The wines of Margaux are prized for their elegance and perfume, and combination of left-bank Bordeaux power, and unusual grace and lift. Our source here is the Château du Courneau, and we’ve recently restocked on their terrific 2018 Margaux, a wine that delivers both subtlety of fruit and richness of palate.
It’s a blend of about 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The 2018 vintage was among the hottest on record, and the resulting wines are packed with ripe juicy fruit. Courneau spends a year in oak, and has more than enough stuffing to withstand the wood. In short, this is punchy, elegant, simply delicious Margaux.
Perfume is always the watchword in Margaux, and this wine delivers beautifully. We found the nose exquisitely balanced, with the oak already well integrated over notes of plums and stones. The palate shows notes of raspberry jam, wild dark cherries, and violets; the mouth has beautifully fine tannins with a long, very elegant finish. As grilling season returns, you’ll want some of this wine around.
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Chateau du Courneaux Margaux 2018
bottle price: $35