Chateau Margaux 2004
(Margaux, Bordeaux, France) - [DM 96] [VM 95] [WA 94] [WS 94]

About this wine:
Chateau Margaux is one of only four estates to be granted First Growth status in the famous Bordeaux classification of 1855. This famous estate dates back almost 1,000 years, and is recognized as producing one of the greatest wines in the entire world. Chateau Margaux is one of the few vineyards to have remained relatively unchanged for centuries, too: today the vineyards are almost the same size with 80 planted hectares of vines, as there were in 1700 (75 hectares). And the winery had impressive fans even then: Thomas Jefferson placed an order for Margaux in 1794 on which he wrote, “There couldn’t be a better Bordeaux bottle.”

Chateau Margaux is the only Bordeaux wine to bear the name of its appellation (making it a bit confusing). It is also one of the few billion-dollar wine businesses to be headed by a woman, Corinne Mentzelopoulos. (Her father André bought the chateau in the 1970s for just 72 million francs (about $17 million at the time). When he passed away in 1980, Corinne took over at age 27; her own daughter Alexandra is slated to succeed her when the time comes.)

Chateau Margaux vineyard is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc for the red wine grapes, divided into 80 parcels. The style of wine produced by Chateau Margaux at its best blends elegance, purity of fruit, harmony and finesse.

The harvest lasted almost a month, as the Cabernets ripened much later than the Merlot. We even interrupted the picking for 10 days at the end of September to let the Cabernet finish ripening. Luck was on our side, as the weather was exceptionally good. 1990 was the third in a run of very fine vintages, with 1988 and 1989. After the classic 1988 and the rich, opulent 1989, the 1990 immediately caused great excitement with its charm and great finesse. It is hard to believe that two years with quite similar vine growing conditions produced two wines with such different characteristics! But maybe these conditions were not as similar as they appeared. Who knows what influence a few days’ heatwave may have, or what an apparently unwelcome shower or a lengthy period of drought can do? The wines of the 1990 vintage, whether Merlot, Cabernets or Petit Verdot, were immediately outstandingly attractive, rich and tender, tight-grained but soft, with enticing fruit flavours. Today, all the aromas and flavours already mingle sweetly together into this wine, whose perfect harmony conceals a power comparable with 1989. It is enjoyable now, as it was, in fact, shortly after its bottling. It will surely continue to be so over the next twenty or thirty years. What more can we ask? (May 2010)

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Vinous:
An evocative nose with perfumed aromas jumping out of the glass. This balances intensity with freshness giving sour cherry, blueberry and raspberry fruit flavours alongside wet stone, salty mineral notes. There is a precision to this, it's not so weighty but more direct and focussed. Fine tannins fill the palate and this is just starting to show some of the savouriness of mature Bordeaux. A superb wine at an excellent time to drink but still with ageing potential. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. (Drink between 2022-2050)

95 Points - Vinous:
 The 2004 Château Margaux is a vintage that I tasted earlier this year at the château, although here it is a rare chance to savor the wine from neck to punt. What a joy. It is certainly open for business on the nose, leaning towards red rather than black fruit, violet and peony, cedar and light just a touch of tobacco. The palate is initially fleshy and caressing, a sensual Margaux. Yet after 30 minutes, it begins to firm up and reveal more backbone and tannic structure. It has unerring purity with a divine, poised satin-textured finish. This surely stands as one of the wines of the vintage. (Drink between 2024-2048)

94 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine:
This is lovely, with enticing, velvety plum sauce, macerated red currant fruit, black tea and incense notes that have melded beautifully. This shows a lovely tug of earth at the very end, retaining some grip for further cellaring, despite being approachable now. A lovely wine. -- Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2029.


94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:

The 2004 Chateau Margaux has always been a promising wine and here, served blind against the First Growths, it finally proved that patience is necessary when it comes to such wines. It has an exquisite bouquet with brilliant delineation, scents of redcurrant, raspberry coulis, cold stone (almost flint-like) with pencil-lead and cedar lending it a Pauillac-like sense of aristocratic flair. The palate is extremely well balanced with a supple opening, nigh perfect acidity with a surprisingly citric undercurrent that lends so much freshness and tension. While it does not have the weight and power of say, 2000, 2005 or 2009, it cruises along with utmost harmony and you become smitten by its charms - something that is perhaps in short supply among the First Growths in this vintage. This is excellent. Tasted September 2016. 2020 - 2050