Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Very ripe, with an almost raisiny edge. Light vanilla flavor. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe fruit and a long, caressing, silky finish. Gorgeous wine. A couple more years will make it just right.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Like so many wines of the 1995 vintage, this offering has fattened and fleshed out, developed more explosive ripeness and richness in its aromatics. As a result, it is a more intriguing and compelling wine. The opaque purple color is followed by copious amounts of sweet cassis fruit intertwined with scents of cedar, licorice, and toasty oak. Dense and full-bodied, with an explosive finish, this is a glass-staining, intensely-concentrated, large-scaled, full-bodied Rauzan-Segla that may be one of the longest-lived Margauxs of this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035. Last tasted 1/97
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Jeb Dunnuck
Not far in maturity from the 1996, the 1995 Rauzan-Ségla is slightly richer and more foursquare, with chocolate black fruits, spice, and tobacco aromas and flavors. Rich, medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and with still present tannins, it has more weight and richness but less complexity than the 1996. It too will continue drinking nicely for another decade or more.
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The Left Bank of Bordeaux subscribes to an arguably outdated method of classification but it is nonetheless important in regards to history of the area.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.