Chateau Margaux   Margaux

2018 Margaux

By Chateau Margaux

2018 Margaux from Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux

The revered 2018 Margaux from Château Margaux represents a pinnacle of accomplishment amid the historical tapestry of Bordeaux's vintages. The year 2018 itself is a beacon that will guide connoisseurs and investors alike through the landscape of fine wine with its distinct narrative.

 

Resilience and Grace: The Hallmarks of 2018

Margaux's terroir, a delicate composition of gravelly and well-drained soils, emerged triumphantly from the climatic challenges presented in 2018. The dynamism of this particular vintage lies in the exceptional weather patterns—a tense start with a wet spring gave way to a glorious, uninterrupted summer followed by an equally generous autumn. Such benevolent conditions are sparing, and they gifted the vineyards with grapes exhibiting concentrated flavours balanced by remarkable freshness—a symphony of resilience and grace reflected in every glass.

 

A Vintage That Speaks Volumes

The 2018 Margaux bears an eloquent testimony to this harmonious narrative. It unfolds with layers of complexity—hints of blackcurrant and violet elegantly interwoven with subtle notes of cedar and spice. The texture is as opulent as it is refined, a silken weave maintaining its structure through the interplay of ripe tannins and vibrant acidity. A whiff of cigar box and a lingering finish speak to the deft hand employed in its creation.

Given this profound expression, investors would be astute to consider the 2018 Margaux from Château Margaux not solely as an acquisition but as an heirloom of nature's magnanimity in 2018.

 

A Vintage Begetting Legacies

Amongst Bordeaux's fabled chateaux, Château Margaux has composed yet another magnus opus—transcending mere conjecture to embody a paragon vintage that will mature magnificently in the cellar. To indulge in or invest in the 2018 Margaux is to secure a fragment of winemaking history certain to reward both palate and portfolio for decades to come.

Market price (GBP)

£5,090.00

12x75cl

Highest score

100

POP score

254.5

Scores and tasting notes

100

The 2018 Château Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, representing 36% of the crop this year. The wine has a pH of 3.8 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crème de cassis, wild blueberries and Black Forest cake with hints of redcurrant jelly, rose oil, dark chocolate and cedar chest plus a touch of star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit, fragrant earth and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid structure of exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless backbone of freshness, finishing with fantastic length. This is classic Margaux at its most seductive, although it is, rather amazingly, approachable and absolutely delicious right now. But, to enjoy its full glory, you will want to cellar it for at least 6-8 years and then watch it metamorphize over the next 40+ years.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 31 March 2021

99-100

Wow. This takes off on the palate the moment you taste it. Aromas and flavors of redcurrants, flowers, cherries and hints of hazelnuts. Full-bodied, tight and compact, but the linear tannins, running down the center of the wine, draw the wine through the finish. Superb.

James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019

97-100

The 2018 Château Margaux is made of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The grand vin represents 36% of the crop this year. The wine has a pH of 3.8 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it comes prancing out of the glass with energetic Morello cherries, black raspberries and blackberry pie scents plus nuances of fragrant soil, candied violets, lavender, sandalwood, unsmoked cigars and black olives with a gentle wave of cassis and licorice emerging with coaxing. Full-bodied, the palate is charged with the most amazing energy, delivering layer after layer of red and black fruits with tons of earthy nuances, framed by the most exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing with amazing freshness and an extraordinarily long-lingering perfume. Magnificent.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019

98

Without doubt an incredible Margaux, although whether it will equal the 2015 remains to be seen. It's less serious than the 2016 but every bit as good, floating above the palate, performing that acrobatic trick that only happens in the really great years. It's silky yet intense and powerful, with sweet, fleshy and succulent raspberry cut through with fresh rosemary and sage that add texture and grip. The menthol side of the Cabernet is already coming through, which suggests the fruit was just perfectly ripe - these are aromatics that you don't get in true heatwave years like 2003. The flavours stretch out, gently gripping and keeping you involved in what is unfurling. Harvested between 17 September and 13 October, with an average yield of 31hl/ha due to both mildew and the concentration of the berries that occured at the end of ripening. The impact was uneven, depending on the vineyard blocks, so yields actually varied between 15 and 50hl/ha. The best plots were the least affected, which means that unusually there is more production in the grand vin and in Pavillon, with less in the third and fourth wines. Final numbers are 36% of production here, 30% in Pavillon Rouge. 83IPT. 100% new oak. 12% press wine. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019

95-98

Château Margaux's 2018 Grand Vin boasts off the charts textural richness and intensity from the very first taste. A huge core of dark fruit, potent, muscular tannins are two of the signatures. Dense and explosive in the glass, with breathtaking concentration, the 2018 is one of the finest Margauxs in recent memory. Lavender, rose petal and spice add striking perfume in this compelling, memorable Grand Vin. In 2018, the Grand Vin represents 36% of the crop and is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019

Vintage performance