2000 Margaux Bordeaux Blend - France - Bordeaux - Margaux - Red - First Growth

($400-$495) Full ruby-red. Penetrating, highly perfumed aromas of sappy dark berries, violet and minerals; seems less oaky today than the '01. Offers compelling mouthfilling concentration and perfume. A wine of great power and consistency, with a pungent minerality lingering on the palate-staining finish. This somehow doesn't flag or grow narrower even after one swallows or spits. Makes the 2002 seem almost dry in comparison. Wine-of-the-vintage material.

 Polished, meaty, sparkling fresh. Lively, easy and very energetic. Certainly more ethereal than dense. Lovely for current drinking.

Bottled in late November, 2002, the 2000 has turned out to be a colossal example of Chateau Margaux that is tasting even better from bottle than it was from cask. Only 40% of the crop made it into this 2000 Margaux, a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Stylistically, it is somewhat of a hybrid between the succulent, opulent, fleshy 1990, and the more delineated, structured, cooler climate-tasting 1996. The 2000 possesses a saturated ruby/purple color to the rim as well as an extraordinarily promising nose of creme de cassis intermixed with white flowers, licorice, and hints of espresso and toasty oak. There is great intensity, compelling purity, a multi-layered, full-bodied palate, and a finish that goes on for nearly 70+ seconds. Bottled naturally, with no filtration, it is a monumental example of the elegance and power that symbolize this extraordinary vineyard. A tour de force in winemaking, many of my colleagues predicted, far earlier than me, that it would be the "wine of the vintage." It is certainly one of the wines of the vintage, but there is plenty of competition, even at this lofty level of quality. Absolutely awesome!

Muscular yet classy. Breathtaking aromas of black licorice, violets, berry and cherry, with light hints of spices and minerals. It's all there in the nose. Full-bodied, with an ultrafine tannin structure and a finish that goes on for minutes. This may turn out even better than 1995 due to its layers and layers of fine tannins and fruit but I can't give more than 100 points.