Appellation Margaux

Margaux is an appellation located in the Médoc vineyards of France, between the Atlantic Ocean and the left bank of the Gironde estuary.

It is the largest of the six Haut-Médoc appellations, covering 1,500 hectares in the communes of Arsac, Labarde, Margaux-Cantenac and Soussans.

It also boasts the largest number of Crus Classés in the Médoc (21), including the Premier Grand Cru Classé, Château Margaux.

The first vines were cultivated in Gallo-Roman times, and the Margaux appellation d'origine contrôlée was officially created on August 10, 1954.

The Margaux terroir, a beneficial soil and climate

The Margaux terroir benefits from a temperate oceanic climate, mild in winter, sheltered from summer heatwaves and with good rainfall distribution throughout the year. The proximity of the Gironde estuary helps to moderate temperatures and protect the vineyards from spring frosts.

Margaux vines are planted on gravelly hilltops, shaped by erosion, bordered to the east by the marshes of the estuary and to the west by the forests of the sandy Landes plateau.

These soils are made up of gravel and pebbles mixed with more or less clayey sand, helping to drain rainwater and sink the vine's roots to draw water and the necessary nutrients. As a result, the grapes are of the highest quality.

The terroir of the Margaux appellation, with its very gravelly soils and mild maritime climate, allows the grapes to ripen slowly, resulting in the incomparable finesse of its wines.

Margaux appellation wines of great finesse and Cabernet Sauvignon dominance

Margaux wines are renowned for their elegance, finesse and complexity, with fruity aromas of raspberry, cherry and redcurrant, as well as floral, spicy and roasted notes. Their aromatic bouquet is complex, with a smooth, velvety texture.

Historically, carmenère and malbec (or cot) grapes were planted and made the wines of the Margaux appellation. They were gradually abandoned to make way for the four grape varieties now dominant in the appellation: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

The great Châteaux of the Margaux appellation

The Margaux appellation is renowned for producing some of the world's finest red wines, and not to be missed by collectors and connoisseurs, the Grands Crus Classés include :

Château Margaux - 1er Grand Crus Classé

Château Brane Cantenac - 2nd Grand Cru Classé

Château Lascombes - 2nd Grand Cru Classé

Château Palmer - 3rd Grand Cru Classé

Château Boyd-Cantenac - 3ème Grand Crus Classé

Château Cantenac Brown - 3ème Grand Crus Classé

Château Prieuré-Lichine - 4th Grand Cru Classé

Château du Tertre - 5th Grand Cru Classé

The best vintages of the Margaux appellation

The Margaux appellation is renowned for producing wines of great consistency. The list of the best vintages is long, as the wines improve from year to year, with rare exceptions.

The years that have produced the best vintages in the Margaux appellation are: 1928, 1929, 1945, 1953, 1959, 1961, 1975, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010.

1929 and 1990 are considered exceptional. They can even be described as "millennium vintages".

 
Margaux wine and food pairings

Margaux wines are elegant, complex reds that go well with a wide range of dishes. They go equally well with grilled, braised or roasted red meats, game meats, roast chicken and dishes with truffles.
  
Here are some food and wine pairings for Margaux wines:
 
* Roast meats: fillet of beef, suckling lamb from Pauillac or roast duck with foie gras. Their finesse and structure balance with the tenderness of the meat.
 
* Mushroom-based dishes, such as risotto with wild mushrooms, blanquette of veal with morels or sweetbreads with porcini mushrooms. Mushrooms bring out the earthy aromas of red wine.
 
* Margaux wines are one of the few wines that go equally well with fish, provided it's cooked with a sauce, such as lamprey à la bordelaise.
 
* Finally, Margaux wines are perfect with mature cheeses with a strong character, such as Comté, Saint-Nectaire fermier, Brillat-savarin (with or without truffles) and aged cheddar. The complexity of the red wine's aromas will match the richness and flavors of the cheese.