London first growth tasting series #4 Ch. Margaux

[Comte Flaneur]

It has been almost exactly two years since the last one, #3, Ch. Mouton-Rothschild, as Covid disrupted things. It was good to get this show back on the road. Nine of us gathered last night at La Trompette in Chiswick, West London, to taste two vintages of Pavillon Blanc and ten of Ch. Margaux.

With smoked eel we tried the two Pavillon Blancs, which are incidentally 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Both of these wines evolved and changed significantly over the course of the evening

Pavillon Blanc 1988 - tasted quirky at first but then developed very alluring minty herby and basil notes. Really enjoyed this, beautiful, complex, mature wine ****, 93 pts

Pavillon Blanc 2004 - this is quite corpulent initially, and is over 14% abv; it improves, however, as it becomes, racy with exotic tropical fruits. A real treat ****, 93 pts

With a divine caramelised veal sweetbread with white truffle butter we tried the first flight of Ch. Margaux

1971 - this was a late entry. This was pretty much in the middle of the period when Ch. Margaux was deemed to be out of sorts. On pouring it had a garnet/tawny colour and expectations were suitably reined in. This is a fully mature wine perhaps coming to the end of its drinking window but was joyful, with ripe berries, and tertiary notes of cigar box and oolong tea, with decent persistence. Superior to the 1971 Ducru and Haut-Brion tasted in recent weeks. Bravo! **** 94

1978 - Corinne Mentzelopoulos’s first vintage, I have tried this a few times and encountered significant bottle variation. This bottle from Howard Ripley’s cellar was in tip top condition and tasted young compared to the ‘71. It had a refreshing green capsicum, tobacco leaf streak and is ever so a point and accomplished, complex, multi-faceted and cool fruited it kept on changing through the evening. Impeccable poise and balance. *****95

1988 - this is painfully young and shy against its flight mates, with a remarkably unevolved colour for a 33-year old wine, this still has not shed its tannic cloak and was shy in coming out of its shell too. It will never stand out in a blind tasting but underneath is a beautifully crafted pure, refined, classical and accomplished wine with a velvety texture, to contemplate and savour over an evening. **** 93

With Game Pithivier

1983 - slight soy notes on the nose, it has mellowed somewhat, at the age of 38, losing some of its brawny, muscular bravado. It is difficult to describe this wine other than to say it is virtually perfect and epitomises everything that is magical about Chateau Margaux. An exquisite and riveting symbiosis of red fruits, violets, pencil lead, cedar, cigar box, ****** 98

1985 - a hard act to follow, the 1985 Ch. Margaux has been desperately slow to evolve, but now Godot has arrived and it has been worth the wait. This wine has not shed all of its tannins but is now open for business. The most structured of all the 1985s, it has complex bouquet of talcum and flowers and heft in the palate. There are plenty of complex secondary notes coming through but I think this will continue to improve over the next five years. *****96

1986 - this was dense and fully opaque but with an off putting oxidative nose. Good bottles of this are thrilling, even more than the 1983. Drinkable but not right, and certainly below par. NR

With roast Herdwick of lamb

1982 - this started off a bit wobbly out of the blocks and then just didn’t look back. Always a more classical wine than the slightly more expressive 1983, this is compact, builds and is ever so complete. It had some density, but impeccable breeding and understated class. It is a wine which unfurls rather than shouts and wraps you round its little finger. In a perfect place right now. My second rated wine of the night, it only lacked the thrilling flamboyance of the 1983 ***** 97

1990 - noticeably darker, more brooding than its flight mate it is more subdued on the nose too, but there is a lot of dark matter underneath and as it unfurls it has an endless layered intensity. It is still evolving, and could be a decade away from its peak, it really needed a bigger glass, despite being double decanted four hours earlier, but its class and breeding are undeniable. ****(*) 96

With Cheese

1996 - this wine was also double decanted at 5pm, and came across as much more youthful and closed, and not showing the kaleidoscopic complexity of previous bottles. Like the 1990 this needed a bigger glass to express its expansive personality. We will try this next week in a bigger glass. On this showing ****(*) 96

2003 - the wine I was most curious to taste it had an inviting sweet warmth but an underlying brittleness. The colour is quite unevolved, but I don’t get the impression that this wine will improve with time. It has notes of walnut liqueur on the nose and a smooth palate but a somewhat attenuated finish. A good effort in a difficult vintage I nevertheless really enjoyed this. ****(92)


Overall this was an outstanding showing by Ch. Margaux last night, which has always been my second favourite first growth after Lafite.

Based on our series of dinners the pecking order is #1 Lafite, #2 Margaux, #3 Mouton and #4 Latour. I am sure Frederic Engerer would have something to say about that as our oldest Latour two and a half years ago was the 1996, and that was around the time he took over the estate with a mission to achieve perfection. But in the meantime roll on #5 Ch. Haut-Brion in the spring.

[stefan]

Great notes, as usual, Ian. The good showing of the 1971 must have been a pleasant surprise.

[Comte Flaneur]

Yes absolutely, stefan, my expectations were pretty low for that wine, given the poor reputation of Ch. Margaux between the early 60s and late 70s, such a pleasant surprise - you and Blanquito especially would have appreciated it as it is his birth year.

[JimHow]

Mmmm doggie. Sounds like I need to hold on to my one bottle of Chateau Margaux -- the 1996 -- a while longer.

[Racer Chris]

My '83 wasn't nearly as good as yours, but I was mesmerized by the '85.

[JimHow]

I've had the '83 Margaux.
The '83 Margaux was a friend of mine.
The '85 Margaux, sir, is no Jack Kennedy... er, '83 Margaux.

One of my greatest 1983 Margaux appellation experiences was at the BWE NYC '03 convention, late in the evening, totally palate fatigued, Werner brought me the final dregs of a bottle of 1983 Palmer... Jim, you gotta try this... We sat down in the chaos, and finished the bottle. Wow wow wee! I'm hard pressed to recall a greater Margaux appellation experience, with the possible exception of the lust in the eyes that the Margaux girl had for Nicola back in 2015... Wow wow wee!

[Blanquito]

Wonderful stuff again, beyond epic. These First Growth events you all put in London are quite something.

[greatbxfreak]

Ian,

1985 hasn't ever impressed me, three times on different occasions and somewhat dull performance. Even the one tasted at Ch. Margaux wasn't to be impressed about. Paul Pontallier had arrived at Ch. Margaux in 1983 and became managing director in 1990.

Imho, 1985 Mouton R. is the best wine of the vintage. Three times fantastic performance.

I tasted 2001 Ch. Margaux was at the property last week, and it was a blast. Alex R. can confirm that!

[Comte Flaneur]

Ian,

1985 hasn't ever impressed me, three times on different occasions and somewhat dull performance. Even the one tasted at Ch. Margaux wasn't to be impressed about. Paul Pontallier had arrived at Ch. Margaux in 1983 and became managing director in 1990.

Imho, 1985 Mouton R. is the best wine of the vintage. Three times fantastic performance.

I tasted 2001 Ch. Margaux was at the property last week, and it was a blast. Alex R. can confirm that!

Yes Alex served us the 2001 blind in late October Izak, with the now sadly late Dewey Markham, and it is an impressive wine, and contender for the wine of the vintage. I have had it a few times, the first with Paul Pontallier in 2013 - it was so compelling even then that I rushed out to buy a case. It was as good as the 1996 and almost as good as the 2010.

Nicola’s blonde sweetheart only served us the 2006, which while lovely can’t match the 2001.

Regarding the 1985, last week, it was the best bottle of this I have tried - a case of being third time lucky. Unlike so many other 1985s it is still quite hard and has not shed its tannic cloak, but in my opinion it is now coming good and is an excellent, even outstanding, wine. It was a question of waiting for Godot…knock, knock…is that you Godot? Very much in the Pontallier style in the mid-80s…remember the 1983 and 1986 have been big and brooding for a long time and boy the 1983 has been worth the wait. Sadly so many times the 1986 has been faulty; good bottles are earth shattering. I digress. Patience is so important with fine Bordeaux. I know Alex would not necessarily agree. When we voted for our Methode Comte Flaneuse wine of the night, the 1983 was top wine for all but one of the participants, who pegged the 1985 first and the 1983 second. The 1985 was my fifth rated wine, after the 1983, 1982, 1990 and 1978. I don’t own any 1985, but have one bottle of the 1983 - oh the agony of when to drink it! Answer: with a BWEer. I am happy to own the 1982, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2010 Ch. Margaux as well.

[Musigny 151]

Ian,

1985 hasn't ever impressed me, three times on different occasions and somewhat dull performance. Even the one tasted at Ch. Margaux wasn't to be impressed about. Paul Pontallier had arrived at Ch. Margaux in 1983 and became managing director in 1990.

Imho, 1985 Mouton R. is the best wine of the vintage. Three times fantastic performance.

I tasted 2001 Ch. Margaux was at the property last week, and it was a blast. Alex R. can confirm that!

Agreed on the 1985s. Margaux seriously sub par, and Mouton is the wine of the vintage, closely followed by Cheval Blanc.

[Comte Flaneur]

My top three 1985s are 1. Cheval Blanc, 2. Mouton, 3. Lafite

I would rate Ch. Margaux above Latour in 1985, but a bit behind Haut-Brion.

[Blanquito]

My (very limited) impression is that vis-à-vis the field, the 1sts underperformed in 1985 unlike in, say, 86 where Mouton, Margaux and Lafite were arguably the top 3 wines of the vintage. With so many chateau making sensational wines in 85, the 1sts always seemed a little subpar, even the 85 Mouton which has never wowed me on 3 separate occasions. Or Godot-like, they were just drank too young?

[JoelD]

My top three 1985s are 1. Cheval Blanc, 2. Mouton, 3. Lafite

I would rate Ch. Margaux above Latour in 1985, but a bit behind Haut-Brion.

Do any 2nd/3rd growths slot in above Haut Brion, Margaux and Latour for you?

[Comte Flaneur]

Leoville Lascases is epic in 1985 Joel. So are some other Pomerols like La Conseillante, L’Evangile and Certan De May. Those four are arguably better … than Latour certainly. Not had 1985 Petrus, Lafleur or Le Pin. I don’t think anything comes close to Cheval Blanc in St-Emilion, though 1985 Magdelaine is pretty special - had it out of mag a few years ago.

Palmer can be great too but is variable in 1985. Gruaud would be my other pick of the super seconds after LLC, ahead of PLL, but Cos can be outstanding too in 1985. La Mission is a whisker behind Haut-Brion by all accounts but not had either recently.

Oh and how could I forget Lynch-Bages?! A legend in 1985. That vintage really put Lynch on the map in the UK - elevating it to de facto ‘super second’ status. Lynch beat Latour in 1985.

And the Talbot Patrick hauled across the pond for our last supper was extraordinarily good. Looking forward to trying the 1995 Canon he gave me.

[JimHow]

Mmmm yes that 1985 LLC was great, it has been a long time since I've had it.

[Nicklasss]

Chateau Margaux is a solid 1st growth, showing extra élégance vs other first. This is a good sample that you had at that tasting Comte, and thanks for the report.

I remember having the 1982 and 1983 side by side, in NYC 03. The 83 was my favorite at this time, but was still young and concentrated.

The 2001 i had in 2004 at the Château, in company of Alex and Marie-Claude, was young but already showing the extra élégance of the Cru. In 2004, at Alex place, Alex made us tried a 1985 double blind, and it was n excellent bottle.

For other great 1985, i would also say LLC (remember when we bought a bottle for less than 70$ at a Washington DC lunch at a french bistrot), Gruaud, Lynch Bages, and the GPL was quite good when we had it in 2002 and back in 2016. 1985 La Mission is one of the wine i brought to NYC 03, and it was giving a lot.

[Blanquito]

The 85 LMHB is an awesome wine.

[hautbrionlover]

Jim,
I agree with you about the ‘83 Palmer.
Almost 30 years ago I split a case with a buddy at $45/bottle. It seemed expensive at the time, but I predicted that it would be well worth it.(Plus, 1983 was the year I met my wonderful wife.)
I have loved every one of the five bottles I’ve had so far, and I’m thinking that it’s time for that last bottle.

[Dionysus]

Could 2019 be the new 83 for Margaux?!? Possibly a little hyperbolic , but it does appear that 2019 was very successful for the Margaux appellation.

Nearly every Margaux wine from the UGCB tastings, both in Zurich and London, have been raved about (Brane Cantenac, Rausan Segla, and Giscours to a lesser extent). A lot of love here of late for d'Issan, and Comte had a glowing report of 2019 en primeur.

Palmer sent hardly any sample of their 19' overseas, so hard to find notes, but I did find this review from Ian D'Agata: https://terroirsense.com/en/p/908.html Glowing reports for Margaux and d'Issan also included. Alter Ego appears to be a value play.

Conor