Château Margaux 2008

A powerful and rich Margaux wine

The estate

With origins dating back to the 12th century, Château Margaux is one of those Grands Crus that helped build the legend of the great wines of Bordeaux around the world. In 1855, the estate was elevated to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé and was the only one of the four châteaux presented to receive a perfect score of twenty out of twenty. With the acquisition of the estate by André Mentzelopoulos in 1977, Château Margaux turned a new page in its history. Raising the Grand Vin of Château Margaux to the highest level, he reintroduced the estate’s Second Wine, Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, first created in 1908. Following in her father’s footsteps after his untimely passing, Corinne Mentzelopoulos took up the family banner with energy and passion to preserve the standing of Château Margaux, which had become a Bordeaux masterpiece, instantly recognizable by its Neo-Palladian style. Vintage after vintage, the estate’s wines rank among the greatest wines in the world.

The vineyard

The vineyard of Château Margaux owes its uniqueness to its rare and exceptional terroir, located on a gravel outcrop. The estate’s varietal mix gives pride of place to Cabernet Sauvignon, without forgetting Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The estate’s clay-limestone soils give rise to legendary wines, with a racy and sensual profile, so representative of the Margaux appellation.

The wine

The Grand Vin represents 36% of the harvest.

The vintage

After a fairly dry winter, spring proved wet and cool, up to an early April so freezing that anti-frost sprinklers had to be activated on the Sauvignon parcel of Virefougasse — successfully. A waterlogged May favored downy mildew during the most sensitive period, requiring sustained phytosanitary vigilance while continuing the search for alternatives to chemical treatments. Flowering, which began in early June at a normal date, was partially disrupted by heavy rains, causing coulure and millerandage on certain Merlots, against a backdrop of already low fruit set, heralding a reduced harvest. The summer, cool — two degrees below average —, combined an almost dry July with a rainy August and early September, delaying veraison and ripeness and nibbling away at optimism. Then, in mid-September, a providential reversal: fine, dry weather set in and calmly accompanied the harvest through to its end.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (87%)
Merlot (10%)
Cabernet Franc (1.5%)
Petit Verdot (1.5%).

Characterics and tasting advice for Château Margaux 2008

Tasting

Nose
The nose charms with its finesse.

Palate
Pure and delicate, the palate combines power and density with a tight texture and impressive length.