Wine Advocate
byRobert Parkerthe4/28/2010
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. Drink 2010-2110