Shows mint and savory notes out front, with a very elegant structure weaving gently around the core of dried cherry, red currant and pomegranate fruit. The long sandalwood and singed cedar finish is very stylish. A bit outpaced by '88 and '86 in this flight, but as a standalone wine this is very confident in its old age.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2024. — JM
18 / 20
Very sweet and rich on the nose. Much less intense than the earlier vintages. Sweet and round and charming but without the sheer intensity of the younger wines. Very fresh. A flattering wine that's at its peak. Intense and rich. Quite long. Racy. Super-fresh, though not intense.
Couleur évoluée, d'intensité moyenne. Nez discret et épicé, avec des nuances d'écorce d'agrumes. Délicieux en entrée de bouche, très moelleux, fondant, savoureux et parfumé, le vin évolue avec beaucoup de goût et un grain de tannin fin, avec beaucoup de présence entre le milieu et la finale. C'est délicieux et incrachable.
Approaching full maturity, this beautifully sweet Chateau Margaux has a dense plum/purple color and a huge, sweet nose of black currants intermixed with licorice, toast, underbrush, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannin and a fleshy, juicy, very succulent and multi-layered mid-palate, this expansive, velvety wine has entered its plateau of maturity, where it should remain (assuming good storage) for at least another 10-15 years. A very delicious, seductive, and opulent Chateau Margaux to drink over the next two decades. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 10/02.