2005 - Margaux, Margaux

The 2005 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it reveals an earthy nose redolent of crushed rocks, tilled soil, and truffles over a kirsch and creme de cassis core with floral notes coming through. The medium to full-bodied palate is elegant and perfumed, with soft, velvety tannins, finishing long and layered. Perfumed, layered, and approachable now, it is within its ideal drinking window, and will continue to drink well through 2047. In 2003, Corinne Mentzelopoulos bought back the majority stake and became the controlling shareholder of Chateau Margaux. This 2005 was made by Paul Pontallier.

The 2005 Château Margaux is a First Growth that I had not tasted for several years. According to the estate, it finally began to open during the pandemic. I remember this was stellar in its flush of youth, and earned a three-figure score from the Southwold blind tasting way back in 2009. Now at two decades in age, it has a supremely well-defined bouquet with dense blackberry, mulberry, iron filing and dried blood. The palate is still very youthful—as usual, the 2005 is an amazingly backward Margaux. Very well balanced, this has retained that arching structure uncommon in this First Growth vis-à-vis Latour or Mouton Rothschild. The ferrous finish has a very slight medicinal quality, though it is not as mentholé as the Pavillon Rouge. You can see this still has some way to go, but it is finally beginning to reveal what it can do. Tasted at the château.