Chateau Margaux 2023

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Edelholzwürze, zart nach Nugat und Nelken, dunkle Waldbeeren, Cassis, Lakritze, floraler Touch, zart nach Mandarinenzesten, verführerisches Bukett. Saftig, hochelegant, reife Herzkirschen, seidige, tragende Tannine, lebendig, finessenreich strukturiert, ein Hauch von Schokolade und Brombeeren im Abgang, harmonisch, balanciert, mineralisch-salzig, bleibt sehr lange haften. Ein perfektes Abbild dieses einzigartigen Terroirs."

JAMES SUCKLING: "The aromas in this young Margaux are so primary, reminding me of grape must fermenting in the vat, then turning to perfumes and flowers. Violets and roses. Full-bodied but it comes across as so agile and bright, with vivid acidity that makes the wine crunchy and linear. As Alexis, one of the owners of Margaux said, this really shows the DNA of the estate. Weightless. One of the wines of the vintage. 3.6 pH. Blend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot."

VINUM: "Ein zauberhafter Duft, ein Archetyp eines Château Margaux, ein Relief an Aromen, verspielt, floral, Minze, rote Beeren, ungemein tief und mit einer Balance am Gaumen, die ihresgleichen sucht; perfekt verwobenes Tannin stützt die knackige Frucht, frisches, langanhaltendes Finale, das ist eine Delikatesse sondergleichen. Umwerfend!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "In competition for wine of the vintage, with a single swirl, you find roses violets, lilacs, black, with red cherries, espresso, cocoa, and boysenberries in the haunting aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is silky, velvety, energetic, and lively. Instead of the weight and intensity found in the 2022, the 2023 focuses on its purity, refinement, length, vivacity, and sensual textures. The seamless finish resonates for 60 seconds, leaving you with lingering waves of incredibly sweet, and pure cherries. Part of the reason for the success of the vintage at Margaux is due to the combination of the amount of rain, and even more importantly, the timing of the rains, which helped the vines reach a better level of maturity. It is interesting to note that macerations were slow, and easy, with some vats taking 28 days due to the lower ABV levels. The wine blends 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. 13.1% ABV. 3.61 pH, 15% press wine. 41% of the crop was placed into the Grand Vin. Picking took place September 11-October 6. The length of the harvest was due to intermittent periods of rain during the harvest, so picking stopped and started, which is another key to the success in 2023. Drink from 2030-2065."

WEINWISSER: "89 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc, 2 % Petit Verdot, 41 % Grand Vin. Dicht verwobenes tiefgründiges Bouquet, edle Cassiswürze, zarter Iris-Duft und Graphit. Im zweiten Ansatz roter Johannisbeernektar, heller Tabak und Veilchen. Am royalen Gaumen mit samtig seidiger Textur, reifer Extraktfülle, vibrierender Rasse und engmaschigem Körper. Im nicht enden wollenden noblen Finale mit kleinen schwarzen Beeren, dunkler Mineralik und königlicher Adstringenz. Ich habe Gänsehaut, der beste Wein aus Margaux und er wird noch zulegen!"

DECANTER: "Quite a herbal nose, full of blackcurrant leaf and bramble fruit, dark chocolate, violets - subtle, not shouting, but interesting. Round and ripe, a nice weight in the mouth, silky, but also like crushed velvet, mouthwatering acidity, so juicy and clean, a lovely texture in the mouth. Not chewy at all, but there’s depth here, a cushioning to the palate with incredible juiciness. Charming, gentle yet lively. It's is just so appealing but this will benefit from oak ageing too. Carefully made, tannins are wonderful and the acidity doesn’t stick out. You also don’t sense the heat, but the fruit is ripe, with freshness all the way through. A wonderful wine in 2023. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend with 4% Cabernet Franc, the highest percentage ever in the blend. 41% grand vin production. 3.6pH, 15% press. Officially certified organic as of 2023. Ageing 100% new oak, 18 months."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2023 Château Margaux is clearly one of the greats in the vintage, and it actually reminds me a touch of the 1996, if not better. Revealing a deep purple hue, it has an incredible bouquet of cassis and blue fruits interwoven with classic Margaux floral, sandalwood, spice, and graphite aromatics. It's hard to find a wine in 2023 that has this much density and depth, with sweet tannins and so much charm. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all of which will see 20 months in new barrels. Not enough can be said about the genius of Philippe Bascaules and the Mentzelopoulos family, who continue to produce sensational wine after sensational wine."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2023 Chateau Margaux, accounting for 41% of this year's crop, is deep garnet-purple in color. A little shy to begin, it needs some swirling before notes of black cherries, blackcurrant pastilles, and anise emerge from the glass, leading to suggestions of fragrant soil, lilacs, and cardamom with a touch of iron ore. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly crafted, with fabulous tension creating an exhilarating sense of energy in the mouth, offset by firm fine-grained tannins to support the vibrant red and black berry layers, finishing long and perfumed. So fragrant and graceful, this could only be Chateau Margaux! The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, with pH 3.60. "There is a little more Cabernet Franc this year. More and more has been making it into the First Wine. We have been grafting over some vines to Cabernet Franc and planting more.""

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 Château Margaux shows considerable promise, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, violets, spring flowers and sweet tobacco, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's taut, concentrated and classically structured, with sweet, refined tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that attained 13% alcohol."