Wine Advocate 92 byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/17/2020 The 2017 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux is composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with lively notes of crushed redcurrants, warm cassis and wild blueberries plus hints of cinnamon toast, dried roses and lavender with a waft of chocolate box. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lovely skip in its step with bags of bright, crunchy red and black fruits and a soft texture of finely grained tannins, finishing long and refreshing. This label accounts for 22% of Chateau Margaux's production. Drinking Window : 2022 - 2038
Vinous 91 byAntonio Gallonithe3/11/2020 The 2017 Pavillon Rouge is soft, luscious and very pretty. Sweet red cherry, red plum, mint, spice, blood orange, cedar and tobacco contribute lovely touches of freshness. There is some firmness in the tannin that needs time in bottle to soften; otherwise, the 2017 is very nicely done. This is a very pretty, classy wine built on aromatic depth and persistence more than anything else.
Wine Spectator 90 byJames Molesworththe2/7/2020 Charming damson plum and black cherry fruit has melded nicely with notes of black tea, alder and lilac. The caressing finish shows good perfume. Wins on finesse. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2029. 8,333 cases made. — JM
Jamessuckling.com 95 byJames Sucklingthe1/13/2020 The quality of tannins in the Pavillon Rouge is really beautiful with extremely fine grain. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and silky. Racy and extended on the palate. Really pretty. Strength with elegance. Drink after 2022.
Decanter.com 92 byJane Ansonthe11/21/2019 Firm yet fleshy fruits on the nose, this welcomes you in. The acidity is relatively high on the attack, more so than you usually find in this wine but it packs out with damson fruits, and a silky, sexy unfurling. It's not visibly trying too hard, it stretches out in the palate, spelling out the pleasure that will reward patience. A lighter framed vintage for sure, but this will deliver over the next five to 20 years. 10% lost to frost, but bigger issues were the cooler summer and some harvest rains. Bottled on July 2019, around 50% new oak. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend.
Le Point 15,5 byJacques Dupontthe6/20/2018 Fruits rouges, framboise, poivre, bien expressif, souple, de la fraîcheur, tanins veloutés, cœur de bouche tonique, floral, violette, élégant, serré, en longueur, charmeur.
Jeb DUNNUCK 92-94 byJeb Dunnuckthe6/12/2018 A wine that might be the best second wine in the vintage, the 2017 Pavillon Rouge offers a beautiful, classic Margaux perfume of cherries, cassis, flowers, and spice box. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, again, an incredible floral character, ripe tannin, and incredible elegance, enjoy it anytime over the coming two decades.
Vinous 89-92 byAntonio Gallonithe5/15/2018 The 2017 Pavillon Rouge is a very pretty wine. Fresh, floral and beautifully lifted, the 2017 is all class. There is a purity to the flavors here that is simply remarkable. Estate Manager Sebastian Vergne told me the winemaking team opted to raise temperatures at the end of fermentation to gain a bit more color, depth and polymerization of tannins. Pavillon Rouge represents 22% of the estate's production.
The Wine Cellar Insider 92-94 byJeff Levethe5/11/2018 This medium-bodied wine, quite floral in nature, generates the perfect forum for the gently smoked, red fruits and pure cherry found on the nose and in the palate. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
Vinous 88-90 byNeal Martinthe5/1/2018 The 2017 Pavillon Rouge de Margaux, which is matured in 50% new oak, has a lovely, melted tar-tinged bouquet with plenty of black fruit. I like the definition and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly gritty, rigid tannin on the entry that lend this Pavillon Rouge quite a firm backbone. It does not convey the elegance of the 2016 but there is plenty of spice and vigour on the finish.
Wine Advocate 91-93 byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/27/2018 Blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux has a lovely open and expressive spicy nose of cinnamon and cloves with a core of red currant jelly, kirsch and crushed blackberries plus touches of tobacco and new leather. The palate is medium-bodied with great mid-palate intensity and plenty of red and black fruit layers, finishing on an uplifting perfumed note.
Decanter.com 92 byJane Ansonthe4/25/2018 This has great concentration, with carefully balanced black fruits that are fleshy and inviting but unfussy. The berry size was a little bigger than last year after the September rains (70mm in 20 days) so there is a feeling of juice and mouthwatering seduction once you give it some time to work through the initial austerity. There's no dilution through the mid-palate, and it's one of the few second wines that really gets your attention in 2017. They lost 10% of the crop to frost, giving a yield of 35hl/ha, with no secondary fruits used in Pavillon or Margaux (not even the first generation buds from any affected plots). 22% of total production is the lowest ever for Pavillon, and combined with the low yield means there will be 40% fewer bottles. The vineyards were entirely organically farmed in 2017, although there are still no plans to go for certification. Harvested 18-26 September. 3.7pH. IPT 73 - as high as last year. 4% Cabernet Franc also in the blend. Will be 60% new oak.Drinking Window 2024 - 2038
WeinWisser 17 byRené Gabrielthe4/25/2018 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Ver-dot. 35h1/ha. Granat mit rubinrotem Rand. Komplexes, feingliedriges Bouquet mit rotbeerigen Konturen. Dahinter zarter Veilchenduft. Am mittleren Gaumen mit stützendern Tannin, saftiger Frucht und zarter Adstringenz. lm Finale animiert er mit Preiselbeersaft und Himbeeren Zurück zur Klassik. 17/20 2025 - 2040
Wine Enthusiast 92-94 byRoger Vossthe4/17/2018 This wine is crisp, full of black currants and with attractive acidity as well as a firm texture. It is cool and classic, with a light touch of wood and tannin. It's likely to be ready from 2023.
Jamessuckling.com 94-95 byJames Sucklingthe4/6/2018 There is very pretty purity of fruit to this with lots of currant, strawberry and plum character. Lots of chocolate and hazelnut too. Full body, velvety tannins and a chewy finish. Excellent for the vintage. About half the normal production. This is the same level of quality as 2016.