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  • Country ranking ?

    64
  • Producer ranking ?

    4
  • Decanting time

    3h
  • When to drink

    from 2020
  • Food Pairing

    BBQ T-Bone Steak with Chimichurri salsa

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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Chateau Margaux, 2009 – £122,380 / Chateau Margaux creeps into the top 10 again with its limited edition 12-litre 2009 vintage. Billed by many as the finest wine ever produced by the estate, only six bottles have been made, and one was sold to an Asian buyer in Dubai in 2013 for an eye-watering £122,380.

     

 

10/15/2009 Harvest 2009 – An exceptional vintage: The harvest finished yesterday afternoon. As with all the great vintages, in a way, we’ve made the pleasure last, not having had any other constraints but to give each plot the time to ripen perfectly. As and when the vats finish, we’ll be able to better judge this extraordinary vintage, even if we have to wait a few more days to appreciate its true dimension. Today, our traditional end-of-harvest-meal, “La Gerbaude” arrives to finally end this unusual harvest, the longest we’ve ever had (September 8th to October 14th).        

 

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The Story

Since the 17th Century, the first wine of Château Margaux has been recognised as being one of the greatest wines in the entire world. It owes its unique qualities to the genius of its terroir as well as to the passionate work of a succession of generations. It’s a remarkable wine that comes from a combination of characteristics that are only rarely found: finesse, elegance, complexity, density, intensity, length and freshness. Although its tannic concentration may be exceptional, it’s rare to detect astringency.  

The great vintages are distinguished by their formidable ability to move us. The lesser vintages give pleasure to wise enthusiasts. They offer the advantage of evolving very rapidly and, reveal, after a few years, instead of power, this subtlety that is the prerogative of great terroirs.  Château Margaux has an extraordinary ability to evolve. Over the years, it has developed a finesse, an aromatic complexity and a remarkable presence on the palate.

 

Château Margaux has sought to achieve excellence in its wines for over 400 years now through painstaking and necessarily long studies of its terroir, through a constant desire to learn and innovate, by remaining sensitive to demanding markets, and above all through a passionate commitment that has been shared by the families that have succeeded each other at the estate. At the end of the 17th century, it became part of the nascent elite “First Growths” – long before being established officially by the Classification of 1855. Since then, Château Margaux has known fame and fortune, seeing by experience how ephemeral both are.

The estate has 200 acres under vine. Each plot and each variety are treated differently from pruning throughout the growing season. Chateau Margaux’ goal is to nurture and maintain vines for as long as possible, as they believe vines need to reach 20 years of age to produce great wine. The estate is constantly trying to understand through experimentation how to improve soil health and fruit quality. Today, no insecticides are used, there is an important balance of healthy insects to counter pests, and any number of experiments with ploughing, organic farming, and biodynamic applications are ongoing. A final key point to note, Margaux has for the last 30+ years had among the lowest yields in the Medoc.

The wine was aged for 15 months, in 10% new oak and 90% second use barrels. Because of the particularities of the vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon made up an extremely high 88% of the blend, with Merlot only 12% of the blend. Importantly, the wine is held in bottle until ready to drink, which may not mean that vintages are released sequentially.

 

 

 

 

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Wine Information

 2009 is perhaps the greatest young Château Margaux we have tasted over the last 30 years.

Mother nature could not have done it all by herself; barely 36% of the crop (i.e. just 31% by the time it is bottled) went into the first wine – a drastic selection for such a vintage. Still, in 2009, she surpassed herself. She allowed the greatest terroirs, whatever their grape variety, to bring their fruit to exceptional ripeness, providing a wine of wonderful concentration, finesse, balance and freshness. The Cabernet (87% of the blend) has no equivalent other than 2005, but it is more tender. The only two batches of Merlot that were kept (9%) have no equivalent at all. As for the Cabernet Franc (2%) and the Petit Verdot (2%), they performed at their highest levels.

The 2009 Château Margaux is an unparalleled vintage in its tannic power and fullness (reminding us of 2005) and its softness (reminiscent of 1990). And since its alcoholic degree is barely over 13, its finish remains fresh, flavoursome and of astonishing length. (September 2010)

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Vintage 2009

Much like 1947, 1961 and 2005, 2009 is a year of almost overly (for Bordeaux) flamboyant and opulent wines with high maturity and low acidity. The tannins are exceptionally ripe, while the wines are quite voluptuous in style. The Left Bank recorded more hours of sunshine than legendary vintages such as 1947 and 1982, and the grapes had higher sugar concentrations than in 2003 and 2005. The key was significant diurnal temperature variations that allowed the grapes to withstand hot daytime temperatures. An exceptional vintage on all levels.

 

 

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Average Bottle Price

2014 2013 2012
602€ -14.5% 704€ -26.2% 954€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

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Written Notes

Tasted blind. Dark lustrous crimson. Spicy note and very ripe fruit with some leafiness. Thick and sweet – very rich and fat. Very dramatic. Group average placed this second favourite of the 2009s.

  • 98p

2009 is perhaps the greatest young Château Margaux we have tasted over the last 30 years.

Mother nature could not have done it all by herself; barely 36% of the crop (i.e. just 31% by the time it is bottled) went into the first wine – a drastic selection for such a vintage. Still, in 2009, she surpassed herself. She allowed the greatest terroirs, whatever their grape variety, to bring their fruit to exceptional ripeness, providing a wine of wonderful concentration, finesse, balance and freshness. The Cabernet (87% of the blend) has no equivalent other than 2005, but it is more tender. The only two batches of Merlot that were kept (9%) have no equivalent at all. As for the Cabernet Franc (2%) and the Petit Verdot (2%), they performed at their highest levels.

The 2009 Château Margaux is an unparalleled vintage in its tannic power and fullness (reminding us of 2005) and its softness (reminiscent of 1990). And since its alcoholic degree is barely over 13, its finish remains fresh, flavoursome and of astonishing length.

2009 – Margaux - If you are wondering what heaven in a glass feel, smells and tastes like, look no further. This is everything a great wine needs. The texture is pure silk and velvet. And speaking of purity, the fruit delivers that in spades. The sensual texture really brings everything together. If you have a bottle and can wait another decade, as good as this is today, it will be even better! 100 Pts

  • 100p

This marathon runner is currently in the no-man's land between youthful vitality and mellow maturity. There's a very serious tannin structure here, but it needs a lot longer to fully resolve. Very tight and closed. A perfect wine usually. But not today. Try in 2020.

  • 99p

Château Margaux 2009 / (87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) Fine black red, quite magical bouquet, pure quality of cashmere silkiness on the palate with a touch of fragrance from Cabernet Franc, blending softness of attack with pure density. A wine of stunning fragrance and purity, the most perfect expression imaginable of the greatest of Margaux vineyards. Drink 2019-40. 20p

  • 100p

The 2009 Château Margaux is intense and powerful on the nose with blackberry, forest floor, graphite and rose petals that unfurls with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, impressive density and plenty of freshness, perhaps more than the 2009 Mouton-Rothschild. There is a genuine Pauillac-like drive to this Château Margaux thanks to the Cabernet Sauvignon, clearly a First Growth destined for long-term ageing. 13.1% alcohol. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. 2023 - 2070

  • 97p

Ruby. Floral, violets, roses, cassis, red berries, leqps out of the glass, absolutely stunning and flirting nose, seductive as few. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, perfect balance, gorgeous and nuanced, the details are superb, very long indeed. The first bottle I haven't given a perfect score of this wine. 99

  • 99p

Glorious Margaux with layers of violets, cedar, cassis and blackberry flavors that are intense and very long. What distinguishes this vintage of Margaux from the others is the combination of its concentration, ripe, palate-embracing flavors and finesse. Even better now than when it was tasted a few years ago.

 

  • 99p

Tasted three times - last time in January 2017. Consistent notes. What a jaw-dropping wine! My friend told me that this wine stole his heart, but obviously it took mine too. Wonderful, penetrating, extremely intense and deep nose of black cherries and grated Varlhona chocolate. Paul Pontalier said that the nose of this wine reminded him of 1953 Margaux and I couldn't agree more! Did taste this wine in 1990 and the fragrance of it is sensantional. Back to 2009 – great distinction, seamless, sophisticated, extremely long with many layers and with lingering velvety aftertaste. Flamboyant and breathless wine. 5 and a half year later since last tasting of this wine, in January 2017, it is still a true paradise/eternal flame. Possibly the best 1.Growth in this vintage.

  • 100p
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Information

Origin

Margaux, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Investment potential

Good

Fake factory

None

Inside Information

Wine Advocate #188
Apr 2010
Robert M. Parker, Jr. (98-100) Drink: 2010 - 2110 $696-$2353
Thirty-five percent of the crop went into the 2009 Chateau Margaux, composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The alcohol level of 13.3% is high, but not excessively so. A wine such as this is like the quintessence of terroir. A super, uber-concentrated perfume of creme de cassis and flowers cascades across the palate with a lightness of being despite massive concentration, a sumptuous personality, and an unctuous texture. I have never tasted a Chateau Margaux quite like this. It should be relatively drinkable at an early age, yet will last for 50-100 years. Oh my! (Tasted once.)

Paul Pontallier told me they had never had such levels of concentration and tannin as they did in 2009, exceeding anything they ever produced since the Mentzelopoulos family purchased this property in 1978. Pontallier believes 1996 is the closest stylistically, but 2009 is significantly more concentrated than that vintage. I do not disagree because tasting the second wine, Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux, demonstrates that the 2009 is far superior to almost every Chateau Margaux made in the fifties, sixties, and seventies, except for the 1961 and 1953.
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