Château Margaux

Château Margaux, 1er Cru Classé, Margaux, 2003

Name: Château Margaux, 1er Cru Classé, Margaux
Brand: Château Margaux
Price: 5441.47 GBP

95/100

Inside Bordeaux

97/100

The Wine Independent

93/100

Vinous

Available Vintages

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Broking

2003
12x75cl
DP
£5,441.47

Justerini & Brooks Tasting note

Paul Pontallier, the charming and highly informative Director of Château Margaux, believes this is their most concentrated wine in 40 or 50 years. Before our trip, we had concerns about the quality of Merlots in the southern Médoc, but Margaux has produced a good crop of exceptional quality, from their clay-based parcels. This unquestionably adds to the charm and sophistication of his 2003, but this wine really rests on very fine Cabernets: Pontallier is clear that “you cannot make great wine with Merlot”. This wine deserves a brochure of its own and was a strong candidate for our favourite of the whole week. It begins with a beautiful deep garnet colour, glinting purple in the glass; on the nose it is very fine and hugely complex, with cassis, black and red berries, cherries and sloes. On the palate it is fresh and clean, delivering layer upon layer of dark flavour, with tannins that are apparent throughout but which firm up a little on the finish, as if to tie things off nicely at the end. The typical Margaux femininity and charm are there, with plenty of finesse, as is the weight of the vintage, and the whole package makes for a wonderfully complete Margaux. Two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Merlot.

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Wines not bought directly from the vineyard are either sourced from trusted suppliers, with whom we share the same philosophy and rigour in buying, or from our own network of Cellarers customers. These customers’ wines are stored in optimal conditions in Octavian Corsham and, in the vast majority of cases, have been stored by us since the wine was first shipped. We do not purchase wine from auctions.

We feel it is equally important to for our customers that the case they buy and leave in storage with us is exactly the same case they subsequently have delivered. This may sound obvious and straightforward, yet we are one of very few merchants to have taken measures to ensure this.

We have created a system where every case is independent, thereby ensuring a trail of ownership and peace of mind for every customer.

The Journey

Justerinis ensures that every case of wine stored with Cellarers (Wines) Ltd has a unique identifier and customer’s name, almost unheard of in the industry as it is expensive to administer. These details are printed and placed on every case which is logged and recorded under your account name and kept in the world’s most renowned storage facility, Octavian Corsham.

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Further Reassurance

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Critic Reviews

97/100

Lisa Perrotti-Brown,

The Wine Independent

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2003 Chateau Margaux has a deep garnet color, with a touch of brick. It springs from the glass with surprisingly spritely notes of blackcurrant jelly, baked plums, and star anise, giving way to an undercurrent of Sichuan pepper, kirsch, unsmoked cigars, cedar, dried roses, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is completely filled with ripe, expressive black fruits and perfumed floral and exotic spice layers, framed by very firm, sturdy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy. "In 2003 we were tempted to correct, but we didn’t," commented current managing director Philippe Bascaules, who was working with the late managing director Paul Pontallier in 2003. "I think it is better not to help nature but to permit." This 2003 is delicious now, yet it has the stuffing to cellar for another 20+ years.

drinking window 2024 - 2044

date of review 11/2024

93/100

Neal Martin,

Vinous

The 2003 Château Margaux is slightly bricking on the rim, quite deep in color. The nose has retained satisfying freshness. Dusty red bricks and gravel scents infuse the mainly red fruit. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, harmonious, fresh with good tension and touches of white pepper and clove. It approaches full maturity, though this is one of the few 2003s where you can afford to wait. The late Paul Pontallier managed to conjure up a very respectable First Growth this vintage, though it is one I would be inclined to drink sooner rather than later. Tasted at the château.

drinking window 2023 - 2043

date of review 08/2023

95/100

Jane Anson,

Inside Bordeaux

At a beautiful moment to drink, spicy, light, ethereal, red cherry, cigar box, blond tobacco, clear spice as it opens and more tannins that perhaps I expected in a 2003 as it approaches its 20 year mark. I have been surprised by a number of classified Médoc 2003s in recent months, and yet again here we see that the position along the river Garonne, with its cooling breezes, was a lucky spot to be in during the punishing summer. One of the wines of the vintage, still delivering. Paul Pontallier director.

drinking window 2022 - 2038

date of review 06/2022

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12.5%

allergen information

This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.