CHATEAU MARGAUX 2015

Winemaker Notes

2015 was, literally, an historic year at Château Margaux. We celebrated the bicentenary of the Estate’s buildings dating from 1815, and the inauguration of the new facilities, designed or reorganized, by Norman Foster. It is easy to imagine how much we dreamed that 2015 would be a great vintage! Without doubt, some of the result is owed to decisions made at the time of blending; only 35% of the harvest went into the first wine, which was a record of severity for a vintage of this standard. As usual, it was the Cabernet Sauvignon in first place with 87% of the blend; in addition to its concentration and finesse, this year it has an unusual vigor and strength. The Merlot has nothing to be ashamed of, at least in the great plots; it makes up 8% of the first wine. Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%) also find their place in this elitist blend, which confirms that, enables all grape varieties to express their own propensity. How can we compare 2015 to its predecessors? It is a thankless task, and a little futile, particularly for the great vintages. There are, of course, similarities, affinities, and also some differences where we do not expect to find them… But we can evoke a combination of the strength of 2005, the flesh of 2009, the subtlety of 2010, and the inimitable charm of Château Margaux. (April 2016)