Chateau Margaux 2007

DECANTER: "All of the Left Bank firsts are tasting excellent, but Margaux stands out for the tightness and clarity of its sweet cherry and cassis fruit expression, the menthol grip on the finish, and the perfume that runs through the palate. This is a vintage that could almost be ready to drink with a good carafing, but the layers of graphite and the finesse to the tannins suggest it could also go longer. A great example of the subtle crafting possible in 2007."

WEINWISSER: "Etwa drei Monate vor der Abfüllung als Fassmuster verkostet. Aufhellendes Purpur-Rubin, recht grosser Rand. Süsses Bouquet, Parisette-Brotkruste, angenehm süss, Rotkirschengelée, Grenadinetouch, ein Hauch Vanille. Feiner, sehr eleganter Gaumen, tänzelnd, gut verteiltes, daher hintergründiges, königliches Tannin, mehlige Adstringenz. Wird fein und feminin wie der 1993er, wirkt zwischen den recht maskulinen Jahrgängen 2008 und 2006 beruhigend. Nur nicht im Preis."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Ruby in color, the wine offers truffle, cigar box and red fruits. This is all about the secondary nuances and the soft, silky, elegant textures. Medium bodied, but with charming, red fruit characteristics, this is at full maturity. This is not a Margaux to make old bones, but in a blind tasting, no one is going to think this is from 2007. It's surprisingly much better than anticipated."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Silky wine, fresh and light, balanced with high acidity cutting through black berry fruits. The structure has some substance, but this is a light, aromatic wine, developing fast, already delicious, and only for medium-term aging."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Chateau Margaux was just missing a little intensity on the nose compared to the other First Growths: scents of incense and iris, blackberry and tobacco, perhaps just missing the floral nature of other vintages. The palate is well balanced with supple black fruit laced with graphite and tobacco, fully matured but clearly with sufficient substance to last another 15-20 years. It is a capable Château Margaux, although frankly it does not put enough distance between itself and its Margaux peers, yapping at its heels. Tasted February 2017."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, jugendliche Reflexe, violetter Rand. In der Nase zart nach Mandarinenzesten, Waldbeerkonfit, zarte Gewürzanklänge, Nuancen von Himbeeren, Kirschen, Nougat, Cassis. Am Gaumen mittelgewichtig, zartes rotes Beerenkonfit, angenehme Extraktsüße, rund, kaum merkliche Tannine, ein feiner, delikater Weinstil, bereits gut entwickelt und zugänglich, im Moment mit mittlerer Länge ausgestattet."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Mid garnet with red rim. Notable for the oak spice still dominating the aroma, giving it a youthful spring in its step, and a leafy touch. Oak showing in chocolate on the palate. There’s enough fruit to carry that oak but it is distinctive in this line up for that oak-derived chocolate sweetness and texture and then definite acidity on the finish. Seems less integrated than some, persistent nevertheless."