Château Margaux 1er Cru Classé 1996

Details

Owned by Edward III of England, the d'Albret family and then the Montferrands, the estate retained its military vocation until 1802, when the Marquis de La Clonilla had the fortress razed and built the residence that can be seen today. The magnificent building that adorns the château's bottles is the work of architect Louis Combe. Until the early 1960s, the wines were often excellent, sometimes grandiose. As such, the legendary 1900 is one of the most renowned nectars of the century. With the arrival of the Mentzelopoulos family in 1977, and thanks to the talents of Emile Peynaud, the wines regained their Premier Grand Cru Classé status. 1978 marked the beginning of a succession of magnificent vintages. Paul Pontalier, who passed away in 2016, had worked on these legendary vintages. Philippe Bascaules, the new general manager, will be committed to continuing this remarkable story.

Located on a hill, the vineyard covers approximately one hundred hectares on the edge of the village of Margaux. Its soil is composed of very dense Günzian gravel and limestone subsoils in the lower part. The grape varieties are Merlot (20%), Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon for the whites. Recent vintages boast tremendous aging potential.

The estate also produces a superb, fruity and concentrated white wine, Pavillon Blanc. The property's second wine is Pavillon Rouge.