Wine Advisor
Chateau Margaux 1999
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 1999 Château Margaux is an immensely charming wine that's drinking beautifully today from both bottle and, in this case, magnum. Bursting with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and violets framed by subtle hints of cigar box, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and sensual, with an enveloping core of fruit, ripe and melting tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Analogies with the immensely charming 1985 vintage are very persuasive, as the 1999 is quite reminiscent of how the 1985 tasted fifteen years ago.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1999 Chateau Margaux has been the standout First Growth since I first tasted the wine from barrel. Now reaching its plateau of maturity, it has an understated nose at first, armed with impressive mineralité with a gorgeous graphite seam. The definition and precision here is top class. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth in texture, very harmonious and assured, surprisingly with some new oak still to be fully assimilated into the wine. The signature Margaux traits of crushed black cherries and violets comes through towards the finish, suggestions of raspberry reserve and desiccated orange peel enhancing the long finish. Perhaps I might temper my initial enthusiasm for the 1999 Château Margaux...but only slightly. It comes highly recommended. Tasted May 2016.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos and manager Paul Pontallier stated that in 1999, they thinned Margaux's vineyards more than ever before, as this difficult vintage had to be managed very carefully from a vineyard perspective. About 15% of the harvest was relegated to the generic 1999 Margaux. The wine reveals the vintage's flamboyant side in its sweet, blackberry, and cassis-scented nose. With airing, spicy vanillin and toast notes also emerge. Soft and full-bodied, there is admirable density behind the wine's superficial display of charm. The vintage's high sugars have resulted in nearly 13% alcohol. This offering will be drinkable young, yet last for 20+ years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Impressive out of barrel, although I questioned whether it would become a classic Chateau Margaux. Tasted again in November 2003 at the MW 1999 tasting where is shone brightly, the best wine in Bordeaux. A very complex nose with blackberry and violets, reminds me of a field full of morning dew. The palate has exquisite balance, a smooth entry, powerful velvety tannins that seduce the palate. A delicious finish of briary and smoked meat. This is the only First Growth stamp its authority over the vintage. Magnificent. Drink from 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Approximately 38% of the production made it into the 1999 Chateau Margaux. A dense ruby/purple-colored offering, it possesses extraordinary balance as well as a classic, disarming bouquet of blackberries, truffles, licorice, and smoke. A quintessential Margaux, this seductive, sexy yet beautifully balanced effort displays impeccably integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol. It will be atypically delicious young, yet will age for 2-3 decades. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2025.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the 1999 horizontal at Bordeaux Index. This Chateau Margaux was captivating in its youth and at ten-years of age it displays a wonderful, exuberant bouquet with blackberry, violet, boysenberry, a touch of spice and smoke. The palate is full-bodied, great depth and breadth with firm tannins, there is a real backbone to this Margaux, struck through with a tangible sense of mineralite that sends a tingle down the spice. It does actually take time to coalesce in the glass but it ultimately seduces the palate with its wily feminine charms. Lovely. Drink 2013-2030. Tasted June 2009.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The sexy, dark plum/purple-colored 1999 Margaux is already revealing complex aromatics. This surprisingly charming and round offering is reminiscent of a vintage such as 1985. Although neither a blockbuster nor a heavyweight, it grows in the mouth revealing tremendous length as well as purity. Administrator Paul Pontallier prefers it to the more austere 1998, as do I. This is an archetypical Chateau Margaux of richness, finesse, balance, and symmetry. It can be drunk young, but promises to age nicely for two decades. Extrapolating backwards, it would probably have something in common with the underrated 1962 Medocs.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium ruby. Expressive aromas of black raspberry, Cuban tobacco and grilled nuts; a bit more red fruit in character than either the 2000 or the 2001. Silky, seamless and enveloping, but the wine's excellent vinosity gives its creamy fruit very good definition. Consistent from start to finish. Tannins are substantial but fine, allowing the fruit and floral flavors to linger impressively. Along with Latour, an early candidate for the wine of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium ruby. Scented nose combines loganberry, boysenberry and minerals. Wonderfully creamy and layered in the mouth, with compelling sweetness and charm. Superripe but not roasted, with complicating notes of violet and spice. Finishes with dusty, even tannins and superb persistence. Beautifully made wine: can there be a better 1999?
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright deep ruby. Sappy, vinous aromas of black raspberry, violet, licorice and dark chocolate. Dense, thick and chocolatey in the mouth, with plenty of oak showing today. Full and rather powerful for Margaux; the wine's sizable structure conveys an impression of thoroughly ripe cabernet. Finishes subtle, long and penetrating, with thoroughly buffered tannins. This is slightly lower in acidity than the '98 but has approximately the same pH.
About the Producer
Chateau Margaux is located in the village of Margaux, in the Medoc appellation on the left bank of Bordeaux, and was awarded a First Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Medoc classification, alongside Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour and Château Haut-Brion. It is also known as Chateau Haut-Brion. Château Margaux currently covers a total of 262 hectares, including 99 hectares of vineyards. The red vineyard has an appellation of 87 hectares, of which 82 hectares are planted, while the white vineyard is planted with 12 hectares. The red varieties are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc; the white varieties are Sauvignon Blanc and the vines are on average 45 years old. Since the end of the 1990s, the estate has refused to use pesticides in the vineyards. In addition, only organic fertilisers are used in the vineyard, and deep fertilisation is carried out at regular intervals to improve the soil structure and rejuvenate the soil. During the harvest season, the winery team selects the right time to harvest the grapes by testing and analysing all the indicators and by tasting the grapes themselves. Once the grapes have reached their ideal state of ripeness, they are harvested by a team of over 200 trained harvesters. Once in the winery, the grapes undergo a rigorous selection process before being de-stemmed. Both oak barrels and stainless steel tanks are used to ferment the red grapes, while the white grapes are fermented entirely in oak barrels. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. The red wines are then left to mature in oak barrels for 18-24 months and the whites for 6-8 months. The main wine of the estate, Château Margaux's red wine, is rich and complex, with an elegant and powerful ballet on the tongue, rich and smooth tannins, good balance and a long, fresh finish with excellent ageing potential. It successfully conquered Napoleon Bonaparte, the founder of the First French Empire, and won the hearts of Thomas Jefferson, the founding father of the United States, and Margaret Thatcher, the "Iron Lady" of England. In the world of wine criticism, Château Margaux's red wines have also been recognised, with four perfect scores from Robert Parker and many more from other critics with 95 points or more. In recent years, the quality of Château Margaux's red wines has been steady and has maintained a high level of interest in the market.
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