Château Margaux - Margaux 1986 11166fe81142afc18593181d6269c740

Wine Advocate

97 / 100

byNeal Martinthe12/30/2016

The 1986 Chateau Margaux is one of the dark horses of the vintage. It has an exquisite bouquet that is now fully mature, with a mixture of red and black fruit, violets, pastilles and hints of cold stone. It blossoms in the glass, gaining intensity all the time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a more robust Margaux as you would expect given the vintage, clearly with firm backbone, more straight-laced than the 1985 or 1989. Yet there is wonderful delineation and focus here. If you seek strictness and classicism in a wine, then this is the place to come, plus there is superb mineralité and tension on the ferrous finish. Perhaps a little overlooked in recent years, the 1986 Margaux comes highly recommended for those who love the property. This is a wine finally coming of age. Tasted July 2016.

Wein Wisser

16 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe2/6/2008

Sattes, dunkles Purpur mit orangen und bräunlichen Reflexen. Fleischiges BOuquet, getrocknete Steinpilze, Backpflaumen, Lorbeer, Teer, aber auch oxidative Noten darunter. Im Gaumen massive, unfertige Gerbstoffen, für eine zu dominante Härte sorgend, noch extrem viel Säure und Tannine, brutal wirkend. Nach so vielen Jahren Flschenreife sollte der hoch gehandelte Wein zeigen, dass er trotz arroganter Grösse auch Spass machen könnte. WeinWisser ist pessimistisch.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe6/30/2001

Racy and powerful. Black color. Currants, tar and dried herbs. Full-bodied, with firm tannins. Slightly hollow center palate--a bit of a letdown. Better with more bottle age.--Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2003.

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe9/1/1998

The 1986 Margaux continues to be the most powerful, tannic, and muscular Margaux made in decades. One wonders if the 1928 or 1945 had as much power and depth as the 1986? The black/ruby/purple color reveals no sign of age. The reluctant nose offers up aromas of smoky, toasty new oak and black currants, as well as a few flowers. The wine is mammoth, with extraordinary extract, superb balance, and a frightfully tannic finish. This is a Margaux of immense stature, made in a masculine, full-bodied style that is in complete contrast to the 1990. It should prove nearly immortal in terms of aging potential, but will it have the awesome potential I first predicted? Anticipated maturity: 2000-2050. Last tasted 12/96 Guide Parker