2015 Bordeaux, Margaux

Lots of passion at Palmer in the bottom picture but the most impressive was how elegantly Thibault Pontallier handled the tasting, and how personal he got just days after his fathers passing. A very different primeur tasting at Château Margaux this year.

2015 Château Angludet

Ruby. Herbs, dark fruits, vanilla nose, leaner. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner, red berries and blueberries, good length. 88-90

2015 Château d'Arsac

Ruby. Scented, red berries, some floral notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, rounded, dark berries, spices. Good length. 87-89

2015 Château d'Arsac blanc

Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, fruity, rounded nose. Gooseberries. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, lively, lemons and minerals. 86-88

2015 L'Aura de Cambon

Ruby. Dark fruits, some spices, violets, floral, raspberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, rounded, elegant. 89-91

2015 Château Boyd Cantenac

Ruby. Spices, ripe, dark berries, coffee and chocolate nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, rich and intense, new style? 90-92

2015 Château Brane-Cantenac

Ruby. Fruity, dark berries, spices, tasted three times with consistent notes, the wood was a bit up front on all three samples. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, rounded, elegant and detailed. Long finish. 93-95

2015 Château Cantenac Brown

Bright ruby. Floral, scented, herbs, red berries and darker fruits. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, elegant and lively, detailed, long. 93-95

2015 Château Le Coteau

Ruby. Scented, lighter red berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, juicy, fruity. 85-87

2015 Château Dauzac

Ruby. Dark fruits and red berries, spices and floral notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, rounded, elegant fruit, spices, long. Seems to have the concentration to swallow the oak that sometimes is a bit overdone from this address. 91-93

2015 Château Desmirail

Dark fruits, spices, light floral note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner, good length. 88-90

2015 Château Deyrem Valentin

Ruby. Ripe, rich, intense,d ark fruits, quite intense, rich nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, fruity, juicy, darker, some coffee and chocolate, long. 90-92

2015 Château Durfort Vivens

Ruby. Scented, fruity, spices, dark berries, nuanced, floral, red fruits behind. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, fruity, dark berries, some spices, long and juicy. 93-95

2015 Château Ferriere

Ruby. Dark fruits, scented, floral and ripe nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh and elegant, darker notes, long. 90-92

2015 Château Giscours

Ruby. Dark fruits, spices, floral, blueberries, nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, lively, detailed, long. Lovely balance. 93-95

2015 Château La Gurgue

Ruby. Darkfruits, some spices, blackberries nose. Fresh acidity,r ipe tannins,f ruity, bit jammy. 88-90

2015 Château Haut Breton Larigaudiére

Ruby. Rich, vanilla, chocolate and dark fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, ripe, leaner. 86-88

2015 Château d'Issan

Ruby. Dark fruits, spices, nuanced nose, floral, violets, dark fruits. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark and red berries, juicy, nuanced, long. 93-95

2015 Clos du Jaugueyron Margaux

Ruby. Scented, dark fruits, blueberries, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, dark berries, spices, long and juicy. 91-93

2015 Château Kirwan

Ruby. Fruity, floral, elegant nose, dark and red berries, scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, rounded, textured, spices, long. 90-92

2015 Château Labégorce

Ruby. Fruity, floral, elegant nose, dark and red berries, scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, rounded, textured, spices, long. 90-92

2015 Château Lascombes

Ruby. Dark fruits, spices, rounded and intense nose, mint and coffee. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rounded, some herbs, fruity, red berries, long. 90-92

2015 Château Malescot St. Exupery

Ruby. Red berries, spices, floral, darker fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, elegant and playful, detailed, slight bitterness in the finish, long. 92-94

2015 Margaux du Château de Malleret

Ruby. Fruity, dark berries, some spices, floral notes mulberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, some spices, good length. 89-91

2015 Château Margaux

Ruby. Scented, red berries, nuanced, detailed, layered, floral, refined nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, intense, ripe, deep, dark fruits, layers, nuanced, detailed, lively, long indeed. Yield of about 40hl/Ha, ecological production since 2012, 2 hectares tested since 2002 for biodynamics and will test this for another six years before they conclude. Château Margaux never used much chemicals in their vineyard in the first hand. About 120.000 bottles of the first wine. 96-98

2015 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux

Ruby. Scented. Red berries, some spices, touch of herbs far back, elegant and nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, elegant, structured, nuanced, lovely balance, long. 91-93

2015 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux

Pale lemon yellow. Apples, some grapefruits, lemons, some minerals and vanilla notes. Fresh acidity, fruity, fresh, lively, detailed, nuanced, minerals, detailed, lemons and touch smoky, long. 900 bottles per hectare in yield, producing about 10.000 bottles per year. 92-94

2015 Château Marojallia
Deep ruby. Dark fruits, ripe, cassis, blueberry jam nose. Spices and tobacco. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, fruity, dark berries, spices, fresh, long. 91-93

2015 Clos Margalaine
Ruby. Dark fruits, some spices, rich, intense and dark berries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, fruity, dark berries, spices, long. 90-92

2015 Château Marquis d'Alesme

Ruby. Dark fruits, scented, floral, elegant nose. Blackberries and violets. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, juicy, fresh and lively, quite nuanced, long. 92-94

2015 Château Marquis de Terme

Ruby. Spices, cassis, blueberries and floral notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded texture, fresh, some wood sticks out, long. 91-93

2015 Château Mille Roses

Ruby. Light raspberries and blackberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, juicy, leaner, fresh. 85-87

2015 Château Monbrison

Ruby. Spices, fruity, rounded, wood and darker berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner, juicy if a bit woody, long. 90-92

2015 Château Mongravey

Ruby. Scented, red berries, some spices, fruity. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, structured, juicy, bit woody. 86-88

2015 Château Palmer

Ruby. Red berries, some floral notes, nuanced, elegant, cassis and blueberries, floral notes, lovely nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, spices, detailed, juicy, fresh, long. 94-96

2015 Alter Ego

Ruby. Red berries, some darker fruits, floral, scented, quite nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, ripe, quite structured, elegant, long. 89-91

2015 Château Paveil de Luze

Ruby. Scented, red berries, fruity, spices, darker fruits. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, fresh, red berries, some spices, fresh. 86-88

2015 Château Prieuré-Lichine

Ruby. Some floral notes, red berries, spices, slight herbal note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, some spices, quite elegant, long. 91-93

2015 Clos des Quatre Vents

6000 bottles made. Ruby. Scented, dark berries, some wood and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, fruity, elegant if somewhat woody finish. 90-92

2015 Château Rauzan-Gassies

Ruby. Wood, spices, red and darker fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, ripe, intense, leaner, bit woody finish. 90-92

2015 Château Rauzan-Ségla

Ruby. Dark fruits, spices, some red berries, deeper nose, juicy. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, juicy, ripe, red berries, elegant and playful, long. 93-95

2015 Château Siran

Ruby. Red berries, some herbs, fruity nose, lightly scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, dark berries, some spices, long. 90-92

2015 Château Tayac Plaisance

Ruby. Some dark fruits and touch floral nose, vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, juicy, good length. 87-89

2015 Château du Tertre

Ruby. Herbs, quite reductive sample and only tasted once. Dark fruits and red berries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner, fresh, fruity, red and darker berries, long. 89-92

2015 Château La Tour de Bessan

Ruby. Dark fruits, some spices, floral notes, herbal nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity if leaner, good length. 85-87

2015 Château La Tour de Mons

Ruby. Scented, dark fruits, spices, light jammy touch. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, juicy, dark berries, spices, good length. 87-89