Château Margaux

95-97+/100 The 2021 Château Margaux is clearly one of the finest wines of the vintage. Offering up a deep bouquet of raspberries, wild blueberries and plums mingled with sweet spices, violets, licorice and hints of cigar box, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with terrific depth at the core and beautifully refined, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, floral finish. Combining the vibrant flavors and moderate alcohol (13.1%) of a vintage of the last century with all the precision of the present in extraction and élevage, it is a timeless classic; and lest that be mistaken for a euphemism for a lack of concentration, note that the wine is analytically as high in polyphenols as the brilliant 2019. Representing only 36% of the estate's production, the 2021 is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Château Margaux has turned out a brilliant performance. A challenging growing season, which saw Margaux touched by spring frost and end-of-season rot, delivered a heterogenous crop, but the estate can afford both to take risks (harvesting reds between September 24 and October 13) and select rigorously. Philippe Bascaules opted to saignée his tanks to concentrate the musts, especially the Merlots, and then vinified gently. "After a saignée, you really have to ease off on extraction if you don't want to overdo it," he explained. But the concentration of the ensuing wines took him aback, exhibiting analytically similar levels of tannins to the superb 2019s. Margaux always producers fresh, vibrant wines, so pHs are similar to was was attained in other recent vintages; what's different, however, are alcohol levels, around 1% lower than 2018, 2019 or 2020. As the accompanying tasting notes attest, the grand vin itself and Pavillon Blanc both number among the wines of the vintage in red and in white. William Kelley robertparker.com 04.2022 // Score: 97-98 Points 18 May, 2022 – A Margaux with beautiful depth and grace and wonderfully well-placed, refined tannins, showing presence and a soft texture. They caress your palate. Full-bodied, yet tight and extremely long. Seamless. 87% cabernet franc, 8% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. James suckling 05.2022