Best Margaux 2019 wines tasted en primeur

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Unquestionably an extremely successful vintage in Margaux; but it is not my favourite of the Haut-Médoc commune AOCs in 2019.

There is less clay as a component of the gravel soils of Margaux compared to those in St Julien, Pauillac and St Estephe, and perhaps that made a difference to the fresh grip that is clearer a little to the north.

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There are still a ton of wines to Highly Recommend, but only six that, for me, reached over 95 points – one less than the much smaller AOC of St Julien.

The top scorers at 98 points were Palmer and Margaux, with Château Margaux the most likely to be a potential 98-100 points when re-tasted in bottle, and overall I felt Philippe Bascaules had delivered the strongest set of Margaux wines since he returned from Napa in 2015, with both Pavillon Rouge and Pavillon Blanc standout delicious.

I would also particularly point out d’Issan and Brane-Cantenac, as well as the ever-consistent Rauzan-Ségla.

There is again a great crop of 94s for Lascombes, Giscours, Marquis d’Alesme, Cantenac Brown, Ferrière and Giscours, all of which I would strongly recommend.

In contrast, I would not blanket recommend the 2nd wines – a hint that the vintage had its issues to deal with, particularly in an appellation such as Margaux where there is such a wide range of soils and that saw temperatures rise up to a record of 41°C in the shade on July 25.

Release strategy

A change in strategy at Château Palmer is worth noting. CEO Thomas Duroux has announced that over the past ten years they have been keeping 50% of the crop back at the estate and as of September 2020 they will be putting the 10-year-old Palmer on the market, to be sold through the Place de Bordeaux.

This will be the system going forward – so half of the production is to be sold En Primeur, and the other half aged at the property and sold 10 years later. This is a hybrid model, somewhere between Latour and traditional En Primeur, but a little more simple because the estate will not decide when to release depending on vintage quality/longevity (as Latour is doing) but simply go for the 10-year point.

So, expect the 2011 to be released in September 2021 and so on. It comes as no surprise to anyone that many estates have been mysteriously releasing less and less wine on the market each En Primeur campaign, so I would expect other properties to follow their own version of this strategy over the next few years.

Yields

A relatively easy season overall, certainly compared to 2018 with its mildew issues. Average yield in Margaux was a high 49.2hl/ha, much higher than the 37hl/ha that the appellation managed in 2018 and one of the biggest in the past 20 years.

Looking at individual estates we had 47hl/ha at Margaux, 45hl/ha at Palmer and 48hl/ha Lascombes. A lower 30hl/ha at Ferrière and La Gurgue was the exception rather than the rule.

As we have seen in many estates, particularly in the Médoc, the vintage changed from a more exuberant 2018 style of wine before the September rains fell in the latter half of September (around 30mm in Margaux) to a more classic vintage after the rain. Bascaules at Margaux commented that this made the Merlots exuberant and the Cabernets far more classic, making it a notably balanced vintage overall.

This late harvest means you will find high levels of Cabernet in many wines – 90% in Château Margaux, 70% at d’Issan and Brane Cantenac. But only 53% in Palmer and still hugely successful, same score for me as Margaux, proving that old vine Merlots, as at Ferrière, were also successful.

Changes

First vintage under new owner Tristan le Lous at Cantenac Brown, and Christian Roulleau at Dauzac. Also a new owner at La Tour de Mons (Margaux powerhouse the Perrodo family), but no word yet on what that means for the wine.

And a few interesting special bottlings to look out for, not least the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon in 100% new oak at Le Createur from Château Haut Breton Larigaudière.

Top Scoring

Palmer, Margaux, Brane-Cantenac (one of the best ever), Issan, Rauzan Ségla.

Best Value

Labegorce, Le Coteau, Haut Breton Larigaudière.

See the top-rated Margaux 2019 wines

The following wines have all been scored 93 points and above

Not yet tasted: Château Durfort-Vivens, Château La Bessane, Château Chantelune, Château Boyd-Cantenac, Château Charmant, Château Pouget, Château La Galiane

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