Pavillon Rouge du Chāteau Margaux 2018 (750ml)

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Price: $344.99

Producer	Chāteau Margaux
Country	France
Region	Margaux
Varietal	Merlot
Vintage	2018
Sku	102370
Size	750ml
ABV	13.00%

Chāteau Margaux Description

Like Chateau Margaux, but to a lesser extent, Pavillon Rouge 2018 is powerful, silky and long, and delicately tannic throughout. Although it has the highest level of tannins of any Pavillon Rouge, there is not the slightest hint of atringency at any point in the tasting.

Blend: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot

Critical Acclaim

JS95
James Suckling

Blackberry, plum, light earth and undergrowth on the nose. Citrus, too. It’s full-bodied with rich, chewy tannins that turn energetic, fine and tight on the finish. Lively acidity. Second wine of Margaux. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. Try after 2024.

WE95
Wine Enthusiast

This second wine of Chateau Margaux, grand in its own right, is powerfully dense. It displays its own style and balance between rich black fruits and the acidity that shines through the structure. The wine will age well, its ripeness and concentration likely to soften as it matures. Drink from 2026.

JD95
Jeb Dunnuck

This cuvée has been in the running for the best second wine in the vintage for a number of years now, and I think it just might be there in 2018. The 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge checks in as 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and it's no lightweight effort, revealing a dense purple color as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, black cherry, crushed violets, sandalwood, smoke tobacco, and incense. It's loaded with Château Margaux character, has medium to full-bodied richness, ample structure, and a great finish. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved with air. Don't underestimate this second wine – it's incredibly impressive. Hide bottles for 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

D93
Decanter

Tight, bright firm fruits, packed with finely tuned tannins, with a clear velvety texture. The highest tannin levels they have ever produced in Pavillon Rouge, close to the levels in 1996. There is an austerity to the wine right now. You get the spice of the Petit Verdot - also at the highest level to date - giving cushion and complexity to the blackberry, raspberry and bilberry fruits. Even this second wine should be given at least eight to 10 years to really soften because of these tannins, and it is set for the long term. 30% of the overall harvest in Pavillon Rouge in 2018. Bottled July 2020. 3% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend, with 13% press wine. 60% new oak ageing. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042

WS93
Wine Spectator

A singed alder note frames a core of gently steeped plum and black currant flavors while smoldering tobacco, bay and warm earth hints fill in through the finish. Caressing in feel and seductive through the sneaky long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034.

V92
Vinous

The 2018 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux was one of the final wines that I tasted during my lengthy round of tastings. Impressive from barrel, the bouquet is now resplendent, offering those almost boisterous red fruits, pomegranate and cranberry, with the violet element just toned down a little. The palate is still quite high-toned, the tannin's showing more grip and sturdiness than before. Taut and linear, and there is plenty of freshness here, leading to a vibrant finish. Excellent.

Drinking window: 2023 - 2045