Un week-end d'exception a Margaux

Maria, from Chateau Brane-Cantenac sent me a note about this event, hosted by Terre de Vins.

Un week-end d'exception a Margaux an incredible weekend-ish getaway to Margaux! The trip starts off on Friday with lunch at Chateau Brane-Cantenac, followed by a tasting at Chateau Margaux.

After the Margaux tasting, the next stop is Chateau Palmer for dinner. After dinner, guests will spend the night at the Relais de Margaux.

In the morning guests will do tastings at Chateau Kirwan and Chateau Rauzan-Segla. The weekend finishes up with a lunch and reception at Chateau Lascombes.

The best part, is that these are not the ordinary tastings, the Chateaux have really gone all out. Chateau Palmer is serving their 1998, 1990 and 1983 vintages and the 2000 vintage of their Alter Ego. Chateau Brane-Cantenac is serving their 2004, 2002 and 1996 vintages and Chateau Lascombes is serving their 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2001 vintages, plus the 2005 vintage of their second label.

The price is 1290 Euro per person and there is only space for 25 people. This is an incredible opportunity, one that I would take advantage of, if I wasn't already going out to Bordeaux in March/April.

Brane-Cantenac Part II

After my tour of the property, I was invited to have lunch at the Chateau. Keep in mind that (as I am sure you all are aware) I'm nobody. I am not a buyer and while I write about Bordeaux a lot on this site a good day for me is 100 visits, so I have no influence in the wine world whatsoever and yet Henri, Corinne and Maria took time out of their day to have lunch with me.

This is one thing that stood out during my trip to Bordeaux: just about everywhere I went I was met with warmth and openness. Everyone was friendly and accommodating - which was especially nice considering how bad/non-existent my French is. In America, we often see French people portrayed as snotty and stand-offish. That may be true in some parts of France, but it was definitely not true in Bordeaux and the surrounding regions.




Lunch started off with hours hors d'oeuvres served with Champagne. This was followed by a 4 course meal, each course paired with a vintage of Chateau Brane Cantenac, selected by Henri. It was excellent, and by far the best meal I had while I was in Bordeaux (i didn't have any bad meals while I was there, this was just the best :)).

Aside from the great food and superb wine what made the meal great was how quickly the conversation ramped up. Very quickly it felt like I had known these people for years and the two hours I had set aside for lunch passed so quickly that I almost missed my appointment at Chateau Margaux.

One of the advantages of being a blogger and not a wine journalist is that I get to show my love for wine properties that I think do everything right. You read that here in my constant posts about Breaux Vineyards, Fabbioli Cellars and when I write about Chateau Brane Cantenac. To me, these wineries not only make great wine but do a tremendous job of taking care of their fans and I have no problem repeatedly telling the world how great they are :).

Chateau Margaux

For me, no visit to Bordeaux would be complete without a stop at Chateau Margaux. Chateau Margaux is the wine that started my love affair with Bordeaux and I try to treat myself to a bottle of it every year. While Chateau Brane Cantenac is my favorite Bordeaux, Chateau Margaux will always hold a special place in my heart.

Chateau Margaux is the stuff of legend. The property has been around since the 12th Century and it has been known for its wine since the 16th century. Thomas Jefferson visited Chateau Margaux and declared the Chateau to be one of the four important properties of the area. Chateau Margaux was considered a first growth wine long before the 1855 Classification system, though that declaration cemented its role as one of the premiere Chateau in Bordeaux.

The estate is currently managed by Corinne Mentzelopoulos.

The Chateau itself consists of 262 hectares, 82 of which are used to grow red grape varietals. They grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot on the property. The average age of the vines is 35 years. About 150,000 bottles of Chateau Margaux are produced each year. They also produce about 200,000 bottles of their second wine, Pavillon Rouge.

Walking around the property you can almost feel the history of the Chateau, especially when descend into the barrel room and visit the library (shown in the sixth picture) which has wine dating back to the 1700s.

The tasting room (second photo) is decorated in a very classic style with a miniature version of the estate (shown in picture 3) and lots of information about the harvesting and wine making process at Chateau Margaux. During our tour we were surprised with a special treat. Normally, at the end of the tour they taste the Pavillon Rouge, but on this day they also let us taste the 2006 Chateau Margaux!

It was strange that both vintages were 2006 and from the same vineyard, yet there was clearly a distinction between the two.

Wine Auctions in Decline

Decanter has an article on how the economy is affecting wine auctions:

Normally, 80 to 100% of lots are sold, but recent revenues have fallen substantially and lot prices in three New York City auctions suggest the onset of a buyer's market.

At NYWines/Christie's, on 25 October only 67% of 641 lots were sold, bringing in US$595,476; the pre-sale low estimate was $979,000.

I know it is a much smaller scale, but I am noticing the same trend on the wines I follow on WineBid. Bottles of Bordeaux that were in the $100 range last year are now selling for $50-$60. You can even pick up a 1982 Chateau Marguax for under $600 (still too rich for my blood, but getting closer) even the much ballyhooed 2005 Chateau Margaux is selling for under $1000.

Marguax has released its first group of the 2007 Vintage and set the price at €240 (approx $371). This is a drop of 27% over last year. From the article:

The drop comes despite the fact that there is less quantity of the wine this year, due to the careful selection that marked the 2007 harvest in the top estates. The extremely wet summer demanded rigorous selection - for those who could afford it.

Jean Baptiste Bourotte, managing director of Bordeaux negociant firm Audy, said, 'Generally speaking, first growths are on a different stage in term of prices but it is interesting to note that Margaux is quite aware of the market and is showing it by making a decent decrease.'

Still out of range for most people, but good to see the drop anyway...

I've spoken about Meritage wines before and I knew that there was an association a winery had to join prior to using the Meritage name, but I never knew exactly what the standards were. I also did not know that you could make a white Meritage.

It is kind of cool to know what the rules (such as they are) for a Meritage wine are and to know what wineries in your state are Members. It is kind of a challenge, like trying to taste all of the Chateaus in Margaux, sampling all the Meritages in Virginia :).

Wine: 1998 Chateau Margaux



Review: This is the grand-daddy of of the Bordeaux's (at least in my opinion). Something about the wines in the Margaux AOC really hits home with me, and, of course this is the premiere estate. The Margaux estate has been producing wine since the 1400s and its vines have an average age of 35 years. The estate produces approximately 12,500 case of its premiere wine each year.

I ordered this wine through WineBid in June and received it last week. I could not wait to try it, so I bought a decanter into work and when it arrived I popped open the bottle to share with my co-workers (hey, why drink something this good alone :)). it was very cool to have the aromas of berry and leather fill the office and a great prelude to drinking.

The 1998 vintage of this wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This is a subtle wine that has smoothed out over time. It had hints of blackberry, cinnamon and other spices. Overall, a well-rounded wine with lots of body...and a very enjoyable experience.

Price: $180

Grade: 100

Wine: 2003 Pavillon Rouge Bordeaux



Review: This is one of those wines that I have been keeping stored waiting to try. Pavillon Rougue is the second growth of Chateau Margaux. Same vines, but slightly lesser quality grapes and a price which reflects the difference. The 2003 was supposed to be a stellar year for Pavillon Rouge and the prices for this vintage are hovering in the $80 range.

This particular vintage was especially well-received with the winemaker, Paul Pontallie, calling it his "best ever." It even received a 93 from Robert Parker

The wine is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, so it is less complex than most Bordeauxs but that does not detract from its flavor. It is a rich wine with a deep ruby color and aromas of blackberries and leather. It sat very long on the palate and was tannic, with a hint of vanilla.

It definately needs to be decanted and you will be richly rewarded for doing so the aromas seemed to fill the room as the I let it sit. If I had one complaint, it might have needed another year of aging.


Price: $80

Grade: 95