1998 Chateau Margaux Margaux France

Winery Notes

"We came very close to making a great vintage. It was a question of a few showers at the beginning of the harvest... From the beginning, the wines, whether Merlot or Cabernet, had astonishing concentration, recalling the 1995 and 1996 vintages. At first, they tended to be a little firm and austere, but with barrel ageing they gained a lot of roundness and harmony. Today, Château Margaux 1998 displays aromas of great freshness, in which fruit, particularly red berry fruit, is to the fore, and in which lingering hints of vanilla and roasted coffee beans mingle slowly into the wine. The impression on the palate is of great power with fresh, firm but fat tannins, which give this wine a very classic dimension. 1998 is undeniably a long-ageing wine, which will only come out completely in fifteen years' time. However, it can be drunk now, out of curiosity, since it has nothing aggressive about it. (May 2006)"

Press

Rated 96 Points Jane Anson

"Owner Corinne Menzelopoulos said of the 1998: 'We came very close to making a great vintage', because the excellent weather was just thrown off course by rain at the beginning of harvest. It might not have the perfection of the 2009 vintage (one of my six 100 point wines given in 2022 tastings), but it's hard to argue with the supple, balanced and effortless pleasure offered by this bottle. Expect white truffle, soy, undergrowth, raspberry leaf, saffron, cassis, turmeric, brambled autumnal fruit and a kick of orange peel giving focus and grip on the finish. 50% of crop in 1st wine. Paul Pontallier technical director, 100% new oak."

Rated 95 Points Decanter

"The slightly lighter colour and developing aromas demonstrate that this is starting to mature. Still, the abundant blackcurrant fruit aromas are touched with mint and just a suggestion of cedar, gunflint and earth. The texture is still firm, but the tannins are smooth and supple, and the bright, fresh acidity leads to an impressively long finish. The wine is more about finesse, but it remains surprisingly youthful and should have a long life ahead of it."

Rated 92 Points International Wine Cellar

"Medium ruby. Cool, floral aromas of red berries, violet, cocoa powder, graphite and spicy oak, along with a whiff of smoked meat. Juicy, sharply delineated and austere; a classic, adamantly dry claret with superb intensity and grip. This is beginning to close up, unlike the '99. But really expands on the very long, perfumed finish. Tannins are dusty but even."