzan-Ségla is deep in color. The bouquet is similar to the bottle poured a couple of years ago, featuring blueberry and Provençal herbs, the secondary and primary scents commingling to wonderful effect. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and tarry black fruit, and quite structured and fresh, leading to a grippy, saline finish. A redoubtable, almost swarthy Margaux that should drink well for another 20 years or more. Superb.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis is just starting to open up on the nose with tobacco, plums and currants throughout. Full-bodied, with lots of tobacco and chocolate that turns to notes of coffee and fruit on the finish. The palate is just starting to come around. Why should you wait on this? The winemaker says that it will be better after 2012. Rich and slightly austere still at the finish.James Suckling | 93 JSThis is a bit grainy in feel, with ample cedar- and juniper-lined tannins carrying a mix of red and black currant, bay leaf and black tea flavors along before a tangy sanguine note captures the finish. Has character and charm, if a bit outpaced by the pack in general.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2018. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Right now, at 20 years old, this wine is approaching its perfect drinking beginning - by which I mean it is now stepping up onto the plateau that the best wines get to, where you don’t need to worry about opening them immediately, but you can feel confident that you are going to be getting the best of them if you choose to do so. Although we didn’t taste the 2000 in this particular lineup, on recent openings it is a more muscular and closed down than the 2001, and will probably last longer, but this is just blindingly delicious right now. The descriptions that are most often associated with Château Margaux must surely be finessed tannins and floral aromatics, and you have both of them in spades, along with gentle roasted fruits of plum and blackberry, violet, cedar spice, liquorice and tobacco. The tannins are fine and full of pleasure. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 97 DEC“For me, this vintage is what makes Margaux special,” says Margaux winemaker Paul Pontallier. He is right: With its denseness, spice, flavors of black currants layered with dryness and fresh acidity, this is a huge and impressive wine that never forgets that it is Margaux. It is still young, and the dry tannic aftertaste, which lasts for many minutes, shows this.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WESuave from the start, with beguiling tea, singed sandalwood and lilac notes backed by alluring, gently steeped red and black currant fruit. The long finish has an alder edge that stays in lockstep with the fruit, ending with a minerally echo.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2001 Chateau Margaux continues to evolve in impressive fashion. The nose feels sensual, veering towards red rather than black fruit, with disarming purity and perhaps showing more floral/violet character than the 1999. Both display tremendous precision and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, edgy and tensile with crisp acidity, so fresh and vital in the mouth. Tasted next to the 1996 Château Margaux, it is clear to see that the 2001 is several steps behind, yet the way it fans out with such confidence and brio on the finish assures that this has a prosperous future. Tasted May 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMThe 2001 Château Margaux, last tasted five years previously, is slightly deeper in color compared with the 2001 Pavillon. Featuring black plum, raspberry and touches of orange peel, rose petal and light bay leaf aromas, the bouquet is not intense, but it is well defined and focused. The palate is fresh on the entry with fine-boned tannins and a taut line of acidity – a strict Château Margaux that doesn’t want to muck about. It’s little short on the finish, yet sophisticated and providing unadulterated buvabilité. Drinking perfectly now, and it will be enjoyable over the next 15–20 years.Vinous Media | 94 VMNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux.Robert Parker | 98 RPA wine with spices, meat, and very ripe fruit on the nose, with hints of dried flowers. Full bodied, and deeply layered, with loads of fruit and spices. Long and decadent, very complex. Pull the cork after 2013. Find the wine.James Suckling | 97 JSFull, saturated red-ruby. Knockout nose combines redcurrant, tropical chocolate, leather, woodsmoke and nutty oak with exotic chocolate mint and coffee liqueur; still manages to retain floral lift even in this beastly vintage. Then wonderfully fat, sweet and full, even if it comes across as almost heavy following the ineffable 2005 and 2004 examples. But "relatively inelegant" for Margaux still suggests a degree of refinement that few chateaux can match in the greatest vintages. A hugely rich and dense wine that finishes with elevated but ripe tannins and great length, with a subtle suggestion of dry spices. Pontallier says the terroir will take over in 20 years, "like with the ’82." Splendid.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis may be from the exceptional vintage of 2003, but Château Margaux remains true to form. First and foremost, it is a refined, elegant wine, with complex layers of flavors. But, yes, the hot summer is there the dense, dry tannins, but somehow they seem to float through the wine rather than sitting heavily in the middle. Acidity and freshness come to finish, giving the wine a delicious lift. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEShows a note of torrefaction typical of the vintage, but uses it to its advantage, coupling it with accents of ganache and dark tobacco leaf along with rich plum, currant and fig compote flavors. The finish is slightly firm, with alder and plum skin details, but this has pretty impressive composure considering the vintage.-Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNo written review provided. | 93 W&S

If one of 2004’s enduring characteristics is its freshness, then Margaux epitomizes this. It is so deliciously fresh and floating, with great black currant and blueberry fruits, pointed up by spice, mint and a sense of elegance and poise. There’s no doubt about its aging potential either: just feel that heart of firm tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETasted from barrel in 2005, this wine showed the freshness of the vintage in its bright woodland-berry scent before settling into tannins that felt mineral, powerful and black. Directeur général Paul Pontallier commented at the time, "I consider this to be typical, absolutely, of Château Margaux." Two years on, the wine is definitively Margaux, from the fashionable scent of new oak, to the musculature and vinous strength of the fruit. The sweetness of the fraises des bois and plum seems improbable in the context of a completely dry, concentrated yet ethereal taste that doesn’t stop. The wine will taunt you with its delicate, silken power whether you drink it in ten, 20 or 30 years.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SThe 2004 Chateau Margaux has always been a promising wine and here, served blind against the First Growths, it finally proved that patience is necessary when it comes to such wines. It has an exquisite bouquet with brilliant delineation, scents of redcurrant, raspberry coulis, cold stone (almost flint-like) with pencil-lead and cedar lending it a Pauillac-like sense of aristocratic flair. The palate is extremely well balanced with a supple opening, nigh perfect acidity with a surprisingly citric undercurrent that lends so much freshness and tension. While it does not have the weight and power of say, 2000, 2005 or 2009, it cruises along with utmost harmony and you become smitten by its charms - something that is perhaps in short supply among the First Growths in this vintage. This is excellent. Tasted September 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMBright red-ruby. Knockout nose features boysenberry, currant, cedar, graphite and mocha. Suave, gentle and sweet, already displaying ineffable inner-mouth perfume. The 17% merlot component injects a silky component, and the oak element adds a complementary sweetness. Complex, lush, horizontal finish saturates the mouth with flavor. It was not clear to me in April that the 2006 would exceed this-and it will certainly take longer to reach full maturity in bottle.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis is lovely, with enticing, velvety plum sauce, macerated red currant fruit, black tea and incense notes that have melded beautifully. This shows a lovely tug of earth at the very end, retaining some grip for further cellaring, despite being approachable now. A lovely wine.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDrinking beautifully, the 2004 Château Margaux (78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) is all about elegance and finesse and has perfumed notes of sandalwood, dried flowers, and sweet red and black fruits all soaring from the glass. With medium body, a silky, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannin, and a great finish, it glides across the palate and is just a joy to drink. While it doesn’t have the weight or richness of a top vintage, it’s a beautiful expression of this estate. Drink it anytime over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

The nose on this seems more concentrated than the 2000, and the purity of fruit is stunning, with blueberries, raspberries, fresh flowers, and hints of licorice. This is perfect and complete. Full bodied, with notes of forest berries and wild raspberries, this is thick and velvety with perfectly polished tannins. You can really feel the density on this, more than the tannic structure. This is a sleeping beauty that will be utterly captivating when it awakes. Don’t touch this until after 2015.James Suckling | 100 JSIn two recent tastings the 2005 Château Margaux has been nothing less than magnificent. A wine of stunning perfume and inner sweetness, the 2005 gradually opens to reveal layers of red-toned fruit intermingled with floral accents. It’s as if all the classic Margaux signatures have been amped up in a huge way. Dehydration on the vine concentrated the fruit, but also the impression of tannin and acid, such that the 2005 retains huge fruit density along with plenty of brightness as well. Vibrant and beautifully layered, the 2005 Grand Vin is off the charts and easily one of the wines of the vintage. Readers who own it or can find it are in for a real treat. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe first-growth 2005 Château Margaux (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot), a lavish fragrance of blackcurrants, velvety new saddle leather, spring flowers and spice soars from the glass. The wood is already totally concealed beneath the cascade of fruit in this medium to full-bodied, pure and majestic wine. This concentrated, dense, but nevertheless strikingly elegant, multi-layered wine has a finish of 45+ seconds. It builds incrementally to a crescendo and finale. This is a stunner that can be approached already, but promises to be better in another 5-10 years and last at least 25 or more years.Robert Parker | 98+ RP(Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) This extraordinary wine announces its brilliance at first glance, with a bright curranty fruit aromas that expand quietly at first until one realizes the depth of concentration and flavour it possesses, with exotic spices, smoke, leather, and earth. The blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, aged in new casks, produces a silky texture, perfect balance, and enough substance to give fantastic length without any heaviness. This wine was a unanimous favourite in the flight. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 98 DECFor a Château Margaux, this is an especially rich wine. The dense fruit, superripe but not overpowering, and the blackberry jam flavors show the richness of the year. There is wood alongside the juiciness and sweet tannins. Of course, it will age, but it’s so delicious to drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEStill very tight, but there are whispers of alder, bay leaf, tobacco and singed sandalwood aromas here. They give way to a beautifully silky and refined, but extremely concentrated, core of cassis and blackberry fruit that has gained a lightly mulled hint. The long finish shows echoes of dark earth and iron that bring you back for more. A beauty, with a long way to go.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2025 through 2045. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSAn extravagantly ripe vintage of Margaux, this has the first-growth scent of a wine at home in its new oak. The texture is succulent and generous, the aromas bright with floral tones and sweet fruit, a taste of fresh strawberries and blackberries macerated in liqueur. This is a beautiful wine, and it may reveal more of its structural power with time. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 94 W&S

Enticing ruby red body, with aromatics that show a touch of orange zest and turmeric spice. The fruit is creamy, intense, a brilliant Palmer that has finesse and balance but a serious kick. Black pepper, cinammon, raspberry, bilberry fruits, smoked earth and campfire on the finish, so juicy, totally salivating with a slate-textured close of play. Delicious, and a great sign that the 2005 vintage is starting to swing open. Harvest September 22 to October 7, 60% new oak. A long dry summer, with 57% less rainfall than usual, although temperatures never climbed as high as in 2003. Impossible to stop smiling after this.Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux | 100 JAIts bigger sister, the 2005 Château Palmer (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot), is one of the great efforts of this superlative vintage. Floral notes mixed with blackberry, cassis, plum, licorice and spring flowers soar from the glass of this dense ruby/purple wine. It is medium to full-bodied, surprisingly opulent (it has a big percentage of Merlot), long, multi-dimensional and textured. This wonderfully pure, stunning wine once again performs as a first-growth. It should drink well for the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005 Palmer has been absolutely magical both times I have tasted it recently. Still wonderfully deep to the core, the 2005 is dense, packed to the core and luxuriously opulent. Even with all of that intensity, the 2005 remains vibrant. Lush red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and sweet spice build into the towering finish. The 2005 is an epic wine that will have no problem reaching its fiftieth birthday. It is a rich, dramatic Margaux that checks all the boxes, and then some. I rated a second bottle even higher.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe 2005 was the first vintage where Thomas Duroux was in charge from beginning to end, having worked alongside his predecessor Bertrand Bouteiller on most of the 2004. Another great vintage in this all-star line-up, and the one that perhaps had the most exuberant sunny expression in the early years, although now at 15 years of age the tertiary aromatics are just starting to arrive, along with hints of earthiness and a savoury cassis fruit character as the Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate. There is a gentle truffled edging to the colour also, but the tannic frame is very much in play, and still cradling the fruit. A great wine that walks the tightrope between young and old Palmer, and between the welcome of a generous vintage and the natural elegance of a great Palmer. Harvest September 22 to October 7. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECAromas of black tar, chocolate and berries lead to a wine that is so effortlessly delicious that it’s easy to forget the power the Merlot gives it. The center is round, but dark, filled with sweetness; the outer layers are full of red jelly and toast. There are tannins, but they, too, are sweet.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WENo written review provided. | 96 W&SFeatures a bright flash of bay leaf and savory out front, with streak of tobacco and cedar amid the relatively open core of black cherry and black currant fruit. The long finish has a terrific iron note ringing through. Among the more approachable of this group, but no less serious.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWhat a nose of milk chocolate, with raspberries and hints of plums and flowers. A wonderful nose. Full-bodied, with super velvety tannins and a chocolate, nut, and dark fruit character on the palate. The fine tannins and great balance make you want to drink this, but you should wait and let it all out. Pull the cork in 2016.James Suckling | 94 JS

A joyous Lascombes, this is the first vintage to hit stride since the US investment firm Colony Capital took over in 2001. It’s a meaty wine draped in fragrant tannin, built for long aging. It’s also an exuberant wine, in both the bright, red currant-scented fruit and the bristle of the tannin. A playfully complex flavor lasts for minutes, the wine still youthful and fresh four days after it was opened. Margaux chic.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SDark in color, with an impressive nose of licorice, toasty oak, chocolate and blackberry. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and structured. Best after 2012. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSLascombes is approaching the form its status as a second growth suggests. This wine is close, packed with dark fruits, figs and juicy black currant extract. The aftertaste has some bitterness, with layers of toast and spice coming through strongly.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE(52% cabernet sauvignon, 45% merlot and 3% petit verdot) Good bright ruby. Blueberry and licorice on the nose, lifted by spicy oak. Chewy, lush and dense, but with a sappy quality giving shape to the fruit. Very tactile, solid wine with a saline quality suggesting energetic extraction. But this offers impressive mouth coverage and finishes broad and long, with nicely restrained sweetness. Wait until 2011.Vinous Media | 89-92 VM

Wonderful balance of fruit with currant and chocolate character. Full body with integrated tannins and a clean finish. Polished and refined. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSThis attractive deep ruby/plum/purple wine is supple, with notes of loamy soil, earth, underbrush and black and red currants. Very fragrant and medium-bodied, with relatively sweet tannin, this wine should continue to drink well for another 10-15+ years.Robert Parker | 90 RPThe 2005 du Tertre is a bold, savory wine, as it so often is. Game, scorched earth, licorice, tobacco and dried herbs give this dark, virile Margaux much of its distinctive personality. The 2005 has aged well. I would prefer to drink it over the next handful of years, before the fruit fully fades, even though there is enough density to allow for aging beyond that. Structurally, du Tertre is a bit lighter than most Margaux in 2005.Vinous Media | 90 VM

This is a beautiful Giscours with tension and finesse. It’s full-bodied and shows plenty of berry and spice character, not to mention a long, silky-textured finish. It seduces you with each sip. Why wait?James Suckling | 95 JSThis chateau gets better and better. The wine has power, but it is harnessed by the intense fruits, the blackberry flavors, the density and the wood. With the power, though, comes elegance, resulting in a wine that is ready to develop over many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a powerful wine with good ageing potential. The nose is ripe and creamy with plenty of dark fruit and spice complexity. The palate is rich, full and gourmand with Cabernet-cassis notes coming through. There’s a big tannic frame that shows the more masculine side of this Margaux. The finesse may be missing but there’s a lot of wine here. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2005 Giscours captures all the natural radiance of the year in its stylish, racy personality. Sweet tannins wrap around a core of sweet red berry fruit, kirsch, rose petal, mint, spice and blood orange. Soft, curvy and sensual, Giscours is a winner in 2005. It doesn’t quite offer the grandeur of the very finest Left Bank 2005s, but it has plenty of that richness.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDisplays blackberry, cherry and hints of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and solid. This is structured and chewy. Needs time. Best after 2013. 20,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2005 Château Giscours is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot picked between September 22 and October 6. Conspicuously deep in color, both the aromatics and palate replicate the strong performance from earlier this year. The bouquet offers very fine intensity with blackberry and cedar, here a tinge of cassis that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannin. It is very well balanced and almost Saint Julien in style. It is clearly very focused with a sustained, mineral-rich finish that (as I said before) contains real energy. This is an excellent Giscours that will age nicely over the next 20-25 years. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

The 2005 Rauzan-Ségla is captivating right from the very first taste. Soaring aromatics and bright veins of minerality confer energy to this statuesque Margaux. The 2005 is still a very young wine. In fact, I would cellar it for a few years. I am blown away by its energy, vibrant and sheer character. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, rose petal, blood orange and crushed rocks literally soar out of the glass. The 2005 captures the richness of the year, but it remains a classically built, mid-weight wine of remarkable freshness and tension. Rauzan-Ségla might very well be the most under the radar Left Bank wine in 2005. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 97 VMVery beautiful aromas of crushed berry, flowers, currant and Indian spices follow through to a full body, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Extremely polished and beautiful, with a seamless texture. Best after 2014. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis is showing really well right now with an exuberance and richness that verges on extravagance. It’s full body, firmly textured with a ripe and rich fruit too. So much berry, spice, chocolate and incense character. Love to drink it now but a long life ahead of it.James Suckling | 97 JSA wine with a beautiful mouthfeel and shape. This is rich, gleaming in the ripe black fruits, the touch of spice and mint, as well as the sweet blackberry flavors. The acidity is balanced, showing off the fruit. There is weight and density as well. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEOne distinguishing factor of this vintage is that it managed to create a wine such as this: a finely tailored, seamless Margaux that has the textural caress of silk while its tannins explode in a long, slow roundhouse punch so that you don’t notice them until they are all that you see. And yet it doesn’t feel crass or aggressive. The spiciness of the wine brings anise to mind; the flavor depth carries dark fruit into mineral territory. Completely of a piece, Rauzan is significantly more expressive than it was en primeur. This has an unaffected stamina that will keep it going for 25 years or more.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 96 W&SDeep garnet in color, the 2005 Rauzan-Ségla sings of plum preserves, redcurrant jelly, raspberry pie, kirsch and blackcurrant cordial with nuances of dried lavender, rose hip tea, hoisin and incense. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich, expansive black fruits with loads of incense and exotic spice sparks, finishing long and layered. Still quite youthful, I anticipate a long life ahead for this perfumed beauty!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe finest wine made at this estate since 2000, the 2005 Rauzan-Ségla checks in as a brilliant blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It has a touch of lightening at the rim, but it’s still youthfully ruby-colored and offers a fabulous bouquet of cassis, toasted spices, dried tobacco, and graphite. It has lots of sweet tannins, a full-bodied, opulent mouthfeel, terrific density, and a great finish. It has some maturity and is drinking great today, yet I’d say it has upwards of another two decades of longevity. It’s a beautiful wine and one of the gems in the lineup.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

It is worth noting that when the bottled 2006 Chateau Margaux, which appeared closed and less impressive than I had predicted from barrel, was retasted alongside the remarkable 2008, I elevated my score to 94+. It does not possess the size or power of the 2008 or 2005, but the 2006 exhibits impressive density, a deeper color, and the beautifully textured, pure style that is a hallmark of this estate. Moreover, it is relatively precocious, and can be drunk now or cellared for 25+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP(Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) Plenty of tannins still in play, and it is dense, powerful and reserved even at 15 years old. The tertiary notes of cedar, charcoal and crushed mint are just hints at this point, with the purity of Cabernet Sauvignon’s cassis and bilberry fruits very much in the lead. First time that so little Merlot made it into the final blend, which no doubt also explains why the overall construction of the wine is so architectural and firm. Long drawn out finish, with higher acidity than the other wines in this lineup, with brilliant estate signature of precise peony and violet aromatics. You could begin drinking this with a long carafe beforehand, but it will still improve with another five years in bottle; and then go for decades. 100% new oak, 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. (Drink between 2023-2042)Decanter | 95 DECThis is not a big Château Margaux, its style showing more elegance and discretion. The tannins are soft, although producing a dense web that lies underneath the black currant and plum fruit flavors. It is a wine that envelops the mouth, an edge of firmness over velvet fruit textures. The wine floats away slowly on the close.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA sexy vintage of Margaux, this is heady and seductive right from the start. Floral strawberry and red currant flavors back the wine’s gentle sweetness, while floral acidity gives it a sting. Black tannins hint at more serious, long-term prospects, though much of the vintage may get drunk before it has a chance to reach any deeper, more essential terroir expression.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SGood deep red-ruby. Deep but reticent aromas of redcurrant, tobacco leaf, licorice and loam; I don’t find the typical floral high notes of Margaux. Juicy, fine-grained and suave, with good definition and a seamless, spherical texture to the currant and soil flavors. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins, but not the grip or power of earlier barrel samples of this wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMOn the taut, sinewy side, with cedar and sandalwood notes framing the core of red currant, bitter cherry and damson plum fruit. Offers a lovely singed feel through the finish, with a gentle perfumy edge. Despite the tannic profile of the vintage in general, this is all charm and hitting its stride now.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2022.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

After initial tastings suggested there was too much tannin, the wine has undergone a welcome transformation. It has become powerful and ripe, deliciously sumptuous, allying the tannins with densely ripe, sweet black fruits. It keeps its sense of balance, but all this density gives aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WECrushed blackberry, with hints of rose and lightly stewed fruits. Full-bodied, with a beautiful core of fruit and velvety tannins. The finish is long and beautiful. This is beautifully crafted. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 91 WSWell constructed, with good expression and integration. Lacking some of the effortless class of the best years here, but there are lashings of firm black fruits and hints of patisserie from oak ageing. Displays good Margaux elegance, with just the right amount of 2006 austerity. Tannins are resolving themselves after a number of tough years, and still have a way to go. Drinking Window 2016 - 2030.Decanter | 91 DECTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2006 Château Giscours is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot picked between September 21 and October 9. It has been several years since I last tasted this vintage and the aromatics have evolved well, now offering quite plush redcurrant, strawberry and ferrous scents that are nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, savory in the mouth with dried blood, rosemary and sage notes towards the finish. I like the depth here, the cohesion and length. It might not be the most flamboyant recent Giscours, however in the context of the vintage, this is certainly a commendable wine that is beginning to deliver on its promise. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90 RP-NM

Subdued on opening, but with 30 minutes in a carafe it spills out rich pencil lead and liquorice notes, with blackberry fruits and smoky vanilla spice. Classic Margaux 2006, with fairly high acidity that emphasises a floral character, alongside refined tannins. Just beginning to evolve towards an older wine. An unusual vintage at Cantenac Brown, where they produced only 30% of the first wine, reflecting a new regime of greater precision in harvesting and sorting. 60% new oak. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2040Decanter | 93 DECA gorgeous nose of blackberry and plum jam, with a vanilla bean hint. Full-bodied and soft-textured, with round, chewy tannins and lots of fruit. A little loosely knit now, but will come together beautifully with age. Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 90 WS