Reviews

Grace and caprice of Chateau Margaux
«Enoteka» №6(64) 2008

When WeinArt managing director Katharina Wolf sent a list of forthcoming tastings and invited to join one of them, my choice was obvious.

Chateau Margaux, a Bordeaux legend, the wine of inimitable elegance thanks to which it is often described as the most feminine of the five renowned First Growths. Were I more calculating, I would have chosen superambitious Chateau Petrus or mythical Domaine de la Romanee Conti (hopefully, there will be another chance). The thing was that for many years I had treasured a dream of being able to attend a historic vertical tasting of Margaux. It seemed almost impossible, yet sometimes dreams come true.

It is easy and difficult to talk about Chateau Margaux. Its grand vin is a symbol of greatness, one of the proofs how an essentially agricultural product can reach such dizzying heights of admiration. Even with a universal acceptance of Chateau Margaux superiority over many other Bordeaux wines, the tasting experience always remains subjective. The estate’s terroir is more ‘palpable’ and relevant in the wine’s scale of values. Grapes which are picked from vines with an average age of 35 years get their particular flavour profile from soils. Chateau Margaux terroir is a mixture of calcareous clay and humus with a top layer of coarse and fine gravel. It is one of its kind in Margaux commune. But, as owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos and managing director Paul Pontallier note, terroir to wine is what heredity is to man, i.e. both everything and nothing. Everything, because without it nothing is possible; nothing, because it is only revealed through the experience of man’s work.

People indeed continue to play a fateful role, as their attitudes, decisions and work formed the past and will create the future of the estate. The current size of the property with 262 hectares, of which the third is given to vineyards, remains unchanged from the end of the 17th century. The chateau’s history knows ups and downs, periods of prosperity and decline. Margaux stability and continuing success in the modern age is linked to the Mentzelopoulos family. Greek entrepreneur André Mentzelopoulos acquired the neglected estate in 1977 and immediately launched a large-scale programme of vineyard restoration. He invited Emile Peynaud, a renowned Bordeaux authority on winemaking who consulted the chateaux until 1990. Mentzelopoulos early death in 1980 didn’t affect Margaux. His daughter Corinne headed the estate and continued the work started by her father. Three years later she invited Paul Pontallier to take the post of managing director — since then their professional partnership became the foundation of the estate’s spectacular progress and the wine’s unparalleled quality.

Four traditional red Bordeaux varieties are cultivated at Margaux — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which the former having the largest share. Production philosophy is based on top quality harvest with ideal maturation of grapes. No sensational techniques are used during vinification. Everything is carried out under a conventional scheme. The grapes are fermented for three weeks in wooden vats (without fashionable sorting, long maceration or microoxygenation). Then the wine is aged 18-24 months in new oak barrels and fined with egg white. The volume of Chateau Margaux grand vin is always smaller than the second wine Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux. Production of the former is 150,000 bottles on average and the latter — 200,000 bottles. White Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux is also made with Sauvignon Blanc. An average age of vines is 25 years, and total production is 33,000 bottles.

Katharina and Karl-Heinz Wolf and WeinArt team, as usual, organized the tasting in a dinner format, with a specially created menu to provide a perfect accompaniment for each flight of wines. The service of wines and the timing between flights were impeccable. After wines were served, the guests had time to taste them and write their notes. Then food arrived. Thus — along with a great gastronomic pleasure — the tasters had an opportunity to compare how various vintages combined with food. Forty wines were offered in a course of the tasting, including 35 vintages of Chateau Margaux which stretched over 70-year period from 1934 to 2004. The selection was, unquestionably, very rare, and it took two years for the WeinArt to prepare the tasting. Wine experts and collectors were present among the guests. Leading Austrian critic Peter Moser provided valuable commentary during the event.

My evaluation of wines is given in accordance with the classic European 20-point scale — 19 -20 points for great wines; 17-18,5 — for outstanding ones; 14,5-16,5 — for good wine with some outstanding features. There is no need for lower gradations as the tasting didn’t give reason for such evaluations.

After the aperitif Champagne Ayala Brut Nature Zero Dosage whose honeyed notes on the backdrop of vividly mineral flavours set the tasters in the right mood, the first flight served was white Pavillon Blanc of acclaimed vintages 1986, 1989 and 1995. The most attractive in this retrospective was the 1986, with marked freshness and unexpected petrolly notes. Earthy and unsweet marzipan notes are detected in aromas, confirming the wine’s significant age. The palate is with smooth lanoline texture, lively acidity and gooseberry and petrolly flavours, spicy and lingering finish with a touch of alcohol warmth. High acidity will ensure a few additional years of life, but it is best to drink it now to avoid the dominance of petrolly bouquet. One of great vintages, according to the estate’s report (15,5 points). In the meantime, notes of oak aging still dominate in the flavour profile of Pavillon Blanc 1989. Wine’s aromas are subdued, lifted, with nuances of peach. Spicy, intense, but not particularly complex palate is a proof of the trend in the late 1980s and the 1990s for fatty, buttery wines. Good persistence. Another great vintage, according to the chateau (15 points). Nuances of green foliage, asparagus and vanilla pod are found in the veil of aromas of Pavillon Blanc 1995. The palate is well integrated, built on white stone fruit — more stones than fruit. Woody and vanilla notes are present in the finish. The wine evolved quicker than one would expect. The vintage is considered the most powerful after 1989 in the estate, though the rain during harvesting diluted concentration (14,5 points).

White wines were a nice prelude to the main tasting of 35 vintages of the red grand vin. First Chateau Margaux 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 was served. It is so unjust that wine press often avoids talking about 2001, which followed the highly acclaimed 2000. It is a true Bordeaux classic for me. Aromas of Chateau Margaux 2001 are open and focused, the palate is firm, well structured, with pure flavours of black currants and cedar. At present the wine lacks an intrigue of flavous, but it is bound to develop with years, as all conditions are set for it. Voluptuous, spicy finish. It is best to wait at least 3-5 years before opening bottles (18+ points and good potential). According to the estate’s report, adverse weather conditions in 2002 affected Merlot whose quality was ‘disappointing’, but both Cabernets and Petit Verdot took full advantage of the Indian summer. The wine was assembled with very little Merlot. It doesn’t lose typical Margaux elegance, intensity and wonderful structure, but it lacks in drama, power and complexity — those aspects which turn superb wines into great (16,5 points). Year 2003 whose weather conditions were totally opposite to the previous vintage, shows a different character of wine. The fruit are ripe, without jamminess, the wine has high concentration and dense structure. The finish is long, warm. Successful in its own right, this vintage is less refined in the context of typical Margaux style — this may disappoint those who are used to the elegant rendering of this wine (17 points). After two extreme vintages, in 2004 the winegrowing cycle finally took place in the ‘normal’ Atlantic weather. The wine appears to have closed its bouquet. Aromas are reticent, but exude freshness. It is also detected in the still undeveloped palate. Woody notes aren’t fully integrated. The wine needs peace and time to turn from an unloved stepdaughter into a beauty (17+ points and potential). As it often happens, not-so-great vintages often prove to be best partners for food. In this flight Chateau Margaux 2002 made the most harmonious pairing with white asparagus served with red wine sauce. It also gave a good lesson: don’t be afraid to break stereotypes about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ combinations and rely on real flavours of food and wine.

The next part of the tasting was dedicated to the end of the century with vintages 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Complicated 1997 couldn’t justify the praise of Bordeaux producers and negociants (all because of the ill fated combination of weather conditions; bad August that didn’t let the grapes get good concentration and beautiful autumn that to a certain extent saved the vintage and set hopes). At present Chateau Margaux 1997 offers very appealing drinkability, though not too much complexity. Nice cedary and leafy notes dominate in aromas, the palate is medium bodied, and the finish is full (16,5 points). Vintage 1998 was close to great, according to the chateau. August heat and drought led to high concentration in the grapes, but the quality was slightly compromised by rain during harvesting. The wine has rich, generous aromas of black currants and plums and wonderful velvety texture of tannins, with certain warmth. The finish is not too lengthy (17 points). In 1999 the weather scenario was close to the previous vintage — hot sunny summer with some rain, dry end of August and early September, then heavy rains came. The wine strikes as more elegant than 1998. Ripe fruit component is not too pronounced in the aromas at present, but this is a passing phenomenon. A strong influence of flavours imparted by new oak. Excellent persistence, the wine’s power shows in the final. This Margaux vintage hasn’t yet reached its maturity plateau (17,5 points). The apogee of this flight was Chateau Margaux 2000. A great vintage, without any doubt. With a sensual character, black fruit, fundamental structure, elegant natural concentration and fantastically lingering finish. An exemplary vintage that is drinking fantastically now and will evolve for several decades (19 points).

The fourth flight consisted of vintages 1988, 1989 and 1990. For a long time critics treated 1988 with aloof. The vintage was dampened by rain in the first half of summer and by drought — in the second. In his book “Vintage Wine”, Michael Broadbent evaluated the vintage with 2 stars out of 5, although in his last commentary in 2000 he noted that it may reach 5 stars when fully mature. He wasn’t mistaken. The wine is reaching its maturity plateau and starting to show its character in a positive light. Fine nose of juicy fruit, fresh meat and earthy nuances, with a backdrop of excellent freshness. The palate is also fresh, integrated, though tannins need more time to soften completely. The wine features great minerality and length of finish. Can be drunk now or in 2-3 years when more harmonious (17,5 points). Vintage 1989 which was remembered as one of the earliest and easiest in Bordeaux, was called a dream year in Margaux. Rich, luscious nose of fruit and chocolate, the aromas emerge from lower registers. The palate is intense, superpowerful, with great persistence. Refinement this time is substituted by an impressive wealth of flavours which will further determine the character of this wine (18 points). Eighty nine and ninety are a pair of superb, but not identical in weather, vintages. We were lucky with a bottle of 1990, too. The wine captivated by fine elegance, sensuality and lifted fruit on the nose. The palate with notes of dried fruit and minerality showed the essentially feminine Margaux seduction (18,5 points). Though my own preferences were with 1990, both vintages lie on fairly equal heights — it will be exciting to compare them after several years.

Then vintages 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 were served. Vintage 1993 that is discarded due to abundant rain, also at harvest, is showing a very charming character now. The main surprise is unexpectedly sweet, perfumed floral and fruity aromas with violets, plums, black currants and strawberries. The palate is fresh, supple, quite straightforward, but with a tannic support and persistence. I would say that the wine will appeal more to the better half of the mankind as it has obvious feminine charm (17 points). Ninety four is another lesser year in Bordeaux. According to the estate’s report, Cabernet Sauvignon needed a few extra sunny days for better ripening. Indeed, one can detect green notes of grape stalks in perfumed aromas of black currants. A heavy tannic frame, and the tannins are still hard, though the wine is not lacking a noble stance attributed to best Bordeaux (16,5 points). Ninety five and ninety six are two highly acclaimed and competing vintages. 1995 is less developed in this pair at present. The wine showed excellent freshness but didn’t perform a dramatic act as expected from such famous vintage (16,5+ and potential). On the contrary, Chateau Margaux 1996 offers pleasure with its typical veil of complex, black curranty and meaty aromas. The palate is lifted, intense, with notes of cedar and cigar box, very supple and persistent (17,5+ points). If one is to choose between this pair, 1996 is starting to drink well now, and 1995 demands patience for several more years.

After such a contrasting flight we were offered wines of several difficult, weatherwise, vintages — 1984, 1987, 1991 and 1992. Due to problems with flowering and ripening, the wine in 1984 was unremarkable. It’s best to drink any remaining stocks now. Linear aromas are dominated by kirsch. Fresh palate due to high acidity, but tannins are hard (16 points). Vintage 1987 bore wines which were preferred for a pleasant lunch rather than a serious dinner. The structure of Chateau Margaux 1987 (from magnum) is more austere than in the previous wine, with black currants, but the bouquet is devoid of typical enchantment. Easy to drink, but disappears quickly. No reason to keep it further (15,5 points). Vintage 1991 that didn’t gain much respect from the press due to frosts and rains, these days regularly proves to have reasonable quality. It is also true about Chateau Margaux — with its lifted aromas of red and black fruit, enough depth and pleasant tannic texture (16,5 points). In 1992 rain spoiled all major phases of the fruit development in the vineyards. Despite the efforts, the wine shows a fragile character. Some features allow drawing parallels with red Burgundy. The bouquet is built on nuances of red cherries, the palate is lifted and with a good length, the tannins are soft. Although many forecasts at a time said the vintage had no future, the wine was drinking surprisingly well at the tasting (16,5 points).

Then came the apogee — Chateau Margaux 1934, 1953, 1959 and 1961. I don’t know whether Karl-Heinz and Katharina Wolf put the previous and the presently described flights together intentionally or not, but the effect of tasting the greatest vintages after the difficult ones was like a spectacular show of fireworks over the full sky after singular haphazard shots. Vintage 1934 was the most successful in the decade of the thirties. Luckily, the wine (in magnum) was stored in appropriate conditions and was a true revelation after 74 years. Lively garnet with good intensity, taking into account the age. More red hue than even in 1953. Lifted aromas, full of life, intriguing, with notes of red fruit and berries, undergrowth and wax. A fresh palate with dominating strawberry notes, a well defined tannic foundation, lingering finish with smoky notes. An extraordinary experience (19,5 points). Legendary 1953 is an example of perfect Bordeaux for some commentators. The wine at the tasting was also magnificent — with intense, full, amazingly polished nose of plums and dried fruit. The palate is lifted, with inimitable elegance of Margaux, nuances of dried fruit and minerals. Tannins acquired a silky touch, an absolute hedonism (19 points). Though much the praise given to 1953, the greatest triumph awaited Chateau Margaux 1959. This is another superharvest that was announced as the vintage of the century in Bordeaux even before picking (for historic justice, it should be noted that it was also outstanding in Burgundy and Champagne). Deep garnet, unrealistically intense for a wine that nearly reached its 50th birthday. The wine’s aromas exude freshness, with nuances of mint, they are ideally balanced and integrated. A young woody note can be detected — as if the wine was bottled five, not fifty years ago. Firm structure, the palate features fresh and dried red fruit, cedar and spice. A full finish. Monumental wine, full of life and far from having exhausted its potential (19,5 points). The exceptional quartet was rounded off by vintage 1961 that competes for greatness with legendary 1945. The wine impresses with its finely perfumed bouquet of sweet berries and nuances of undergrowth. Fresh blackberry flavours rest on a solidly built tannic base. A bright finish reflects hot weather of the year. A memorable wine (18,5 points).

The next flight continued a series of great and outstanding vintages, but from a more recent period — 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. As the report states, 1982 harvest “heralded a new era of perhaps unprecedented prosperity for Bordeaux, thanks to a run of extraordinary vintages and the opening up of international markets”. The grapes had an ultimate quality level and a record (for that moment in history) sugar concentration. Fresh, cedar aromas with a distinctive for Margaux ‘cloud’ of fruit and expressive undergrowth notes. Majestic, impeccably balanced palate, with a sensual character of Margaux in its best showing. Tannins are still young and promise a long life (19,5 points). Year 1983 marked the arrival of Paul Pontallier on the post of managing director. The wine produced that year was almost unanimously declared ‘wine of the vintage’ in Bordeaux. Today Chateux Margaux 1983 is put on the pedestal of fame together with 1982, and some even prefer the former. Alas, we couldn’t check it for ourselves, as the wine was corked. The wine was devoid of its fruit, though still featured a good cedary tone (not evaluated). Vintage 1985 was outstanding both in quality and quantity of the harvest. As they say in the chateau, “it has always been very pleasant to drink, almost right from the end of the fermentation”. Bright, focused aromas seduce with fantastic fruit — above all with dark cherry and black currant. The palate is fresh, with a well defined structure, balance, superb fruit and chocolate. The wine that along with its impeccable set of features to deem it great, also merits the descriptives of ‘tasty’ and ‘gastronomic’. A lingering finish with chocolate nuances. The potential will see this wine through several decades of development (19,5 points). Vintage 1986 was praised, although the wines were quite tannic. Time rewarded the patient drinkers — Chateau Margaux is moving out of its austere phase. Its velvety tannins which form a sturdy structure are already caressing the palate and will soften with further aging. The wine is rich in fruit, boasts good freshness, concentration and length (18,5 points).

Having reached the peak, the tasting changed direction towards less remarkable, but still very instructive vintages. Wines of 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981 were served. Vintage 1978 is memorable as Chateau Margaux for the first time was made under full control of André Mentzelopoulos. The weather was rainy, but the harvest was saved by a fine Indian summer (a favourite refrain in Bordeaux). Thus it was picked ripe and in a good sanitary condition. A bottle was a rare treat. Intense garnet colour, pronounced cedary tone, fresh palate features blackberries and cedar, and good tannins. Soft, persistent finish (17 points). Weather conditions, as well as wines, in 1978 and 1979 are often compared between them, but it should be noted that 1979 was more abundant. Cedary, bell pepper nose. Tannins have softened, the palate is cedary. The wine is easy to drink, but not too memorable (16,5 points). A difficult 1980 vintage had the latest harvest in a century, it started on 17 October. Aromas are dry but fresh. The palate is also dry (relative to fruit), with cedary tone. Drying tannins. A slight sweet fruity note in the finish (16,5 points). Weather conditions in 1981 were better than in previous years. The wine at the tasting (from double magnum) showed fresh, lifted cedary aromas with nuances of black currants and a fresh palate with pronounced bell pepper flavours, tannins were quite hard. The wine’s development appears to have slowed thanks to a large format bottle. It is possible that tannins will soften in several years and the wine will be more attractive, but now it loses out to previous vintages (16 points).

The final, tenth flight offered 1970, 1973, 1975 and 1977. A generous harvest and favourable weather conditions were the features of 1970 vintage. In the past, tasting comments for Chateau Margaux were very positive, but the wine has begun to fade. Aromas with pronounced earthy notes and nuances of cherries, strawberries, and alcoholic warmth. Supple, the flavours continue the character of aromas, drying tannins. Pleasant strawberry finish (16 points). Vintage 1973 was abundant and less successful, though Michael Broadbent noted that conditions in summer and during harvesting were good. The wine has cedary, strawberry aromas, vegetal notes on the palate. A light, but well kept tannic frame. The finish is spicy, with cedary notes. Easy to drink (15,5 points). One of the most successful wines in Bordeaux was made in Chateau Margaux in 1975, but the wine at the tasting was corked (not evaluated). Vintage 1977 was, according to Michael Broadbent, the least successful in the seventies decade. When André Mentzelopoulos bought the estate in July 1977, he could change little in the vineyard that year. He called for Emile Peynaud to help with vinification and blending, but awful weather conditions left their mark on wine. Today it can be tasted only for historic motifs rather than for pleasure. Green nose characteristic of unripe grapes, hard tannins, though there is a cedary note typical for Bordeaux (14,5 points).

This rare tasting showed different sides of Chateau Margaux. It was especially valuable as many various vintages were selected — both outstanding and difficult. Only by experiencing all of them, one can claim true understanding of this unique wine. We were lucky to have many superb wines — those in the zenith of glory or those still expecting it, and even those which reflected a not always simple story of vintages and people. Great wines attract irrespective of the grace and caprice of history — and this is why they are truly great.