Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2018 vintage. This was still made under the CA ( Crédit Agricole) ownership. In 2019 the estate, together with La Tour de Mons, was sold to Nathalie Perrodo, who is doing a great job at Labégorce and Marquis d'Alesme. There seems to be historical evidence that the wines of (what was later called) Marsac Séguineau were considered fifth growth quality pre 1855, but it wasn't classified because of the very small production and the fragmentation of the vineyards. The Château was only constructed in 1886. Bordeaux is a fascinating region, not only for wine aficionados, but also for history lovers. In any case, this is already a delicious wine, exhibiting the famous Margaux elegance, without lacking power. Very good value too. I hope to find some recent vintages soon, as I expect the wines to progress under the new ownership. Abv. 14%. — 3 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château La Tour de Bessan Margaux 2022 — Margaux, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A classic Left Bank blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon · 30% Merlot · 5% Petit Verdot (estate typically varies slightly by vintage) delivering structure, elegance, and aromatic finesse. Great frame and graphite tension coming from the Cab Sauv., mid-palate polish thanks to Merlot, and liked how Petit Verdot brings subtle spice and color depth. A beautifully traditional, unclassified Margaux that punches above its weight.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, blackberry, cassis, violet, pencil shavings, cedar, light tobacco, and crushed stone. Fruit stays fresh and pure with delicate floral lift typical of the appellation.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with polished, fine-grained tannins. Dry, linear, and elegant rather than powerful. Balanced acidity keeps everything lifted and graceful with a clean, savory finish.

Food Pairings
Roast chicken with herbs, grilled lamb chops, duck breast, mushroom risotto, lentils, Comté or aged goat cheese. A very food-friendly claret.

Verdict
Proof that Margaux elegance doesn’t require classified growth pricing. Refined, honest, and beautifully composed. Delicious now with air, but easily cellar-worthy for 6–10 years.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is my kind of “weekday Bordeaux”, structured yet graceful, polished without heaviness. The sort of bottle that quietly disappears over dinner because everything just clicks.

Did You Know?
La Tour de Bessan is run by Marie-Laure Lurton (of the Lurton family estates) and is known for crafting textbook, terroir-driven Margaux expressions that emphasize finesse over extraction. — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château du Tertre 2023 – Margaux, Grand Cru Classé en 1855. BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
An elegant yet youthful Margaux showing fine aromatic lift and classical structure, with slightly rustic edges that reflect its early stage of development. Built for evolution rather than immediate polish.

Aromas & Flavors
Red cherry, wild strawberry, cranberry, dried rose petal, cedarwood, light tobacco, crushed gravel, subtle savory herbs.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with firm, slightly angular tannins, bright acidity, linear drive through the mid-palate, and a finish that shows youthful grip and tension rather than full polish.

Food Pairings
Herb-roasted chicken, veal chop, mushroom tart, grilled pork loin, semi-firm alpine cheeses.

Verdict
A classic, traditionally styled Margaux that will reward patience. The structure and aromatics are in place, but time is needed to soften edges and bring greater harmony and depth.

🍷 Personal Pick
Not quite ready to attack the palate as a typical Margaux yet — but the line is correct. Give this a couple years and it will smooth out beautifully. — 4 months ago

Veronica Johnson Treco

9.0

Smooth. Very easy to drink. — 5 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (30%). Dark ruby color with a slight garnet/orange rim. Wine was quite tight upon opening so aeration was needed. Aromas of black fruit, graphite and purple flowers. Flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plums, black olives and tobacco. Distinct oaky note on the long and somewhat sharp finish. Medium-plus body and acidity. Balance was a bit off. Probably should have aged this one a bit longer. — 8 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, second wine of Château Paveil de Luze, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 25% new, deep Ruby with aromas of red berry fruits and cedar pepper spice. On the palate flavors of black fruits, currants and spicy notes. Lively acidity, fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, cacao and spicy oak. Drinking well now! — a year ago

Flo Kaleta

8.9

Very nice surprise for such an old wine. — 7 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.1

Quite elegant, lifted and fresh. Classic secondary aromas and flavors with loads of acidity. — 8 years ago

Michael Spinella

8.9

Lovely. Took awhile to open up but once it did it was delicious. — 10 years ago

Robert Bingham

9.0

Solid Margaux with earth notes with hints of thyme and soft multi textured tannins that linger show that this a wine that could go the distance. — 11 years ago

Tristan

9.8

An excellent wine, especially once opened up. Good price at $54 — 3 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, deep Ruby color with aromas of red and black fruits with toasty spice. On the palate flavors of black raspberry, currants and black cherry with licorice, toasty oak and tobacco. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak and earthy tobacco spice. Drinking well now! — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Château Kirwan 2023 – Margaux, Grand Cru Classé. BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A poised and expressive Margaux showing immediate charm while clearly structured for further evolution, delivering finesse, persistence, and a notably elongated finish compared to its peers in the flight.

Aromas & Flavors
Red cherry, wild strawberry, ripe raspberry, crushed rose petal, subtle vanilla, sweet spice, light cedar, gentle graphite undertones.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, excellent mid-palate energy, lifted acidity, and a long, persistent, and increasingly intense finish that carries well beyond the sip.

Food Pairings
Duck confit, herb-roasted chicken, veal chop with mushroom jus, lamb loin, aged Comté.

Verdict
Head-to-head with Château Prieuré-Lichine in overall quality, but Kirwan separates itself on finish length and persistence. Already surprisingly enjoyable today while still clearly benefiting from additional bottle age.

🍷 Personal Pick
The surprise overachiever of the Margaux flight, already fun now, but patience will unlock its real podium potential. — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Prieuré-Lichine 2023 – Margaux, Grand Cru Classé en 1855. BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A developing Margaux showing early aromatic charm and layered complexity, with youthful structure and noticeable oak integration that will benefit from short-term aging.

Aromas & Flavors
Red cherry, raspberry compote, wild strawberry, subtle vanilla pod, sweet baking spice, light cedar, emerging floral tones and faint graphite.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with tight but refined tannins, good mid-palate tension, clean line of acidity, and a structured finish that signals further evolution ahead.

Food Pairings
Duck breast, herb-crusted lamb rack, porcini risotto, roasted chicken with thyme, aged Gruyère.

Verdict
Already expressive and layered, but still in its formative phase. A couple more years will soften the tannins, integrate the oak, and elevate aromatic precision and depth.

🍷 Personal Pick
Not ready to fight for my podium of winnings wines for immediate consumption yet — but the engine note is promising. Worth revisiting soon.
— 4 months ago

Joaquin Martinez

8.9

Great wine but it needed more time to open up. Will try again and decant them — 7 months ago

Dave

9.5

I had a bottle of this 3 weeks ago and needed another. PnP on a rainy day. This is such an excellent value Margaux. Fruity, tannic, and singing.
Listening to Merle Haggard, one of the finest poets in music. — 9 months ago

Navin Budhwani

9.2

Aerated and decanted for 2 hours. Drinking so nicely. Beautiful finish — 6 years ago

John Hagood

9.1

From Domestique 4/13/19 for tagine, but only opened 2013 in garden on 4/27/19. Chlorine smell for J; lemon, thyme, chives, cloves, vanilla. Mouthfeel and long finish of pine. Pretty rich for Muscsdet. Expected salinity. Malted Easter egg shells. — 7 years ago

Neal Krishna Devaraj

9.1

With lalit. — 9 years ago

Philippe Dauguet

9.0

Largement au dessus de 2009 ! — 11 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2018 vintage. 66 Cabernet Sauvignon, 13 Merlot and 21 Cabernet Franc. — 3 months ago

David White

9.3

50% Cab Sauvignon 35% Merlot some Cab Franc and PV
Well integrated tannins, nice rich berry nose and great balance fruit and acidity on the palate. At eight years has still time to mature more but showing it’s there for the long run.
Very nice package overall — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

It’s been a couple years since I last enjoyed the 1996 and based off this experience, it’s continuing to age gracefully.

Double decanted the night before. The wine pours a garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, kirsch, purple flowers, tobacco, dried herbs, green pepper, old wood and gravelly earthy. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and sanguine. So much soul, it could make Marvin Gaye blush. Drink now with patience (and a long decant) through 2041. Thanks for the assist @Lyle Fass — 4 months ago

John Berggren

9.5

Wonderful 2016 bottle. Soft tannins, plum and subtle berries. Delightful finish. — 4 months ago

Isil Bayman

9.0

Uccle, Brussels, Belgiul — 5 months ago

with Hakan

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Brio de Cantenac Brown – 2020
Margaux, Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
Brio is the second wine of Château Cantenac Brown, offering a more accessible take on Margaux. This 2020 vintage is composed of 62% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Cabernet Franc, aged in French oak (25% new) to balance fruit, structure, and approachability. 
Aromas & Flavors
Juicy red fruits—raspberry, red currant—merge with cedar, baking spice, and subtle floral lift. Earthy and graphite tones bring depth.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full body, with soft but persistent tannins. The wine opens smoothly and finishes long with fruit and spice echoing.

Food Pairings
Roast lamb, duck breast, mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses. Also pairs beautifully with charcuterie.

Verdict
A concentrated, value-driven Margaux that shows the pedigree of Cantenac Brown. The 2020 Brio balances power and elegance — drink now or cellar for 8–12 years. 🍷 cheers!

Did You Know? 📌
Second wines (like Brio) are often sourced from younger vines or lots not selected for the Grand Vin, yet in 2020 Cantenac Brown treated it with care: the blend leans more Merlot than the Grand Vin to give earlier approachability. — 8 months ago

Erik Longabardi

9.4

Good muscadet is ethereal. — 5 years ago

James K

9.0

Great value. Drinks well with food. — 8 years ago

with Kari

Peter Slagowitz

9.0

Out of a half bottle. Took a bit of time to open. Black fruit. Not much acid or tannin. Very approachable for a young Margaux.but lacks complexity. At this stage. — 9 years ago

with Nancy

Paul Mason

9.1

April 2012 disgorgement — 11 years ago