2021 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux

Floral notes with an attractive purity to the fruit. Firmly structured with the tannins well integrated in the fruit. Freshness and length on the finish. Demure but should age.

Drink 2027 - 2038

The 2021 Pavillon Rouge offers up aromas of raspberries, sweet cherries and white flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively palate that's quite taut and youthfully structured out of the gates, with good depth at the core and powdery tannins. It will reward a bit of bottle age.

Drink 2027 - 2045

The 2021 Pavillon Rouge is bright and beautifully focused. A slender, vibrant Pavillon Rouge, the 2021 impresses with energy more than volume. Bright acids lift a core of red plum fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and rose petal. Saline notes extend the finish. Today, the 2021 is a bit clenched, but that should not be an issue in a few years' time.

Drink 2031 - 2046

30% of overall production, 60% new oak. 36hl/h yield, Philippe Bascaules estate director.

Beautifully sappy, balanced feel, plums, damson, red cherry, sage, gunsmoke, peony, balanced alcohols. This is a second wine with plenty of character, finesse, and nuance. It stretches out through the palate. A touch more Cabernet Franc this year in the blend gives a savoury floral uplift.

Drink 2025 - 2038

Most likely the second wine of the vintage, the 2021 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge boasts a deep ruby/purple hue and beautiful aromatics of red and blue fruits, smoke tobacco, violets, and graphite. It's medium-bodied, has remarkable purity, integrated acidity, and one heck of a beautiful finish. You can taste more than a little Grand Vin in this, yet it clearly has more up-front charm and appeal. A blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it benefits from air and should be at its best from 2029 - 2041.

The 2021 Pavillon Rouge showed well from barrel. Now, in bottle since late June, it has a gorgeous, very pure, almost Burgundy-like bouquet that blossoms in the glass: raspberry, blackberry and crushed violet scents. The palate is medium-bodied with very succulent tannins, fine acidity, gentle grip and a disarmingly minerally, fresh finish. What a delightful Pavillon.

Drink 2025 - 2040

Second wine of Chateau Margaux. 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc.

This wine has a tightness and linear energy, with red currants, herbs, plums and hints of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied with beautiful integration and length. Racy and focused. Just the right amount of wood and fruit with tannins.

Rich and intense on the nose, fragranced red and pink flowers with red cherries and plums. There is a really vibrant pink rim to the glass, too. Touches of dark chocolate, cedar and green pepper, herbal, and eucalyptus. Round and vibrant, a playfulness - super high acidity, almost sharp and tart and tangy, with grippy tannins that give the texture and structure. Half crushed velvet and half lean and austere, so you get both weight and direction.

It feels quite youthful and buzzy right now, but this has a nice juiciness, great fresh acidities, a bite on the tongue, and a clean - wet stone slate feeling and texture. A touch of green peppercorn and toast gives the spicy angles and the minerality to the finish. It is well constructed, but not the easiest to drink at the moment. This is more serious, but there's good potential and a lot of flavour. It has a certain intensity; a touch of green leeness sets it apart from being totally charming right now, but this certainly carries interest and nuance.

Drink 2027 - 2045