Château Margaux 2015

Special Price $1,998.95 Average US Price $2,282.00
In Stock   Usually ships in 2-5 days, weather permitting
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SKU
3720-2015
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Other Vintages We Offer:

• Domaine: Château Margaux
• Appellation: Margaux
• Classification: First Growth, 1ère Grand Cru Classé
• Origin: Left Bank, Bordeaux, France

Some people are drawn to wines for their stories.  They believe the tales associated with each vintage are just as important as the contents inside each bottle.   If you love a good comeback story as much as a good bottle of wine, you will love Château Margaux. 

The history of Château Margaux is one of innovation and countless winemaking “firsts.”  In the 17th Century, the château was the first to consider terroir’s effect on certain varietals and vinifying white and red grapes separately.  Château Margaux also pioneered “night picking,” the practice of picking grapes later in the day to get the fullest, most concentrated expression of fruit.  The château was rightfully designated a Ffirst Ggrowth in the 1855 Classification -- the only estate to receive a perfect score of 20/20.  

During the economic crisis of Bordeaux in the 1960s and 1970s, Château Margaux suffered due to mismanagement and financial constraints.  Its name was tarnished and was for sale for over two years before its was acquired by André Mentzelopoulos, a Greek supermarket magnet who fell in love with the gorgeous Neoclassical architecture of the estate.  After his passing in 1980, his French-born and educated daughter, Corinne, inherited the estate and proceeded to make substantial improvements to the property.  

Initially, Corinne worked with the general manager already in place.  In 1983, she appointed the young professional Paul Pontallier as general manager to lead new efforts to renovate the vineyard.  Paul led the construction of a new cellar.  He was general manager for over 30 years until his premature death from cancer.  The last vintage Paul supervised, the vintage of 2015, became the most storied vintage in Chateau Margaux’s recent history.  It garnered 100 pts, a perfect score, from influential critics.

Château Margaux currently hosts 192.7 acres of vines that are on average 35 years old.  It produces roughly 400,000 bottles of wine a year.  The vineyards are painstakingly tended to by hand, and the grapes that go into the Grand Vin are organically farmed.  Red varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc are planted on the white gravely soil.  Château Margaux also produces one of the most well-respected white wines in the entire Médoc -- Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux.  This enchanting stunner is composed of entirely 100% Sauvignon Blanc and dazzles with its fruity depth and subtly herbal, oaky qualities.

Château Margaux produces some of the most ravishing, multidimensionally rich and balanced wines in all of Bordeaux.  They are known for their sensuously opulent bouquets of black currents, violets, and spicy vanilla.

During the 1980s, many claimed that the best wine in all of Bordeaux was from Château Margaux and these claims were not unfounded.  Curiosity is integral to the spirit of Château Margaux – and those in charge have learned from past issues that in the pursuit of sustained excellence, complacency is not an option.  The story of Château Margaux is of redemption, and proof that with determination and efforts, one can bounce back from struggle.

 

2015 At A Glance

The 2015 vintage was an exceptional year, benefitting from optimum weather conditions.  It was widely regarded the year of Margaux, as the appellation was the top performer of all of Médoc.

Never before has Château Margaux made a departure from its usual label.  With the unusual bottle design, Proprietor Corinne Mentzelopoulos intended to pay a tribute to an exceptional year, two centuries of architecture and to Paul Pontallier, who died of cancer before the last vintage he supervised could be bottled.  Mr. Pontallier had made such an impact on the estate, which he joined in 1983, at the age of 34, and assumed its general management from 1989 to his untimely death in March 2016.

The 2015 vintage also celebrates the bicentenary of Château Margaux’s exceptional Neo-Palladian architecture built in 1815. Rarely seen in France, this stunning building was listed as an historical monument in 1946. Proprietor Corinne Mentzelopoulos had entrusted to Norman Foster (the famed British architect whose works included: Apple Park, Hong Kong Airport, Beijing Airport, Bloomberg Headquarters, Wembley Stadium) the design of new buildings including cellars, an underground vinotheque, and a research and development centre. These new buildings were inaugurated in 2015.

The Limited Edition bottles of Château Margaux 2015 are decorated with silk-screen printing. This has been specially created and fixed on the glass in place of the usual labels on the bottles, magnums, double magnums, imperials and balthazars. The silk-screen printing faithfully mirrors the image embodied by Château Margaux. The Château and the cellars are superimposed in grey and gold. Additionally, two lines of silk-screen printing at the bottom of the bottle pay tribute to Paul Pontallier and on the back, to two centuries of architecture.  With the Wine Advocate estimating the life of this legendary wine lasting more than 50 years, this is a bottle made for collectors who will have a story to tell for many decades to come.

Tasting Notes

"The 2015 Château Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all together representing 35% of the total production at the estate. Raised entirely in new oak, it has a lucid garnet color. The bouquet is aimed directly at the senses - there is no dilly-dallying about, as it almost knocks you off your stool with its intense mineralité embroidered into this iridescent,  graphite-tinged nose. The focus and penetration here ranks among the finest that I have tasted at this estate since first coming here in 1997. The palate is astonishingly well balanced, perfectly poised with super-fine tannins wrapped around pure blackberry, bilberry, graphite and cedar fruit. Like the Pavillon Rouge this year, there is a Pauillac-like sense of authority and aristocracy, leavened by Margaux-inspired femininity that completes that standout 2015 on the Left Bank. Beg for a bottle and worry about the cost later. Post script: I composed this tasting note five days before the passing of Paul Pontallier. It is a final gift from a gifted winemaker." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/27/2016, Issue 224), Ratings: 98-100, Drink: 2026-2070

More Information
Stock Status In Stock
Appellation Margaux
Vintage 2015
Brand Château Margaux
Shipping Weight 3.000000

 

Margaux is well known for its prime location in the Haut-Médoc subregion on the Left Bank along the Gironde estuary, which provides a temperate maritime climate and ideal conditions for grape cultivation. The cultivation of vines and wine production in Margaux can be traced back to Roman times. However, during the Middle Ages, the wine industry in Bordeaux began to take shape, and centuries later, Margaux continued to build its reputation as a premier wine appellation throughout the 20th century. 

Margaux is known for its diverse and complex terroir, with gravelly, sandy, and clay-rich soils. The gravelly soils provide excellent drainage and heat retention, particularly favorable for the ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, the primary grape variety grown in Margaux.

Margaux is celebrated for producing elegant and refined red wines. These wines are often described as having a delicate and perfumed character, with aromas of blackcurrant, violets, and other red and black fruits. They are known for their balance, finesse, and exceptional aging potential.

The appellation gained international recognition for producing some of the world's finest wines. Its namesake champion, Château Margaux, was named in 1855 as one of the original First Growths (Premiers Crus). In addition, Margaux is home to these classified estates: Château Palmer, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Durfort-Vivens, Château Lascombes, Château Brane-CantenacChâteau Giscours, Château Kirwan, Château d'Issan, Château Malescot St.-Exupery, Château Cantenac Brown, Château Desmirail, Château Ferriere, Château Marquis d'Alesme, Château Boyd-Cantenac, Château Prieuré-Lichine, Château Marquis de Terme, Château Dauzac.

Footnotes on Futures, Pre-Arrivals, and potential US Tariffs: 

1. As of June 15, 2021, the US and the EU agreed to suspend tariffs resulting from the Boeing-Airbus aircraft trade disputes. Accordingly, such import taxes are now suspended for the next five years.

2. Futures are expected to be available for delivery two years after the sales (e.g., the 2022 vintage, sold in 2023, will be delivered in 2025 mostly, or 2026 if the producer ages the wine longer).

3. Pre-Arrivals are items currently stored in our Bordeaux cellar or in transit from France to the US. It usually takes 1-6 months for Pre-Arrivals to become available for delivery, depending on the stage of the import process.

4. Regarding futures and pre-arrivals, we cannot guarantee specific delivery dates, which factors beyond our control may impact. However, we will notify you once your wine arrives in our cellar.

5. While a buyer of Bordeaux wine futures locks in an allocation of the specified items, the final delivery of the purchased items from France to the US may be impacted by intervening and unforeseeable events. Despite our due diligence, additional costs or delays may be caused by such intervening and unforeseen events and "an irresistible, superhuman cause, or by the act of public enemies of the state of California or the United States."  In such circumstances, if a buyer does not accept unforeseeable costs or delays, the sole and exclusive remedy is a cancellation of the futures order concerned and a refund of the original purchase price. We are NOT liable for any lost profits on a canceled order.

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