1996 Pavillon Blanc du Ch Margaux
Estimated value
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Tasting notes
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Yield 12 hl/ha. 6,700 vines/ha. Aged in 225-litre French oak barriques for nine months. Fascinating honeycomb and ferrous character. There is definite oxidative influence here, and it has a borderline rancidity to it. Cream and sweet coffee too – a complex and intriguing range of flavour. Lovely smoky notes on the palate, and a definite iron-rich flavour on the palate. No lack of freshness in the technical balance but there is a slight mustiness on the finish – not from cork taint, but oxidation, I think. I wouldn’t want to keep this a day longer, but it is a fascinating example of how white bordeaux can age. (RH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
A wine that should not be missed when it comes on the market is the 1996 Pavillon Blanc. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, it is a concentrated, crisp wine with natural alcohol of nearly 14%. One of the most intense Pavillon Blancs I have ever tasted, it should provide glorious drinking during its first decade of life, although it will last much longer. I have seen these wines offered for approximately $38-$46 per bottle.
About the producer
Ch. Margaux is one of Bordeaux’s most historic and famous estates. The only classified First Growth in Margaux, it epitomises the appellation’s elegance, while producing wines with fantastic ageing potential.