Chateau Margaux Region
Kena Sugrue
In the North, Margaux is bordered by Pauillac. Commune of Margaux includes ten cru class chateaux that are all ranked in order, including Chteau Margaux and Chteau Palmer which are known to be among one the best Bordeaux estates.
Not only does Margaux have lots of outstanding wines, but it also has many lovely villages on the left bank of the Gironde. The Landes Forest to the west of the appellation shelters the vines from Atlantic breezes.
The Margaux appellation was the first Bordeaux area cultivated for wine production. Archeologists claim that the Romans planted grapes in this area back in the year 2000. Ausonius, the Roman poet, poetically called Marojallia the 'regio maritima', which is where the winery known as Marojallia got its name.
17 centuries ago Margaux had already established a reputation for producing high-grade wines. That reputation made Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, to visit different chateaux in the region including Chateau Margaux.
Margaux Wines are quite varied due to their massive size and diverse array of soils. Whether not the most concentrated wines, these Bordeaux wines can be the most elegant, sensuous, refined, and perfumed.
The Margaux vineyard plots have gravelly soil mixed with chalk, clay, and limestone which provides good water drainage. The climate in Bordeaux is moderate maritime that allows extended growing season. The dominant grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon which is blended with varying amounts of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere.
Margaux red blends have a beautiful character and features florality, full-bodied flavor and rich fruity aromas. It can be enjoyed on its own or as part of your favorite wine pairing. Some of these wineries offer floral and spicy scents, particularly violets and lilacs; others offer truffle, cigar box, earthy notes, fruit and tobacco. Tannins are unique to each different grape, and depending on that grape, you could find varying concentrations, ripenesses, or depths in the tannin. However, these qualities can vary widely based on the terroir of the wine and how much desire a winemaker has in contrast to what they're trying to achieve. The best Margaux wines can age for around 30 or so years.
Gigot d'agneau pleureur is translated as 'weeping leg of lamb roast'. The meat is placed on a rack, over a vessel containing potatoes and vegetables, so that every bit of the flavorful meat juice drips down onto the potatoes and vegetables as they cook, hence the weeping or crying in the name of the dish. Historically, French village women would make this dish in community ovens. What's left from the delicious meal should be combined to make a sauce. The sauce might include wine, chicken or vegetable stock, fresh herbs and other aromatic ingredients.
Daube is a rustic stew popular in Provence typically made of lamb or beef slowly simmered in wine with different vegetables and herbs such as cinnamon, cloves, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Preparing daube is a long process, in which you start by laying the meat out on the bottom. Then, with each new layer, you add spice and vegetables to create a rich and flavorful dish.
A chocolate break in the famous Margaux vineyard is a great way to unwind after a long and hard day. Because of its close proximity to Bordeaux, it offers an attractive destination and culture for visitors. You can try many different types of chocolate on arrival, including rare specimens and dainties only available when you visit this vineyard. The Chocolate Factory is both a manufacturing and distribution company that has been around since 1969.
There is a golf course located near Margaux Wine Region. Golf Bluegreen Margaux is rated as one of the best courses in Europe and offers all-year enjoyment for golfers in the area.This golf club has 2 golf courses and 36 holes. You can book a course tailored to you and enjoy it. A great place to visit and find out what all the fuss is about.
Learn everything about Margaux Bordeaux Wine in our complete guide, wine tasting notes, top 10 facts about Margaux wines and vineyards, wine and food pairing tips, a look at the character and style of all the best wines from the Margaux appellation, detailed profiles on the top wines and vineyards with histories of the properties, and wine buying tips.
If you want to read about other Bordeaux wine producers in different Bordeaux appellations: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles If you are interested in learning more about Bordeaux wine, we offer numerous articles on everything about Bordeaux wine, from a history of the Bordeaux region and the famous 1855 Classification, the grapes used to produce Bordeaux wine and even vintage summaries, covering Bordeaux wine from 1900 to today: All About Bordeaux Wine Guide
The best wines often have great purity of fruit with velvet-like textures. The Bordeaux wines of Margaux, just like those from every wine region come in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles and prices. Generally speaking, the wines of Margaux are the epitome of elegance complicated by their unique floral characteristics.
Overview of Margaux: It could be argued that prior to 2000, Margaux was a region known as much for its great terroir and reputation, as it was for the number of chateaux that were underperforming based on their true potential to make great wine From the 2000 vintage on, that was no longer the case for the Margaux appellation.
Improvements in the Left Bank vineyards and wine-making techniques, coupled with the desire to produce the best wines possible from Margaux have sparked numerous chateaux to wake from their deep sleep. Consumers have not had so many high-quality Margaux wines to chose from for more than 100 years!
The two best wines of the Margaux region remain Chateau Margaux and Chateau Palmer. While Chateau Palmer has not had a down period since the late 1990s, following the 2000 vintage, and definitely after the 2004 vintage, Palmer has been remarkably consistent and continues making some of the best wines in their, distinguished history as well!
That being said, there are other Classified Growths in Margaux that would be demoted or declassified, should another classification take place. Interestingly, the Margaux appellation is probably home to the widest array of obscure, 1855 Classified Growths.
History of Margaux: The Margaux appellation was the first Bordeaux area cultivated for vineyards. There is evidence that the Romans planted grapes in the area almost 2,000 years ago. The famed Roman poet Ausonious poetically called the region Marojallia, which is where the winery known as Marojallia, found its name.
Skipping ahead close to 1700 years, Margaux had already earned its well-deserved reputation for producing great wine. That reputation caused Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States to visit different chateaux in the region, including Chateau Margaux.
Margaux wine and food pairings: The wines of Margaux are easy to pair with a wide array of different foods and cooking techniques. One of the most natural wine and food combinations is Margaux with lamb. Of course, Margaux pairs equally well with almost any grilled, braised or roasted meat ranging from beef, veal, pork, duck, pigeon, squab, and game. Margaux wines are perfect with roasted chicken, mushrooms, truffles, or other earthy dishes. Fish works well with the wines of Margaux, depending on how the fish was prepared and sauced. Margaux and cheese is also a natural wine and food pairing.
The taste, character, and style of Margaux wine: Due to its massive size and diverse array of soils, the wines of Margaux are quite varied. While not the most concentrated, powerful, or tannic wines of Bordeaux, they can be the most elegant, sensuous, refined, and perfumed.
The Classification of Margaux: With 1,355 hectares under vine, the appellation is just slightly smaller than St. Estephe, making it the second-largest, major appellation in the Medoc. Today, close to 80 different chateaux maintain vineyards in the appellation. In total, close to 600,000 cases of wine are produced in the Margaux appellation each year.
The Margaux appellation is famous for a multitude of reasons. Maybe it is has something to do with knowing a total of 21 chateaux were included in the original 1855 classification. That is more than any other Bordeaux appellation.
The commune features: 1 First Growth, 5 Second Growths, 10 Third Growths, 4 Fourth Growths, 2 Fifth Growths, and an array of good quality, Cru Bourgeois chateaux. 20 Cru Bourgeois classified growths come from the Margaux appellation. There are a few of those estates that in any serious reclassification could be classed as a Fifth Growth today. Perhaps Chateau Labegorce is the leading estate in this category today. In total, slightly more than 80 producers make wine in the Margaux appellation.
The Margaux appellation is the only Bordeaux region, where the most famous chateau is named after the appellation; Chateau Margaux. The sight of perhaps the most famous estate in all of Bordeaux and its stunning portico reminds every wine lover of the Bordeaux wine region.
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States liked the elegant, refined wines of Chateau Margaux so much, that during his visit to the famous chateau, Thomas Jefferson ordered several cases of 1784! The Left Bank appellation is the home to 5 unique communes; Margaux, Soussans, Arsac, Labarde and Cantenac.
However, vintage charts for Margaux are more complicated to look at than it is with other appellations. For example, in most of the older vintages, you had very few estates making great wine. In fact, in some of those years, you might only find one estate that made a great wine, which makes buying wine from 1961 or 1990, two years which should be great, fraught with potential disaster for buyers that do not know which chateau made the great wine. 1982 and 1983 are two other interesting vintages for the Margaux appellation.
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