1995 Margaux

Caramel, sweet strawberries and a hint of herbaceous Cabernet tones on the nose. Smooth, sensual and light almost - a delicacy to the frame but still with trademark detail so you get nuance and concentration but not so much overt power. This retains a supple character though with an enjoyable succulence of cherry and blackberry fruit. Supremely charming, refined and pure and still with a determination to the flavours - driving and focussed. Pure class and a joy to drink. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.

Firm, masculine, hard style of Margaux with ample, ripe, fruits, great aromatics, but the tannic spine will take at least another decade to soften, that is if it does. The finish has a touch of greeness in the endnote. I own some, but I am not sure this is going to change much, we will have to wait and see, which is a lot to ask, considering it is already 27 years old!

The 1995 Château Margaux is a vintage perhaps unfairly over-shadowed by the imperious 1996. That is unfair because the late Paul Pontallier crafted a great First Growth this year. It has a very impressive, quintessential Margaux bouquet that is undimmed after 23 years: black fruit, graphite, crushed violets and a touch of tobacco. If anything it becomes more and more pure with aeration and demonstrates exquisite delineation. The palate is very finely balanced. No, it does not have the intensity, the crystalline nature of the 1996 and yet there is a femininity and a finesse here that sweeps you off your feet. It is entertaining the possibility of secondary flavours but it remains focused on the red and black fruit, tensile on the almost balletic finish. Bon vin! Tasted blind at Philip's February Christmas Party.