Château Margaux 2021
Review of the Estate
Château Margaux is known for producing some of the silkiest, most aromatic wines in Bordeaux and it has been famous for doing so for centuries. The origins of the estate may be traced back to the 15th century when the Lestonnac family took over a grain growing property known as Lamothe (deriving from la motte - meaning a small rise in the land, or hill). The agricultural change from cereal crops to vines was led by Pierre de Lestonnac from 1572 to 1582. Further developments occurred when, over a century later, Chateau Margaux estate manager, Monsieur Berlon, saw the benefits of vinifying red and white grapes separately. This change was what set Chateau Margaux firmly on the path to modern vinification practices and international renown.
This reputation spread over the next several hundred years. Sir Robert Walpole, the English Prime Minister in the early 18th Century, declared himself an avid supporter of Chateau Margaux and was known to purchase four casks every three months! When the Marquis de la Colonilla purchased the estate in the early 19th century, the outstanding reputation of Chateua Margaux's wines demanded an impressive chateau to match. Built in 1810 by Louis Combes, the current chateau is a unique example of the neo-classical style. With its structured facade, balanced by ionic columns, it exudes a refined elegance not dissimilar to that of the wines produced within. Chateau Margaux was officially recognised as an historic monument in 1946.
Today Chateau Margaux is owned by Corinne Mentzelopoulos. Her father, Andrè, purchased the estate in 1977 and invested significantly in the regeneration of the vineyard and winery by installing new drainage systems, replanting vines, creating a new underground cellar and investing in new oak barrels. The result of these improvements is evident in the spectacular and consistent vintages produced by Chateau Margaux since the 1978 vintage. This has allowed Chateau Margaux to remain a dominant force in a highly competitive market and maintain its preeminent global reputation.
Vineyard
Surface area: 192.7 acres
Grape Varieties: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
Average age of vines: 35 years
Density of plantation: 10,00 vines per hectare
Average yields: 45 hectoliters per hectare
Average cases produced: 16,500 per year
Plateau of maturity: 9 - 35 years
Château Margaux 2021 Reviews / Tasting Notes
William Kelley - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 95-97+
The 2021 Chateau Margaux is clearly one of the finest wines of the vintage. Offering up a deep bouquet of raspberries, wild blueberries and plums mingled with sweet spices, violets, licorice and hints of cigar box, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with terrific depth at the core and beautifully refined, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, floral finish. Combining the vibrant flavors and moderate alcohol (13.1%) of a vintage of the last century with all the precision of the present in extraction and elevage, it is a timeless classic; and lest that be mistaken for a euphemism for a lack of concentration, note that the wine is analytically as high in polyphenols as the brilliant 2019. Representing only 36% of the estate's production, the 2021 is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
Side Note:
Chateau Margaux has turned out a brilliant performance. A challenging growing season, which saw Margaux touched by spring frost and end-of-season rot, delivered a heterogenous crop, but the estate can afford both to take risks (harvesting reds between September 24 and October 13) and select rigorously. Philippe Bascaules opted to saignee his tanks to concentrate the musts, especially the Merlots, and then vinified gently. "After a saignee, you really have to ease off on extraction if you don't want to overdo it," he explained. But the concentration of the ensuing wines took him aback, exhibiting analytically similar levels of tannins to the superb 2019s. Margaux always producers fresh, vibrant wines, so pHs are similar to was was attained in other recent vintages; what's different, however, are alcohol levels, around 1% lower than 2018, 2019 or 2020. As the accompanying tasting notes attest, the grand vin itself and Pavillon Blanc both number among the wines of the vintage in red and in white.
Neal Martin - Vinous
Point Score: 94-96
The 2021 Chateau Margaux, aged in 100% new oak as usual, is clean and precise on the nose, much more discrete than the outgoing Pavillon Rouge and unfolds like a temptress in the glass. Intense dark cherries, hints of blueberry and trademark crushed violets then start to billow, all exquisitely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth veneer that does a good job disguising the structure underneath. Surprisingly plush given the growing season, the concentration is very impressive with no hard edges. It's a very Margaux-like Chateau Margaux insofar that it could not come from any other appellation.
James Suckling
Point Score: 97-98
A Margaux with beautiful depth and grace and wonderfully well-placed, refined tannins, showing presence and a soft texture. They caress your palate. Full-bodied, yet tight and extremely long. Seamless. 87% cabernet franc, 8% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot.