Margaux 2003

Margaux, First Growth

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy
12	75cl Bottle	Case 12	£4,550 per Case	Case	[Add to shopping basket]

Tasting Notes
This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux. Score: 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-2034 01 August 2014
Am I being too stingy with the 2003 Chateau Margaux? A wine of extraordinary complexity and intensity, it reveals a deep purple color, a style not unlike the 1990 Margaux (possibly even more concentrated), a velvety texture, and notes of spring flowers interwoven with camphor, melted licorice, creme de cassis, and pain grille. Not a blockbuster, it offers extraordinary intensity as well as a surreal delicacy/lightness. There is riveting freshness to this offering, which tips the scales at a lofty (for this estate) 13.5% alcohol, as well as an alluring sweetness and accessibility. It probably will tighten up over the next few years. Nevertheless, it is a profound Chateau Margaux that brings to mind a hypothetical blend of the 1982 and 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2035. Score: 99 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2011-2035 30 April 2006
An extraordinary wine and undeniably one of the great wines of the Medoc, and qualitatively a wine that towers over what other estates produced in the appellation of Margaux, the 2003 Chateau Margaux is made in a style that almost mirrors Lafite Rothschild in 2003. Last year I thought it could represent a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and 1996, but the wine has taken on even more opulence and seductiveness in an almost atypical but still fragrant, elegant, classic Chateau Margaux personality. Dense ruby/purple to the rim with an extraordinary floral nose intermixed with blackberries, cassis, mineral, licorice, and some vanilla, the wine is dense, opulent, voluptuously textured, with wonderful sweetness (reminiscent of 1982 and 1990 in that sense), low acidity, but tremendous concentration and an almost seamless integration of all components – alcohol, tannin, new wood, and acidity. This is truly sumptuous stuff that should drink reasonably well young after 4 or 5 years in the bottle and age for 30+ years. Bravo! Score: 96 - 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2009-2035 30 April 2005
The Chateau Margaux 2003 has closed down since I last encountered it. Much more tertiary on the nose with dried herbs, sous-bois and a touch of leather; it finds it difficult to attain the femininity it showed its youth. Nonetheless, the palate is very harmonious with supple tannins, lovely expressive red-berried fruit with blackberry, boysenberry and scorched earth. Harmonious and wily on the finish. Lovely…and improving in the glass. Tasted October 2010. (95+ Points) Score: 95 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 March 2011
Delicate but just a little cooked on the nose. Soft and round and sweet. A bit brutal. Score: 16 - 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2010-2018 13 October 2010
Full, saturated red-ruby. Knockout nose combines redcurrant, tropical chocolate, leather, woodsmoke and nutty oak with exotic chocolate mint and coffee liqueur; still manages to retain floral lift even in this beastly vintage. Then wonderfully fat, sweet and full, even if it comes across as almost heavy following the ineffable 2005 and 2004 examples. But "relatively inelegant" for Margaux still suggests a degree of refinement that few chateaux can match in the greatest vintages. A hugely rich and dense wine that finishes with elevated but ripe tannins and great length, with a subtle suggestion of dry spices. Pontallier says the terroir will take over in 20 years, "like with the '82." Splendid. Score: 96 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2006
Ultraconcentrated, with layers and layers of fruit and superfine tannins. Plenty of fruit, mineral and meat character. Full-bodied yet refined and classy, it coats your palate with gorgeous fruit and ripe tannins. Truly superb. One of the wines of the vintage. Best after 2012. 10,830 cases made. Score: 98 James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 31 March 2006

Tasting Notes

This was the finest performance by this wine that I have seen since it was released. I did not expect the 2003 Chateau Margaux to show this well in a vintage where the southern part of the Medoc was clearly less impressive than the north. However, it is a beautiful, dark plum/purple-tinged effort with sensational aromatics, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and a youthfulness, precision and freshness that belie what one generally associates with this vintage. It can be drunk now and over the next 15-20 years. Kudos to Chateau Margaux.

Score: 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-2034 01 August 2014

Am I being too stingy with the 2003 Chateau Margaux? A wine of extraordinary complexity and intensity, it reveals a deep purple color, a style not unlike the 1990 Margaux (possibly even more concentrated), a velvety texture, and notes of spring flowers interwoven with camphor, melted licorice, creme de cassis, and pain grille. Not a blockbuster, it offers extraordinary intensity as well as a surreal delicacy/lightness. There is riveting freshness to this offering, which tips the scales at a lofty (for this estate) 13.5% alcohol, as well as an alluring sweetness and accessibility. It probably will tighten up over the next few years. Nevertheless, it is a profound Chateau Margaux that brings to mind a hypothetical blend of the 1982 and 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2035.

Score: 99

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2011-2035 30 April 2006

An extraordinary wine and undeniably one of the great wines of the Medoc, and qualitatively a wine that towers over what other estates produced in the appellation of Margaux, the 2003 Chateau Margaux is made in a style that almost mirrors Lafite Rothschild in 2003. Last year I thought it could represent a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and 1996, but the wine has taken on even more opulence and seductiveness in an almost atypical but still fragrant, elegant, classic Chateau Margaux personality. Dense ruby/purple to the rim with an extraordinary floral nose intermixed with blackberries, cassis, mineral, licorice, and some vanilla, the wine is dense, opulent, voluptuously textured, with wonderful sweetness (reminiscent of 1982 and 1990 in that sense), low acidity, but tremendous concentration and an almost seamless integration of all components – alcohol, tannin, new wood, and acidity. This is truly sumptuous stuff that should drink reasonably well young after 4 or 5 years in the bottle and age for 30+ years. Bravo!

Score: 96 - 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2009-2035 30 April 2005

The Chateau Margaux 2003 has closed down since I last encountered it. Much more tertiary on the nose with dried herbs, sous-bois and a touch of leather; it finds it difficult to attain the femininity it showed its youth. Nonetheless, the palate is very harmonious with supple tannins, lovely expressive red-berried fruit with blackberry, boysenberry and scorched earth. Harmonious and wily on the finish. Lovely…and improving in the glass. Tasted October 2010. (95+ Points)

Score: 95

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 March 2011

Delicate but just a little cooked on the nose. Soft and round and sweet. A bit brutal.

Score: 16 - 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2010-2018 13 October 2010

Full, saturated red-ruby. Knockout nose combines redcurrant, tropical chocolate, leather, woodsmoke and nutty oak with exotic chocolate mint and coffee liqueur; still manages to retain floral lift even in this beastly vintage. Then wonderfully fat, sweet and full, even if it comes across as almost heavy following the ineffable 2005 and 2004 examples. But "relatively inelegant" for Margaux still suggests a degree of refinement that few chateaux can match in the greatest vintages. A hugely rich and dense wine that finishes with elevated but ripe tannins and great length, with a subtle suggestion of dry spices. Pontallier says the terroir will take over in 20 years, "like with the '82." Splendid.

Score: 96

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2006

Ultraconcentrated, with layers and layers of fruit and superfine tannins. Plenty of fruit, mineral and meat character. Full-bodied yet refined and classy, it coats your palate with gorgeous fruit and ripe tannins. Truly superb. One of the wines of the vintage. Best after 2012. 10,830 cases made.

Score: 98

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 31 March 2006

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