2016 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. A bit more zippy greenness than some. Racy and rather transparent. Well put together but not rich in any way. (JR)
Critic scores
James Suckling
Wine Enthusiast
More reviews and scores
Always based on Sauvignon Blanc and brought up in 20% new French oak, the 2016 Pavillon Blanc shows a racy, reductive style that slowly opens up in the glass and shows more and more richness. Beautiful notes of crushed citrus, tart peach, and bright minerality all emerge from this medium-bodied, concentrated white that has high yet integrated acidity, flawless balance, and a great finish. It’s hard to resist, yet I suspect it will keep for decades.
The 2016 Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux, which was bottled in May, has a beguiling bouquet of Golden Delicious apple, Williams pear and light crushed stone aromas that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with a taut line of acidity (in fact, the pH is 3.10 in this vintage) – citrus-fresh with impressive tension. A live-wire Pavillon Blanc with great sustain on the rich finish and a tang of ginger on the aftertaste. Superb.
The depth and intensity is very beautiful, yet with electrifying acidity that gives this wine energy and excitement. Full to medium body with a fine, dense mid-palate that takes over at the finish. Lots of dried-lemon and fresh-fennel flavors at the end. Exuberant. Drink or hold.
About the producer
Ch. Margaux is one of Bordeaux’s most historic and famous estates. The only classified First Growth in Margaux, it epitomises the appellation’s elegance, while producing wines with fantastic ageing potential.