Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 1982 Château Margaux is drinking beautifully today, bursting from the glass with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, burning embers, loamy soil, dried flowers and subtle hints of cedar. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, it's deep and concentrated, with terrific concentration, beautifully refined tannins and an elegant, harmonious profile. Of all the 1982 first growths, Château Margaux is arguably the least defined by the vintage and the most marked by site and style.
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Vinous
The 1982 Château Margaux is adorned with a captivating, very floral crushed violet bouquet that blossoms in the glass. Perhaps it has a little more sophistication than the '82 Mouton. This bottle leans a little more towards red than black fruit. Stunning delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with lace-like tannins, very poised and focused, fresh and saline. Silky towards the finish, which fans out in consummate fashion, this is a beautiful Margaux that is utterly seductive. Tasted single blind at the 1982 dinner at Cornus in London.
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Wine Spectator
Relies on sheer muscle. with dark, plush layers of warm fig, currant preserves and charcoal lined with extra notes of rosted vanilla, espresso and bittersweet cocoa. The tannins are ever so slightly drying on the finish, and this rumbles more than glides, lacking the full range of perfume and beguiling elegance that the great Margauxs have. Drink now through 2035.
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.