The 2004 Chateau Margaux has always been a promising wine and here, served blind against the First Growths, it finally proved that patience is necessary when it comes to such wines. It has an exquisite bouquet with brilliant delineation, scents of redcurrant, raspberry coulis, cold stone (almost flint-like) with pencil-lead and cedar lending it a Pauillac-like sense of aristocratic flair. The palate is extremely well balanced with a supple opening, nigh perfect acidity with a surprisingly citric undercurrent that lends so much freshness and tension. While it does not have the weight and power of say, 2000, 2005 or 2009, it cruises along with utmost harmony and you become smitten by its charms - something that is perhaps in short supply among the First Growths in this vintage. This is excellent. Tasted September 2016.

---

Show more

---

---

Show less

---

All wines tasted blind alongside the matching vintage of Sassicaia (see separate tasting story). The quality of the Margauxs transcends through the vintages with exceptional complexity and precision and a soft- and roundness not many left bank wines show that young. Many off-vintages delivered great pleasure (06, 08, 12) but of course the best wines were from the top vintages. Winner again was the 2009 (already won in a top 50 wines from 2009 retrospective last June) thanks to an unbelievable depth and sexiness. The 2015 (hyper pure and singular) and the 2010 (the definition of finesse) are just a tad behind, with the 2005 (like so many 2005s) showing promising but not ready. Average score for the Margauxs at very high 94.8 points (clearly higher than the 92.1 for the Sassicaias, which - no surprise - only beat Margaux in the very weak Bordeaux vintages 2011/2013). TN: This wine was one of the positive surprises for me as 2004. Very expressive nose with a lot of the charms coming from the elevage with sexy oak-derived aromas along dark fruit, crushed stone on the nose. Quite a good weight on the palate with lots of red and dark fruits, first teritary aromas with some leather. Good density, soft tannins and well-integrated acidity. Of course not the depth, precision and length of the best vintages but nevertheless a positive surprise for a 2004. Highlight here is definitely the nose.

---

Show more

---

---

Show less

---