Thomas Burke, the commercial director of the great Bordeaux Château Margaux de Médoc, has led a top-level tasting in Barcelona with the help of the Spanish distributor Primeras Marcas. Prominent Catalan sommeliers attended, on November 14, a tasting in which six wines from this iconic brand were served, whose six bottles add up to a combined price in a specialized store of around 5,000 euros.
In the afternoon of that same day, Insolity de Primeras Marcas offered another tasting with Château Margaux wines to wine lovers and collectors who paid 350 euros to taste them. They have been the best guided tastings of Château Margaux offered to date in Barcelona, a great master class.
All the references, including the white, were served in the same glass, the Riedel Cabernet/Merlot from the Veloce series. It is a specific technical glass, of the highest level, for great Bordeaux red wines. According to Jordi Segura, owner of Euroselecció, the exclusive importer for Spain of Riedel, “this glass has been designed taking into account the maxim that the content determines the form, always taking into account the DNA of the wine made with the Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. , cabernet franc and merlot”. Its price is 28 euros per glass.
Château Margaux offered its wines after a meticulous and demanding protocol. The Pavillon Blanc and Rouge and the Château Margaux 2004 were subjected to a double decantation (one hour aerated in a decanter, and then returned to the original bottle after having been cleaned with osmosis water to express its full potential).
In contrast, the 2017 Margaux from Château Margaux did not need decanting. And the cherry on top of the tasting, the 1983 Château Margaux, only required a 30-minute decantation before serving, leaving two centimeters of wine at the bottom of the bottle to separate the dregs. The decanters were winened, and a strainer was also used.
Château Margaux is a myth founded in 1522. According to Thomas Burke, its magic lies in the fact that the same vineyards have continued to be worked, on the same plots, for 300 years, and that “there is a special aura that surrounds the château.” Its authenticity also stands out. It is a beautiful and historic winery that is self-sufficient with its own grapes. It is located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, with gravelly soils (in the Margaux appellation). It is one of the five wines within the premiers crus category in the official Bordeaux wine classification of 1855.
The actress Margaux Hemingway owed her name to this wine. In the 19th century it belonged to the Sevillian banker and aristocrat Alejandro María Aguado, protector of Gioachino Rossini. Since 2003 it has been managed by Corinne Mentzelopoulos.
They do not release their vintages to the market in consecutive order. They do it based on their optimal moment, after tasting them repeatedly. They are one of the few houses that work with their own barrels (they produce one and a half barrels a day in their cooperage). They make with 50% new barrels, both white and red. They work with a desire for sustainability, and have been exploring biodynamic agriculture for years. They seek to achieve, by replanting, an average age of the vines of 45 to 50 years, and change the orientations to compensate for the effects of climate change. They have 78 hectares of vineyards on a 265 hectare estate.
The memorable tasting began with the 2019 Pavillon Blanc white (100% sauvignon blanc). Château Margaux has been making white wines for 300 years. They were among the first producers to separate white and red wines in Bordeaux.
They have already designed a new white that is more affordable than the Pavillon, given the great demand for whites currently on the market, which will be released on the market next year. Thomas Burke loves the white Rioja Tondonia (Bodegas López de Heredia de Haro), as he finds many similarities with the old white Pavillons.
The Margaux de Château Margaux 2017 is the winery's third wine, aimed exclusively at restaurants (it is offered at around 100 euros). It is not even found in specialized stores. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. “Not too high in price but great quality,” said Thomas Burke. Medium layer and beautiful ruby color. Floral and with acidic red and black berries on a background of geranium and green pepper. Very fluid, sharp, elegant, not very voluminous and with great acidity.
The Pavillon Rouge 2009 has a medium-high layer and the color of cherry cherries. Made with cabernet sauvignon (67%), merlot (29%) and petit verdot (4%). It shows ripe fruit with hints of licorice and chocolate, and hints of tobacco leaf and green pepper. The wood is very well integrated (shows cigar box cedar notes). It is fresh, long, tasty, round, stylized, with good acidity, with polished but perceptible tannins and great balance. Of great stylistic perfection. It sells for 310 euros.
The Château Margaux 2014 is medium-layered and ruby in color. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), Merlot (5%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%). It displays fresh acidic red and black fruit, with a tannic background. He still looks young. It is fine and elegant, and with good acidity that makes it sharp. Very interesting. Its price is 881 euros.
The Château Margaux 2004 is medium-layered and cherry-cherry colored. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), Merlot (4%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (2%). It offers ripe fruit and spicy character, and touches of aromatic scrub plants (rosemary), on a background of leather and licorice. It also subtly expresses notes reminiscent of green pepper. Ripe and tasty. Balanced and with good acidity, and a refreshing final sensation. It doesn't look like it's almost two decades old. It remains very whole. A great, very enjoyable wine. It is offered at 835 euros.
The final fireworks of the great tasting in Barcelona was the 1983 Château Margaux, a colossal wine 40 years later. It doesn't seem that long-lived. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), Merlot (4%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (2%). Medium layer and ruby color, with brick-colored trim. Ripe fruit blends with licorice on a background of leather, laurel and noble wood. Still tannic and opulent, with good acidity that suggests that it still has more room to age nobly. An impressive challenge to the passage of time, unusually fresh and refreshing. Long aftertaste. The winery claims that it is “one of the most classic Château Margaux of the last 40 years.” Its unit price rises to 2,160 euros.
