CHÂTEAU MARGAUX
2013 1er Cru Classé
A Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wine that reflects the vintage, the 2013 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. For the first time, there is no Merlot in the blend. Moreover, only 38% of the crop made it into Margaux, a finesse-styled, classic effort offering notes of spring flowers, blue and red fruits, decent acidity, sweet tannin, and a lovely, round, medium-bodied mouthfeel. The 2013 is not as concentrated as a great vintage, nor does it have the power and length of a top year, but it is a well-made, charming red to enjoy during its first 10-12 years of life. 2014-2026 Rating: 88-90 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com (Aug 2014)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
(94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot): Full, deep red. Restrained but very deep aromas of blueberry, redcurrant and quinine; a real step up in concentration from the Pavillon Rouge. Sharply focused and gripping in the mouth, with enticingly sappy, creamy red and dark berry flavors complicated by minty tobacco and sweet spices. Finishes very broad and long, with suave tannins and a lingering impression of vibrancy. Rating: 89-92 Ian d'Agata - Stephen Tanzer website (May 2014)
The nose has an aromatic charm quite light and fresh and although the palate starts light the mid palate has depth of fruit sweet quite fleshy. The tannins are discreet the back palate lighter and quite fresh with a complex mix of black and red fruits. 2020-30 Rating: 92-94 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (May 2014)
Paul Pontallier omitted Merlot from his grand vin in 2013 because it was “very disappointing”. But the quality of his Cabernet made up for it. The result is deliciously drinkable, with fine tannins, chalky minerality, aromatic cassis notes and good underlying structure. 2018-28 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (May 2014)
(94 Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 Cabernet Franc, 1 Petit Verdot) Floral and lovely graphite notes. All of the best plots were used and no Merlot made the grade. Super-fresh, superbly clean and tangy tannins. Nice rose petal and rosehip notes and much lighter and spicier than usual. Tight but not aggressive finish with a cool, calming Zen like feel. 22hl/ha for the reds compared to 39hl/ha in 2012. Supple and perhaps too subtle for a big score. This is a pretty easy wine to understand and it lacks the majesty of a more traditional Margaux offering. Thibault Pontallier indicated that there would be a ‘goodwill gesture’ regarding the pricing of their wines. Let’s hope so. Rating: 17.5 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Apr 2014)
94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Succulent, juicy, indulgent, sweet fruit. Extremely finely balanced – technically flawless, especially from a structural perspective. But inevitably weaker in intensity and complexity than the headline vintages. (RH) Drink 2017-2025. Rating: 16.5 Richard Hemming MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2014)
Supple, with flavors of cherry preserves and red currant paste, lined with subtle bergamot, incense and black tea notes. Long, refined and graceful. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Rating: 90–93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2014)
Lovely fragrant nose – floral-sweet, the perfume of Margaux. A textbook Margaux with a hint of Musigny, all delicacy and purity with an undeniable sense of place. Drink: 2018-2035. Rating: 18.25 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2014)
The Château Margaux is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with no Merlot this year due to coulure and was picked between 30 September and 11 October. It represents 38% of the total harvest. It has a very masculine slightly earthy bouquet, a little more introverted than previous vintages, opening with time to reveal its trademark dried violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, silky smooth on the entry. There is not a huge weight in the mouth but it glides or rather flows nicely. It is a seductive Margaux, not a long-term wine for the estate but a success considering the vintage. Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2014)
The 2013 Margaux is impressive. I could describe the aromas and flavors, but ultimately, the 2013 is really a wine of texture above all else. An intensely floral finish gives lift to the dark red fruit in an understated, classy wine long on finesse. For the first time, Margaux includes no Merlot in 2013. This is a terrific showing. The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Rating: 91-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2014)
Château Margaux
1855 classification - Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux, originally La Mothe de Margaux, has a long history dating back to at least the 12th Century. By the 17th Century, Margaux was widely recognised for the quality of their wines - in 1771 Château Margaux was the first wine sold by Christies, and Thomas Jefferson bought some Margaux when he was Ambassador to France. The French Revolution was a turbulent time for Margaux but, by the turn of the 19th Century, the estate was in the hands of the Basque Marquis de la Colonilla who's singular contribution was to build the château that we see today. Margaux's reputation was recognised by the 1855 classification which placed it among the elite group of Premier Grand Cru Classés. By the 1960's, however, Margaux was trading as much on reputation as anything else and a run of poor vintages in the 1970's led Margaux to be sold. This was its salvation, for the purchaser was André Mentzelpoulos who, despite some rumblings of discontent locally at such a grand property falling into "foreign" hands, poured in investment, replanting the vineyards, building a new underground cellar and renovating the château. Also more than renovated was Margaux's reputation as one of Bordeaux's leading estates, a reputation it now richly deserves, still under the benevolent eye of the Mentzelpoulos family. After 43 years, Alexis, supported by his sister Alexandra, has taken over from his mother Corrine. Alexis state he is "firmly committed to continuing the family objective of making Château Margaux one of the greatest wines in the world." Château Margaux is a large estate, running to nearly 265ha, although under vine there are only 82ha. For red wines the vines are 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot with smaller plantings of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Wines are fermented and aged in barrels made at Margaux's own cooperage, the reds spending up to two years in wood. The second wine of the estate is Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux which has been produced since the 19th Century, making it among the longest established of such wines. Château Margaux also produce a very successful white wine - Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux - 100% Sauvignon Blanc, aged in wood for six months. This is classified as AOC Bordeaux as there is no appellation for white Margaux.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.