Producer | Château Margaux |
Country | France |
Region | Bordeaux |
Subregion | Margaux |
Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
Vintage | 2020 |
Size | 750ml |
Jane Anson
This has grip and poise, it edges forward with slate textured tannins, not givin too much away at first, but sit with it, because the future brilliance of this Margaux is there to be seen if you take your time. It displays a seriousness of intent that sets it apart in expression from vintages like the 2018, and has dense and powerful red and black fruits along with supple and plentiful tannins that have no intention of relinquishing their hold for decades to come. Gingerbread, liqourice root, grilled sandalwood, red peppers, mint leaf and peony flowers add waves of complexity as it widens and softens through the mid palate, along with raspberry puree and edges of patisserie cream. A Margaux for the ages.
So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
The purity of the fruit in the nose is striking. From there you move to notes of allspice, tobacco, roses, truffle, smoke, roasted plums, cherries and currants. Incredibly sensuous, silky and fresh, the fruit literally coats your palate with layers of velvet and silk textured berries. Intensely concentrated, weightless and effortless to drink, the wine seamlessly glides across your senses and holds with you for at least 60 seconds. This is a prodigious vintage of Chateau Margaux. The product of an early vintage, picking took place September 10 to September, 30. Yields were 36 hectoliters per hectare, with the Grand Vin produced from only 36% of the crop. The wine blends 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV, 3.68 Ph 98-100
The 2020 Château Margaux, re-tasted at the château, is a little more open on the nose, revealing even more of its stunning delineation, just so pixelated. Black cherries, blueberry and perhaps a tad more red fruit than I noticed in the sample tasted in the UK, more classic in style. The palate is harmonious and poised with ethereal delineation, building in the mouth towards an almost pixelated finish that is utterly irresistible. There is heightened minerality compared to the previous sample with astonishing persistence. I suspect this is one Left Bank where the 2020 will surpass the previous two vintages, but as Philippe Bascaule himself commented, it is a wine for his children rather than himself. This is even better than the sample sent to the UK, hence my higher score. Will it achieve perfection? We'll find out soon(ish).
A brilliant Margaux; one that takes a sigh and then releases the huge floral, eucalyptus and crushed mint whoosh that comes in waves though the palate. You get the concentration of the vintage in an entirely positive light, with a suave softness to the tannins that makes it stand head and shoulders above many others. Plenty in common with the 1996 vintage - the knitted down tannins, the completeness, the juicy blackcurrant purity and acidity on the finish, and the certainty of long ageing. Real clarity of flavour. Alcohol level is lower than both the 2018 and 2019, but tannins and anthocyanins are at the same level as in 2018.
Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
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