Margaux du Château Margaux 2012 is more open today than the 2011. It is a very dense wine that blossoms after a few moments, revealing complex aromas of spice, black fruits and flowers. Following this very pure nose, it is fresh and smooth on the palate, with balance and finesse. Although the tightly-knit tannins are present, their silkiness is so remarkable that they are forgotten, even in such a young wine. It does not have the depth and complexity of the Pavillon Rouge, but this wine is no less a reflection of our terroir, which has the ability to produce wines that combine softness and power, freshness and maturity; wines that are delicious to drink young, but that can be kept for several decades.
Margaux
Climate
2012 marked the return of a great climatic classicism: a cold winter, especially in February, followed by a very wet spring, then a very dry summer before a return to rainy weather as from September 20th.
The heavy rain which lasted until July 15th, created very favourable conditions for the development of mildew. However this year we intensified our organic programme with great success: not only have we not used any insecticide on the estate for 10 years, but in 2012 we only used one chemical treatment, as opposed to the usual 7 or 8 on the great wine plots. We’re almost there…
From July 15th onwards, the weather was dry and moderately warm but punctuated by a few very hot days. Such conditions are typical of great Bordeaux classic vintages: they allow for the simultaneous ripening and concentration of the grapes. Only the less good terroirs and young vines suffered from the sudden transition from a very wet spring to a very dry summer.
The weather changed again from the first day of autumn: the moderate rains, which fell regularly from September 20th onwards, arrived too late to greatly upset the ripening or health of the grapes, but probably prevented, by a few days, 2012 from being the great vintage it should have been.
The harvest of the whites took place between the 10th and the 14th September, while the harvest of the reds was carried out between the 25th September and the 16th October, just before the weather really deteriorated...