2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge
| Type of Wine | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | |
| Appellation | |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Grape | , , , |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14%) |
| Drink window | 2025 - 2048 |
In stock
12 items available
Description
The Pavillon Rouge 2018 consists of 30% of the harvest. The blend is still dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (69%). The Merlot share decreased slightly (19%) compared to other vintages. This is offset by a notable increase in Petit Verdot (9%), which has particularly fine-grained tannins and a less pronounced aroma than in some vintages. Cabernet Franc completes the blend (3%). Like Château Margaux, but to a lesser extent, Pavillon Rouge 2018 is powerful, silky and long, and delicately tannic. Although it has the highest level of tannins of any Pavillon Rouge, there is not the slightest hint of astringency at any point in the tasting.
The hottest year since the beginning of the 20th century; temperatures in 2018 were 3.24°F above the national average. In Margaux the year started with a relatively mild winter with subnormal temperatures and occasional frosts in February, which did not affect our vines. The rest of the year was hot, sometimes very hot, compared to seasonal averages, marked by record temperatures in the last ten days of June and the first ten days of August, well over 7.2 °F above the 30-year average. Rainfall in the first half of the year was heavy, with almost 60 centimeters in Margaux between January 1 and July 10, making growing conditions challenging. Every rainy day made a good vintage less likely. But dry and warm summer conditions eventually reached our region and persisted until the end of the harvest. Rainfall was very low between mid-July and the end of September, at 5 centimeters. This rain pattern is reminiscent of 2009.
Under these conditions, the bud break occurred relatively late between April 4 and 10. The vines flowered between May 25 and 28 and despite the rather poor conditions, even on the relatively sensitive Merlot plots, we did not notice any poor or failed fruit set. The biggest challenge was mildew, which this year led to slightly lower yields than hoped after fruit set. The red harvest took place from September 17 to October 13 under ideal conditions. Once again this year we were able to choose the best time to harvest our grapes – no Botrytis symptoms, mild weather, ripening conditions sufficiently spread between the earliest Merlots and the latest Cabernets – and we had the time to take the necessary care in each winemaking process. barrel. This year, nearly a hundred different batches were turned into wine, demonstrating our continued efforts for better and more accurate selections.
Specifications
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Appellation | Margaux |
| Icons | Icon France |
| Winery | Chateau Margaux |
| Grape | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Drinking as of | 2025 |
| Drinking till | 2048 |
| Alcohol % | 14 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 93 |
| James Suckling rating | 96 |
| Vinous rating | 94 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Mineraal, Tannines |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Professional Reviews
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 93
Reviewed by:
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of bay leaves, pencil lead, tapenade and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a generous amount of black fruit at the core with loads of earthy and savory accents and a soft, approachable frame, finishing long with an herbal lift. It is approachable now but should be a lot more expressive with a couple of years in bottle and drink nicely over the following 15 to 18 years or more.
“I think September made the vintage,” Managing Director Philippe Bascaules told me. “But we had to take time. Time is important for full ripeness of tannins. We started the Merlot harvest September 17 and finished on September 24. Then we waited until October 4th to begin harvesting the Cabernet. We have a lot of tannin this year. The extraction was huge in the early days. The very small berries made the extraction so easy. So, we changed the winemaking a little bit. Made it softer. We followed the maceration every day.”
The grand vin this year is off the charts incredible. Exotic, flamboyant, totally decadent—but what I particularly love is a freshness and brightness that comes not just from acidity (in fact, the acid is relatively low this year) but from bright red fruit and floral sparks in the wine that provide a seamlessness. Potentially perfect—bravo!
Published: Mar 31, 2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
James Suckling
CountryFrance
RegionBordeaux
Vintage : 2019
Score : 96
Fresh tobacco, currant and earth, opening up to forest flowers. It’s rich in tannins, but very soft and beautiful. Layered, with lots of fine fruit and a velvety texture. Blackberry and chocolate in the finish too. 27% of the crop and a blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot, the rest petit verdot and cabernet franc. Delicious already, but give it at least six years of bottle age. Better after 2027.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
94
Drinking Window
2024 - 2038
From: Bordeaux 2018: Not Back in Black (Mar 2021)
The 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a powerful, brooding wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins. Time in the glass brings out elements of château Margaux finesse to balance things out. In 2018 the Pavillon has some lots that tend to go into the Grand Vin, but that were deemed too tannic for that wine.
- By Antonio Galloni on March 2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
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Wijnhuis
Château Margaux is one of those names in the wine world that instantly sparks the imagination. A stately château, centuries of history, and wines that rank among the very best of Bordeaux.
History of Château Margaux
The roots of Château Margaux go back to the Middle Ages, when the estate was still known as Lamothe. In the 16th century, the Lestonnac family began transforming the land into a vineyard with serious ambition. Over the centuries, ownership changed hands many times, but the reputation steadily grew. In the early 19th century, the Marquis de la Colonilla built the current château, a refined neo-Palladian building that still dominates the skyline of Margaux today.
In 1855, Château Margaux was classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé, the highest ranking in the famous Bordeaux classification. Yet the estate also faced harder times. In the 1970s its reputation began to fade, until Greek businessman André Mentzelopoulos revived it. Since then, Château Margaux has remained tied to his family and is now run by his daughter Corinne and her children.
Location and terroir of Château Margaux
The estate lies in the Médoc, on the left bank of the Gironde, within the Margaux AOC. This appellation is known for elegant and refined red wines. The soil at Château Margaux is distinctive: deep layers of gravel with touches of clay and limestone. The gravel provides excellent drainage, forcing the vines to root deeply. This results in grapes with great concentration and tension, the foundation of the estate’s renowned wines.
Grape varieties of Château Margaux
As is typical in the Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead. Around three-quarters of the vineyards are planted with it. Merlot makes up about twenty percent, with smaller plots of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This blend gives the wines both power and finesse. For whites there’s a rare exception: Pavillon Blanc, made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc, grown on a smaller plot next to the red vineyards.
Château Margaux wine styles
The most famous wine is of course the Grand Vin de Château Margaux. Then there is Pavillon Rouge, the second wine often made from younger vines or parcels that don’t make it into the first selection. More recently, a third label has been added: Margaux du Château Margaux. For white wine lovers there is Pavillon Blanc, praised for its freshness and long ageing potential.
Winemaking combines tradition and modern technique. The red wines age for about one and a half to two years in new French oak, giving them depth and complexity. The white wine is aged for a shorter time, preserving its lively character. A special detail: Château Margaux even has its own cooperage, giving them full control over the quality of their barrels.
Interesting facts
- Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, praised Château Margaux in the 18th century as one of the finest wines of Bordeaux.
- The château itself is a listed historical monument and is often described as one of the most beautiful wine estates in France.
- In 2015, a new tasting and research building was unveiled, designed by British architect Norman Foster, blending tradition and innovation.
Order Château Margaux online?
At Grandcruwijnen you can safely order Château Margaux. The wines are stored in a conditioned Wine Warehouse to ensure perfect preservation. If you select ‘Pick up’ during checkout, you’ll instantly see a discount. Convenient and cost-effective.
The Pavillon Rouge 2018 consists of 30% of the harvest. The blend is still dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (69%). The Merlot share decreased slightly (19%) compared to other vintages. This is offset by a notable increase in Petit Verdot (9%), which has particularly fine-grained tannins and a less pronounced aroma than in some vintages. Cabernet Franc completes the blend (3%). Like Château Margaux, but to a lesser extent, Pavillon Rouge 2018 is powerful, silky and long, and delicately tannic. Although it has the highest level of tannins of any Pavillon Rouge, there is not the slightest hint of astringency at any point in the tasting.
The hottest year since the beginning of the 20th century; temperatures in 2018 were 3.24°F above the national average. In Margaux the year started with a relatively mild winter with subnormal temperatures and occasional frosts in February, which did not affect our vines. The rest of the year was hot, sometimes very hot, compared to seasonal averages, marked by record temperatures in the last ten days of June and the first ten days of August, well over 7.2 °F above the 30-year average. Rainfall in the first half of the year was heavy, with almost 60 centimeters in Margaux between January 1 and July 10, making growing conditions challenging. Every rainy day made a good vintage less likely. But dry and warm summer conditions eventually reached our region and persisted until the end of the harvest. Rainfall was very low between mid-July and the end of September, at 5 centimeters. This rain pattern is reminiscent of 2009.
Under these conditions, the bud break occurred relatively late between April 4 and 10. The vines flowered between May 25 and 28 and despite the rather poor conditions, even on the relatively sensitive Merlot plots, we did not notice any poor or failed fruit set. The biggest challenge was mildew, which this year led to slightly lower yields than hoped after fruit set. The red harvest took place from September 17 to October 13 under ideal conditions. Once again this year we were able to choose the best time to harvest our grapes – no Botrytis symptoms, mild weather, ripening conditions sufficiently spread between the earliest Merlots and the latest Cabernets – and we had the time to take the necessary care in each winemaking process. barrel. This year, nearly a hundred different batches were turned into wine, demonstrating our continued efforts for better and more accurate selections.
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Appellation | Margaux |
| Icons | Icon France |
| Winery | Chateau Margaux |
| Grape | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Drinking as of | 2025 |
| Drinking till | 2048 |
| Alcohol % | 14 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 93 |
| James Suckling rating | 96 |
| Vinous rating | 94 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Mineraal, Tannines |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 93
Reviewed by:
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of bay leaves, pencil lead, tapenade and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a generous amount of black fruit at the core with loads of earthy and savory accents and a soft, approachable frame, finishing long with an herbal lift. It is approachable now but should be a lot more expressive with a couple of years in bottle and drink nicely over the following 15 to 18 years or more.
“I think September made the vintage,” Managing Director Philippe Bascaules told me. “But we had to take time. Time is important for full ripeness of tannins. We started the Merlot harvest September 17 and finished on September 24. Then we waited until October 4th to begin harvesting the Cabernet. We have a lot of tannin this year. The extraction was huge in the early days. The very small berries made the extraction so easy. So, we changed the winemaking a little bit. Made it softer. We followed the maceration every day.”
The grand vin this year is off the charts incredible. Exotic, flamboyant, totally decadent—but what I particularly love is a freshness and brightness that comes not just from acidity (in fact, the acid is relatively low this year) but from bright red fruit and floral sparks in the wine that provide a seamlessness. Potentially perfect—bravo!
Published: Mar 31, 2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
James Suckling
CountryFrance
RegionBordeaux
Vintage : 2019
Score : 96
Fresh tobacco, currant and earth, opening up to forest flowers. It’s rich in tannins, but very soft and beautiful. Layered, with lots of fine fruit and a velvety texture. Blackberry and chocolate in the finish too. 27% of the crop and a blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot, the rest petit verdot and cabernet franc. Delicious already, but give it at least six years of bottle age. Better after 2027.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
94
Drinking Window
2024 - 2038
From: Bordeaux 2018: Not Back in Black (Mar 2021)
The 2018 Pavillon Rouge is a powerful, brooding wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins. Time in the glass brings out elements of château Margaux finesse to balance things out. In 2018 the Pavillon has some lots that tend to go into the Grand Vin, but that were deemed too tannic for that wine.
- By Antonio Galloni on March 2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
Château Margaux is one of those names in the wine world that instantly sparks the imagination. A stately château, centuries of history, and wines that rank among the very best of Bordeaux.
History of Château Margaux
The roots of Château Margaux go back to the Middle Ages, when the estate was still known as Lamothe. In the 16th century, the Lestonnac family began transforming the land into a vineyard with serious ambition. Over the centuries, ownership changed hands many times, but the reputation steadily grew. In the early 19th century, the Marquis de la Colonilla built the current château, a refined neo-Palladian building that still dominates the skyline of Margaux today.
In 1855, Château Margaux was classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé, the highest ranking in the famous Bordeaux classification. Yet the estate also faced harder times. In the 1970s its reputation began to fade, until Greek businessman André Mentzelopoulos revived it. Since then, Château Margaux has remained tied to his family and is now run by his daughter Corinne and her children.
Location and terroir of Château Margaux
The estate lies in the Médoc, on the left bank of the Gironde, within the Margaux AOC. This appellation is known for elegant and refined red wines. The soil at Château Margaux is distinctive: deep layers of gravel with touches of clay and limestone. The gravel provides excellent drainage, forcing the vines to root deeply. This results in grapes with great concentration and tension, the foundation of the estate’s renowned wines.
Grape varieties of Château Margaux
As is typical in the Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead. Around three-quarters of the vineyards are planted with it. Merlot makes up about twenty percent, with smaller plots of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This blend gives the wines both power and finesse. For whites there’s a rare exception: Pavillon Blanc, made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc, grown on a smaller plot next to the red vineyards.
Château Margaux wine styles
The most famous wine is of course the Grand Vin de Château Margaux. Then there is Pavillon Rouge, the second wine often made from younger vines or parcels that don’t make it into the first selection. More recently, a third label has been added: Margaux du Château Margaux. For white wine lovers there is Pavillon Blanc, praised for its freshness and long ageing potential.
Winemaking combines tradition and modern technique. The red wines age for about one and a half to two years in new French oak, giving them depth and complexity. The white wine is aged for a shorter time, preserving its lively character. A special detail: Château Margaux even has its own cooperage, giving them full control over the quality of their barrels.
Interesting facts
- Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, praised Château Margaux in the 18th century as one of the finest wines of Bordeaux.
- The château itself is a listed historical monument and is often described as one of the most beautiful wine estates in France.
- In 2015, a new tasting and research building was unveiled, designed by British architect Norman Foster, blending tradition and innovation.
Order Château Margaux online?
At Grandcruwijnen you can safely order Château Margaux. The wines are stored in a conditioned Wine Warehouse to ensure perfect preservation. If you select ‘Pick up’ during checkout, you’ll instantly see a discount. Convenient and cost-effective.