Winemaker Notes
Aging has been extremely positive for this vintage. The color has deepened and given way to more complex aromas. The bouquet combines black fruit with a variety of spices such as vanilla, liquorice and cinnamon. Here we discover the beautiful aromatic palette of the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. Yet the evolution is most striking in the mouth. The wine gained body and fleshiness. It fills the palate. Notes of deeply ripened black cherry mingle with cocoa and mocha. It has a smooth finish, coating the palate with velvety tannins. The wine unfolds like lush velour fabric. This very “tactile” wine engages all of our senses and promises fine sensations in the coming years.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
This wine has really benefitted from bottle ageing. There's still a sense of reserve to the firm, dark fruits, but the attractive mid-palate fills out with smoky oak and cigar notes, plus a touch of rose petal as the wine opens up. Obvious quality here. 9% Petit Verdot completes the blend.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a wine that is already delicious, with juicy black currant flavors and open acidity. There is structure and aging potential as well, however, giving this wine the best of both worlds. It finishes with a fine, fresh feel and a dry edge.
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James Suckling
This young red has a lot of polish, with firm, refined tannins and a berry, currant and mineral character. Full body, fresh acidity and a clean, fruity finish. Reserved and beautiful.
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Wine Spectator
Shows a lush edge for the vintage, with raspberry preserves, blackberry paste and dark currant notes melded together, framed with a smoldering charcoal hint that glides through the velvety finish. A suave, modern rendition. Best from 2016 through 2026.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Silky, seductive and polished are the words that characterize the best wines from Margaux, the most inland appellation of the Médoc on the Left Bank of Bordeaux.
Margaux’s gravel soils are the thinnest of the Médoc, making them most penetrable by vine roots—some reaching down over 23 feet for water. The best sites are said to be on gentle outcrops, or croupes, where more gravel facilitates good drainage.
The Left Bank of Bordeaux subscribes to an arguably outdated method of classification but it is nonetheless important in regards to history of the area. In 1855 the finest chateaux were deemed on the basis of reputation and trading price—at that time. In 1855, Chateau Margaux achieved first growth status, yet it has been Chateau Palmer (officially third growth from the 1855 classification) that has consistently outperformed others throughout the 20th century.
Chateau Margaux in top vintages is capable of producing red Cabernet Sauvignon based wines described as pure, intense, spell-binding, refined and profound with flavors and aromas of black currant, violets, roses, orange peel, black tea and incense.
Other top producers worthy of noting include Chateau Rauzan-Ségla, Lascombes, Brane-Cantenac, and d’Issan, among others.
The best wines of Margaux combine a deep ruby color with a polished structure, concentration and an unrivaled elegance.