2007 Margaux

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.

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.

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.