Bordeaux En Primeur 2011: Margaux Overview & Top Picks

Margaux, as an appellation, was not very consistent in 2011 with many wines tasting thin and lacking in charm. The style vacillated between tannic and extracted or thin and dilute. The properties that managed to get the right balance were those that made strict selection and did not over-extract. Many of the wines this year had wonderful aromatics but fell short on the palate. Devastating hail in May reduced crop yields by as much as 20-25% for many properties.

My top twelve wines from Margaux below are listed from highest to lowest ratings.

1) Château Margaux- Pavillon Blanc, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Beautiful flavour of star fruits, mangosteen and sweet, ripe peaches. This delicately layered wine is very precise, focused and intense without being heavy. The layers of fruit is lifted by firm acidity and a moderate alcohol level of 13.4%. This charming wine has a deceptively long length and fine line running through it, showing that it will age beautifully.(93-95)

2) Château Palmer, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

The 2011 Palmer expresses classic Margaux violets and roses with cedar spice on the nose. This wine is supple and round with a wonderful fleshy palate. The flavours are layered and long ranging from blackberries, violets and spices. This is a classic Palmer with a very long finish, nice depth and firm, ripe tannins. This is wine which will open up and offer a lot more in the long term. Cellar for a decade at least before enjoying.(93-94)

3) Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

As expected from Margaux, the nose is gorgeous with aromas of violets, spices and blackberries. The flavours on the palate are rather dense this year (as is the Pavillon Rouge which has an enormous amount of density) and leans toward a full-bodied tannic style, which is atypical of Chateau Margaux. This year the grand vin had a very high density of tannins with an IPT level of 81 (most full-bodied reds are below 80). I would have appreciated slightly less extraction in both the grand vin and Pavillon Rouge.(92-94)

4) Château Cantenac-Brown, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Very impressed by Cantenac Brown this year since it was often disappointing in the past. The flavours are expressive with wonderful layers and plush, velvety tannins. This wine has great depth and concentration with generosity and flesh which was rare in this vintage. Fairly long finish.(91-92)

5) Château d’Issan, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

This year d’Issan made a very pretty wine with lovely clarity of expression and fairly long length. The flavours are attractive offering violets, cassis and ripe, juicy red berries. The palate offers nice concentration of flavours and a fairly long length. A balanced elegant Margaux.(91-92)

6) Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Rauzan-Segla has lovely freshness and good depth in 2011. True to its style, this year, Rauzan Segla is subtle, elegant and possesses great finesse. The tannins are velvety, polished and supple and there is enough concentration to suggest the wine will age well. The palate offers lovely floral and spice flavours and good depth of fruit. Well made wine that harmonises all of its components including its elevated tannins. Fairly long length.(90-92)

7) Château Boyd-Cantenac, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

This is an elegant expression of this vintage with soft, rounded tannins and an array of floral and red berry fruit notes. The wine has lifted flavours and a fairly long length.(90-91)

8) Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

This is a medium bodied Brane Cantenac with fresh lively fruits and delicate floral flavours. There are many subtle layers of fruit, but right now the flavours are understated and the wine is fairly quiet. This is an elegant Margaux with supple texture, refined tannins and a fairly long finish. Gentle extraction with lightness and finesse.(90-91)

9) Château Giscours, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Lovely perfume with lifted aromatics and wonderful velvety tannins. A fantastic wine with great consistency and quality – surprising that this vintage is nearly as good as the previous two vintages given the tougher weather conditions. A generous red with supple, firm tannins and sweet, plummy flavours on the mid palate. The second sample was less good but assume that the better sample represents the real Giscours.(90-91)

10) Château Kirwan, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

This is a full bodied wine with attractive aromatics of violets, cedar, spices and blackberries. The flavours are ripe and generous and the finish fairly long. The generous tannins are very well handled. Will easily age for 10+ years.(90-91)

11) Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Full bodied and generous, this wine year after year consistently produces high quality wine in the past decade. Excellent balance, ripe tannins and good depth ending with a fairly long finish. Well made wine with plums and layers of blackberry fruit and cedar. The flavours are restrained by an enormous amount of tannins, but given the depth of the fruit, there is promise that this wine will show its best with at least five years of bottle age.(90-91)

12) Château Angludet, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

This is a generous, ripe, opulent style which is unusual for this vintage. The palate offers plenty of ripe, plummy fruit and blackberries along with velvety, firm tannins and freshness in the finish. Moderately long length.(89-91)