Past Issues:
Tasting Bordeaux -- Margaux Tasting Notes

We so much hit the mother load payoff with this round of tastings, that we were tempted to not even go any further... Ever! These Margaux were so incredible and such a noticeably different animal than the other Bordeaux we’ve been tasting, that our enthusiasm for them made it difficult to maintain much in the way of objective analysis. See what we mean:

Chateau Labegorce-Zede 2000 Margaux ($26). If this bottle is any indication of the much-hyped 2000 vintage, then we officially get it. Elegant. Complex. Layers of lovely blackberry and cherry fruit are perfumed and delicious, with mineral, smoke, and rose notes. Verging on full-bodied, but with excellent balance. Stays focused and pretty from beginning to finish. Very good now and over the next four or five years.

Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 1999 Margaux ($40). Outstanding concentrated cassis and spicy plum fruit bouquet and flavors, with sweet tobacco and earth notes, and a generous, rich finish. Very good now and over the next four or five years.

Chateau Rauzan-Segla 1999 Marguax ($45). Delicious wine with finesse, featuring well-integrated flavors of red berry and cherry fruit, dark chocolate, smoke, and spice. Well-balanced, medium-bodied. Ready to drink now and over the next four or five years.

Chateau Palmer 1999 Margaux ($84). A hard call, but probably our favorite of the tasting. Full-bodied red berry and cherry fruit, layered with smoky earth, mineral, and sweet herbal notes. Lush, lingering finish. Fabulous wine. Very good now and over the next seven or eight years.

Chateau Margaux 1999 Margaux ($140). Elegant, with smooth red cherry and plum fruit, with waves of smoke, licorice and spice. Concentrated, with plenty of life ahead of it. Generous finish goes on and on. Very good now and over the next ten years.

We're moving on to Saint-Julien for the next issue, but based on this tasting, we'll never quite leave Margaux!