Pavillon Rouge 2016

The power and finesse of a great Margaux wine

The estate

With origins dating back to the 12th century, Château Margaux is among those Grands Crus that have built the legend of the great wines of Bordeaux around the world. In 1855, the estate attained the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé and was the only one of the four châteaux presented to receive a perfect twenty out of twenty. With the acquisition of the property in 1977 by André Mentzelopoulos, Château Margaux began a new chapter in its history. Elevating the Grand Vin of Château Margaux to the highest level, he reintroduced the estate’s Second Wine, Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, first initiated in 1908. Following in her father’s footsteps after his untimely passing, Corinne Mentzelopoulos took up the family banner with energy and passion to preserve the standing of Château Margaux, now a Bordeaux masterpiece, instantly recognizable by its neo-Palladian style. Vintage after vintage, the estate’s wines rank among the greatest in the world.

The vineyard

The vineyard of Château Margaux owes its distinctiveness to its rare and unique terroir, set on a gravelly rise. The estate’s varietal mix gives pride of place to the area’s flagship black grape, Cabernet Sauvignon, without forgetting Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. The estate’s clay-limestone soils give rise to legendary wines with a racy, sensual character, so representative of the Margaux appellation.

The wine

After the iconic bottle of Château Margaux 2015 and beginning with the 2016 vintage, the estate unveiled new packaging for its wines. Pavillon Rouge bottles now feature a darker hue. The labels have been redesigned with a typeface inspired by that of 1865. The “Pavillon Rouge” script appears in a bright, vivid red. The packaging has also been modernized. Pavillon Rouge 2016 from Château Margaux is thus packed in pine wooden cases adorned with the new Château Margaux stamp and a black strapping band.

The vintage

The exceptional weather conditions of 2016 forged the identity of a truly great vintage. A mild and particularly rainy winter was followed by an equally wet spring. The dry, warm summer encouraged excellent ripeness while preserving great freshness and fruit acidity thanks to alternating warm days and cool nights during September. Harvesting began on September 23 and concluded on October 18, making the 2016 harvest the most spread out in the estate’s history.

Winemaking and aging

This second wine of Château Margaux gains in precision and quality through a constant focus on selecting excellent lots (26% of the harvest for this vintage). Pavillon Rouge 2016 was aged in 50% to 60% new oak barrels.

Blend

84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.

Characteristics and tasting advice for Pavillon Rouge 2016 from Château Margaux

Tasting

Nose
The nose opens with brilliant floral notes followed by black fruit. Swirling reveals, with lovely freshness, some graphite nuances.

Palate
The palate is supple yet taut, with a refreshing, sappy edge and very straight tannins (due to the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend). The finish lingers on a saline note, and the whole shows real substance and a very pleasing balance.