schiller-wine: Tour and Tasting at Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Picture: Château Margaux

Château Margaux is one of the oldest wine producing estates in the Bordeaux region and can trace back ist roots to the 12th century. It is one of the only 5 1ière grand cru classé châteaux. Vine planting started in the early 16hundreds and in 1582 the Margaux estate covered about 220 acres of vines, Today, almost 500 years later the estate has changed little in terms of size and layout. The highest price ever associated with a bottle of wine belongs to a bottle of Château Margaux, vintage 1787, which was insured at 225,000 $ and was opened at a tasting in 1987. Château Margaux can look back to many different owners over the past centuries, just like many other châteaux in Bordeaux.

In 1977 it was acquired by André Mentzelopoulos, a Greek native who arrived in France in 1958 and became a wealthy man by building up a supermarket chain. He renovated the château and invested heavily in the winery. He replanted vines, bought new oak barrels, reintroduced a second wine to enhance quality, and constructed a new underground cellar. He died very suddenly in 1980 and the estate has been managed very succesfully since then by his daughter Corinne.

Marie Guillad was our host.

Pictures: Château Margaux

2016 Harvest of White Grapes

When we visited Château Margaux, the harvest of the white grapes was in full swing. Not well known, but Château Margaux also produces a white wine, in very limited quantities.

Pictures: Harvest of White Grapes at Château Margaux

History

The history of Château Margaux goes back to the 12th Century, when the property was known as La Mothe de Margaux and owned by various people of noble birth, including Edward III, King of England. It was when the Lestonnac family took charge that premium wine production gained steam. By the end of the 1600s, Château Margaux had expanded to 265 hectares, with 1/3 devoted to producing wine. The impressive First Empire style château that we see today was built by one of Bordeaux' foremost architects, Guy-Louis Combes, when Marquis of La Colonilla acquired the estate in 1804.

Pictures: Tour of Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

In 1977, the property was sold to André Mentzelopoulos – the Greek of Medoc - and the modern history of Chateau Margaux began. Château Margaux passed to his daughter, Corrine Mentzelopoulos, only a few years later, when she was still at a young age.

Pictures: Château Margaux: In the Vineyard

Château Margaux under Corrine Mentzelopoulos

Under her late father's leadership, a new cellar was built, drainage added and a long-term investment strategy made to secure the property's future. Corinne Mentzelopoulos added a second underground cellar for second-year barrels. Today, the expansion continues. British architect Norman Foster was commissioned to redesign its cellars, create a new winemaking hall, as well as a subterranean bottle library of previous vintages. The project was completed last year.

Pictures: Entering the new Cellar of Château Margaux

Château Margaux

Château Margaux totals 262 hectares, with 87 hectares entitled to the Margaux appellation; 82 hectares are under vine. All four common red Bordeaux varieties are planted: Cabernets Sauvignon (75%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Merlot (20%) and Petit Verdot (2%), whereas the white vineyards are planted solely with Sauvignon Blanc.

Pictures:Château Margaux

The fruit is fermented in large 150-hectolitre oak vats and (since only very recently) stainless steel vessels. The red wines are aged between 18 and 24 months in oak barrels (constructed on-site in the Margaux cooperage), the whites up to six months.

There are typically 13,000 cases of the Grand Vin Château Margaux produced each year and 17,000 cases of the second wine, Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux. The Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux has a production of 3,000 cases and must be sold under the Bordeaux AOC as the cultivation of Sauvignon Blanc does not fall under the directives of the Margaux AOC.