winery

Château Margaux

Bordeaux, France

Philosophy

Hand-harvested fruit, meticulous parcel selection in vineyard. Fermentation in temperature-controlled vats. Aged in new French oak. Grand Vin represents rigorous selection, rarely exceeding 40% of harvest. Signature character: pronounced violet and cassis aromatics, silky tannin texture, exceptional elegance and minerality from well-drained gravel terroir.

Reputation

From its foundation as a serious wine estate by Pierre de Lestonnac in the 1570s, Château Margaux emerged on the gravel mound that names the commune—a terrain of exceptional drainage that would yield wines of unprecedented finesse. Sole First Growth of Margaux, and the sole estate awarded perfect 20/20 points in the 1855 Classification, the property remained under lineage through the female side until financial crisis forced sale in 1977 to the visionary Greek businessman André Mentzelopoulos.

AllocationProduction figures vary slightly across sources: Wikipedia cites 150,000 bottles Grand Vin and 200,000 Pavillon Rouge; château's own fact sheet lists 120,000 and 100,000 respectively. Used estate-sourced figures. Organic farming confirmed practicing (100% since 2017) but no formal certification per World of Fine Wine (Lawther 2022). Successor transition occurred 2023; Corinne Mentzelopoulos retained as board chair. No formal US importer identified in sources; multiple third-party distributors/retailers reference the estate. Estate uses organic methods but deliberately avoids certification cost and bureaucracy. Recommend verifying current-importer status directly with château for definitive placement.

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