Château Margaux 1996

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 1996 Reviews / Tasting Notes

Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 100
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.

Vintage Tastings
Point Score: 97
The Margaux took it up two notches and lived up to its reputation as one of the wines of the vintage. I have consistently found this to be one of the great, young Margaux...period. There were rich black fruits, and the wine was so seductive, yet firm. The iron fist and velvet glove were in full force and syncronicity, and while meaty, the Margaux remained simultaneously svelte.

Vinous
Point Score: 96+
Bright 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.

Château Margaux Wine List