CHÂTEAU MARGAUX
2014 1er Cru Classé
This is perfumed and relatively delicate on the nose, lovely red berries, some incense and leafy currents too. Then in the mouth the feel is sublime. Similar profile to the Pavillon Rouge, but with everything turned up. Just so sophisticated. Deliciously 'a point' cherry flesh and spicy bramble fruit, whiff of leather. Incredibly elegant and feminine feel but there is dense and deeply intense fruit underlying, tightly wrapped but very alluring. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Rating: 95 L&S (Apr 2015)
* 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.
Sit back, and drink in the finessed tannins and floral aromatics that are so associated with Château Margaux, and that are fully on display in this elegant, refined wine. Still young, with soft roasted blackberry and bilberry fruits that sit alongside crushed mint, cigar and liqourice root. The savoury edge of Cabernet Sauvignon is dominant in terms of character, and this will benefit from a few more years of ageing. The bottle supplied during the Bordeaux Index tasting was corked, so I Coravined one that I have at home. I particularly wanted to include it as this was one of Paul Pontallier's last vintages. 36% of overall production in the 1st wine. 100% new oak. Drinking range: 2024 - 2045 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2024)
The 2014 Château Margaux, has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry, graphite and light violet aromas. This feels very refined, very Margaux as banal as that sounds. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite precise tannin. This is an unreservedly understated First Growth, more masculine then I remember from barrel and just after bottling, firming up a little for the long-haul. In some ways, the higher Cabernet Sauvignon renders this a little more Pauillac-like in flavour profile, although it has the finesse that is synonymous with this estate. Excellent. Tasted at the property. Drinking range: 2025 - 2055 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2018)
The 2014 Margaux is a soft, understated wine that speaks in hushed tones. Silky, delicate and understated, it offers lovely depth in a decidedly laid-back style, even by the standards of Margaux. Deceptive in its midweight structure, the 2014 is a classy wine that will likely only show its true colors with time in bottle. The wine spent 21 months in 100 % new French oak. Drinking range: 2024 - 2044 Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2017)
This is solidly packed, with layers of warm fig bread, plum compote and black currant preserves, carried by a silky yet substantial structure. As the fruit plays out, the anise, black tea and singed alder notes in the background come into clearer focus, giving this remarkable range. Everything glides beautifully through the suave, gently toasty finish. Best from 2020 through 2035. 10,835 cases made.— Drinking range: 2020 - 2035 Rating: 94-97 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Jan 2017)
The Château Margaux 2014, represents 36% of the year’s total production and is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It has a distinctly floral bouquet, those trademark wilted violet scents soaring from the glass flanked by small dark cherries and a hint of cassis. It gains intensity in the glass but never puts the pedal to the floor. The palate is full-bodied with firm and bold tannins, very good density and presence. No, compared to the top flight vintages from the estate, it is unlikely to become a Château Margaux of compelling precision or finesse. Unusually for 2014 this is a grand vin bestowed with power and dimension. There is still a little tightness here, especially on the Pauillac-like finish, but it will turn into a great if not the greatest Château Margaux. Drinking range: 2019 - 2040 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2015)
The 2014 Margaux opens with a wonderfully aromatic, expressive bouquet. Gracious and medium in body, the 2014 is quite understated. Dark red cherry, plum, herbs, cedar, smoke and tobacco gradually come forward in a super-refined, totally polished wine. Today, the 2014 is holding back quite a bit of its potential, but the style is one of finesse rather than pure power. Rating: 93-96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2015)
Bright, glowing crimson. Very subtle, quite evolved nose. Far from intense but perfumed and relatively light. Fresher than the Pavillon Rouge. The acidity and tannin are more obvious in this than in the Pavillon Rouge. Quite transparent. Just a step up from the second wine but not a standout. Beautiful texture. Very refined and slow to open out. Recalls the build of a top red bordeaux from the 1960s and 1970s. Drinking range: 2026 - 2046 Rating: 17.5+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2015)
Striking black fruits from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, yet restrained – even severe – with less charm and more firmness; the opposite of showy. With great natural density and tannins that do not overwhelm, this is a classical Château Margaux that will need time to fully open up. Drinking range: 2022 - 2045 Rating: 95+ Steven Spurrier (Apr 2015)
The nose has lots of charm fragrant with a floral mix the start of the palate light and fresh. Ripe fruit gives mid richness fine tannins a fleshy suppleness plush the sweetness and ripeness at the back give way to fresh black fruits on the finish. Rating: 92-96 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Apr 2015)
Paul Pontallier thinks his 2014 is "better balanced" than his 2005 and "not that far off in quality", which is high praise. This is a very polished, charming Margaux, with impressive perfume, a backbone of tannin and acidity and transparent raspberry and cassis notes. The 100% new oak is deftly handled. (One of Tim's Top 10 Left Bank Reds.) Drinking range: 2022 - 2035 Rating: 96 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2015)
This is a very, very muscular and toned Margaux with currants, firm tannins and stones. Full and chewy yet polished and intense. Bright acidity yet a strong and flexed style. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2015)
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.