2003 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux
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Tasting notes
The 2003 Pavillon Rouge has a respectable bouquet with brambly red fruit, orange rind, freshly-rolled tobacco and peppermint. This is actually fresher than some Grand Vins tasted. The palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins on the entry, raspberry, strawberry and a touch of white pepper. It has a slightly savory finish. Smooth and very drinkable. À point. Tasted at the château.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Also a stunning wine, the 2003 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux is a sleeper of the vintage. Much fresher and less evolved than I would expect a second wine to be from this vintage, it is a Margaux-like effort with a flowery character, good precision and freshness, red and black currant notes, and an attractive, medium-bodied, surprisingly concentrated mouthfeel. It is clearly one of the finest second wines made in this vintage. It can be consumed over the next 5-8 years.
Dark crimson. Thick and sweet and harsh and lacking purity. Furry tannins. Not refreshing! Very painful acidity. (Average group score: 15.1) (JR)
As usual this wine showed extremely well at this stage – as well it might in that five per cent of Ch Margaux's production was rejected even for Pavillon Rouge. It constituted 50 per cent of the total crop. Deep colour and notable freshness and life on the nose. Great finesse with a smooth spread over the palate. Great soft texture yet depth. A tiny note of green tannins underneath almost imperceptible. A blend of 65 per cent Cabernet with 25 per cent Merlot that is pure Margaux (though I wonder where all the Merlot has gone this year???). Round and the ripe tannins are well covered but not especially long. (JR)
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.