Description
It’s amazing when you realize that the birth of what we know of as Chateau Margaux dates back almost 1,000 years! In the 12th century, the property was known under the name of “La Mothe de Margaux,” which was reserved for use by royalty. However, vineyards were not yet part of the estate in those days.
The successive owners of La Mothe de Margaux were various people of noble birth. When the Lestonnac family took over, the estate started resembling the property we know of as Chateau Margaux today. Pierre de Lestonnac, over a ten-year period, from 1572 to 1582, restructured the property and moved it from growing grain to producing wine.
At the beginning of the XXI century, Bordeaux wines are experiencing unprecedented success. The whole world seems to have their eyes riveted on Bordeaux, where the demand for these great wines never stops growing. This prosperity, as well as the rapid expansion of other regions in the world, has placed Château Margaux in a more competitive climate, and also allowed the underlining of its unique position: that of a First Growth classified in 1855, enjoying a terroir that has been shaped by the passing centuries.
Tasting Notes
Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multi-dimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The colour remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either. [100 Points, Robert Parker – June 2010, robertparker.com]
