Wine Advisor
Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(66% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 4% petit verdot, a 38% selection for the grand vin; 14% alcohol) Deep ruby. D elicate cassis, violet and inky aromas show an earthy, almost animal nuance. Then clean, dense and tight on the palate, with flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes smooth and long, with hints of dark chocolate and graphite. An impressive Pavillon, and there's less of it too, as it represents only 38% of total production this year (down from 45% in 2009). Margaux decided to make both a third and fourth wine in 2010. Paul Pontailler likes its nose best, and feels that this wine is at the same level as some weaker vintages of Chateau Margaux of the past. Though it's very impressive, I'm not sure I liked it quite as much, as I wasn't wild about the earthy notes on the nose.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Pavillon Rouge has a delightful, elegant bouquet with wild strawberry, blackberry and cedar aromas, very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, veins of blue fruit emerging with time in the glass and with just a touch of salted liquorice towards the finish. This could be à point. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good deep red. Rather wild aromas of spicy cassis, scorched earth, minerals and truffle, plus a resiny nuance. Broad, lush and powerful for a second wine, with creamy dark berry, graphite and underbrush flavors of noteworthy intensity. I find more porcini than fresh fruit here, and the tannins are still youthfully chewy, but this is an impressive Pavillon Rouge.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This the greatest Pavillon Rouge ever made. Aromas of flowers, smoke, currants and raspberries follow through to a full body, with super silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is balanced and refined with wonderful depth. Hard to believe it's a second wine. Better after 2018.
About the Producer
Sold under the name of “Château Margaux 2nd wine”, it took its permanent name of Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux in 1908. After an eclipse between the thirties and the mid-seventies, its production restarted on the arrival of André Mentzelopoulos in 1977 and at first greatly increased in order to improve the quality of the first wine. From the mid – 1990s, the creation of a third wine in its turn, allowed for a more and more rigorous selection for Pavillon Rouge. For a few years now, a third of the harvest has gone into the first wine, barely 30% into the Pavillon Rouge, and the remainder is divided between the third and fourth wines. The quality of Pavillon Rouge has become very close to that of the first wine because all the plots involved contributed to the blending of Château Margaux not so long ago. Of course there isn’t the same complexity, the same depth, the same “magic” but the flavours are close and the balance in the mouth leads to the same subtle senses of power and softness. In general it is ready to drink a little earlier whilst retaining an excellent potential to age largely beyond 30 or 40 years.
1977(1)1983(3)1984(1)1985(3)1986(2)1988(1)1990(2)1991(3)1994(3)1995(5)1996(9)1997(1)1998(6)1999(5)2000(8)2001(8)2002(5)2003(12)2004(3)2005(9)2006(4)2007(6)2008(12)2009(5)
Package Size
12 x 75cl3 x 1.5L
