2016 Chateau Margaux (750ml)

Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaux, Bordeaux, France

B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

Described as a “wonderful combination of refinement and power” by James Suckling, here’s a terrific opportunity to acquire some of the top-rated vintages of the elegant Chateau Margaux revealing rich enticing fruit with the First Growth’s signature floral aromatics and dense, silky tannins, each high scoring vintage of the Grand Vin built for decades of longevity and delivered in perfect provenance at best on the market pricing.

Boasting some of “the poorest gravel soils in the appellation” according to Bordeaux expert Jane Anson, Margaux’ 82-hectare vineyard is planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon with some vines over 80 years of age, producing exceptional quality fruit which undergoes rigorous selection with typically only a third or less of production making the cut for the Grand Vin. Crafted as a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend and aged for 18 to 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels made at Margaux’s onsite cooperage, the opulent 100 pt. 2009 Chateau Margaux is described as “brilliant” by Vinous critic Neal Martin ten years after its release and “only beginning to show what it can do,” while the richly concentrated 100 pt. 2010 Chateau Margaux was called “as classic and regal as Margaux gets” by Jeb Dunnuck after tasting it in 2022. From an exceptional vintage also described as “classic” by the Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss, the irresistible 100 pt. 2016 Chateau Margaux boasts fresh aromatic dark fruit layered with “astonishingly ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing tension” according to the Wine Independent’s Lisa Perotti-Brown in 2022 who suggests, “Sell your car and get a few cases of this – you won’t regret it.” Called “one of the standouts of the vintage” by Jeb Dunnuck, the 99 pt. 2017 Chateau Margaux is “a super promising wine” according to Antonio Galloni of Vinous, while the “dense and explosive” 100 pt. 2018 Chateau Margaux is “a dramatic wine that will thrill readers lucky enough to own it.” Described as “quite stunning” by Neal Martin of Vinous, the breathtaking 100 pt. 2019 Chateau Margaux is a candidate for wine of the vintage, “complex, elegant and utterly compelling” according to the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley and the alluring 100 pt. 2020 Chateau Margaux is described as “a Margaux for the ages” by Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, revealing “remarkable purity as well as flawless balance” according to Jeb Dunnuck, who declares “I love everything about this wine.”

Elegantly expressing “the quintessence of terroir” according to the Wine Advocate, these alluring Chateau Margaux selections rank among the top Bordeaux blends of each vintage, some with over a decade of pristine aging and others requiring patient cellaring before pulling the cork, and in the words of Jeb Dunnuck, all guaranteed to “blow you away any time over the coming 40+ years.”

100V

99JS

99WA

99WE

The 2016 Margaux is magnificent in the best tradition of the Château Margaux style, which always speaks more to finesse than power. Above all else, the 2016 is a wine of superb persistence, understated power and total refinement. There is wonderful depth and intensity to the ripe red and purplish-hued fruits, accompanied by mint, rose petal and sweet spice overtones that develop in the glass. The 2016 finishes with great aromatic lift and freshness. It has been absolutely compelling on the two occasions I have tasted it so far.

97-100 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Apr 2017)

A purity of fruit marks this Margaux with lots of currant and berry character. Full body, bright acidity and round tannins. It’s a larger and more expanded style of Margaux. A wine with a heart and body. Strong.

98-99 points, James Suckling (Apr 2017)

The 2016 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, plus 1% of Petit Verdot, representing 28% of the total production. This is the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon apart from 2013, which was due to the poor Merlot. It was cropped around 50 hectoliters per hectare depending on the grape variety, for example it could be up to 65 hectoliters per hectare in some sectors. Lucid in color, it has a detailed and precise bouquet with mineral-rich blackberry, raspberry coulis and limestone scents. It feels very perfumed, though not powerful like many Grand Vins in 2016. The palate is a different creature to the aromatics. Here is the intensity of the vintage with shimmering black fruit laced with spice, a killer line of acidity and an irresistible crescendo on the finish. Then, graphite lingering on the aftertaste, a nod to Pauillac perhaps. The aftertaste is so long you could probably write a letter to your friend enthusing about this wine before the aftertaste fades. Doubtless it is destined to be compared to the magnificent 2015 Château Margaux and to be truthful, there's a hair's breadth between them. In a word: crystalline.

97-99 points, Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (Issue # 230 - Apr 2017)

This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine is packed with firm tannins and a dark, dense structure. It is seriously concentrated and powerful in its impression. Magnificent fruit contrasts with the structure to suggest a wine ready for long-term aging.

97-99 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (2017)

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

#FRMXCS16AE

$749.88

Compare At: $799.99

This item is a pre-order estimated to arrive 5/31/2024. 12 bottles available.

This item is available in original wood case. Would you like to include the wood case in your order? There is an additional $12.00 shipping fee for wood cases.

Available in Original Wood Case of 6

Add to Wishlist