Chateau Margaux 2015

Product info about Chateau Margaux 2015

Château Margaux 2015 is the Grand Vin of Château Margaux, from the Margaux appellation in the Médoc. This is the estate's flagship red Bordeaux, not Pavillon Rouge or Margaux du Château Margaux, and it comes from a Premier Grand Cru Classé property from the 1855 classification. In the Bordeaux selection at Drankenshop Broekmans, it stands out for more than reputation alone: the vintage, the selection and the historical context all matter here.

Cabernet sauvignon forms the core of the blend at 87%, supported by merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Only 35% of the 2015 harvest was selected for the Grand Vin, a notably strict choice by the estate. The year produced small berries with thicker skins, and Château Margaux described its cabernet sauvignon as showing concentration and finesse, with unusual power and energy.

There is also a very specific story attached to this vintage. 2015 marked the bicentenary of the 1815 buildings, the opening of new facilities and the final vintage made under the direction of Paul Pontallier. For this Grand Vin, Château Margaux created a special bottle presentation with screen printing on the glass and a reference to Pontallier.

Matured in new French oak barrels, the wine is widely regarded as having long ageing potential. As these are among the last bottles with us, Château Margaux 2015 is the kind of bottle one chooses deliberately: for a cellar, for a serious dinner, or for a moment when Bordeaux is meant to take centre stage.

The available tasting notes describe a concentrated yet precise Margaux, built around dark fruit: cassis, blackcurrant, blackberry and dark plum, with red and black berries and a touch of raspberry. Floral notes of rose petal, lilac and lavender sit alongside cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, cigar box, anise, black tea and a menthol-like freshness.

On the palate it is described as medium to full-bodied, with tightly packed black fruit, lively freshness and a firm tannic frame. The tannins have been noted as powerful and grainy at times, yet also very fine and silky depending on the stage of tasting. The finish is long and layered, carrying savoury, earthy, spicy and floral nuances. In youth, the wine can be compact and reserved, so time or careful decanting helps it unfold.