Margaux村的王者Chateau Margaux常被形容是全Medoc最優美、最女性化的一級酒莊。其酒質表現出優雅與強勁的巧妙結合，宛如高貴端莊的貴族仕女，是一種嚴謹不帶野性、均衡不浮誇的美。Chateau Margaux美酒兩百多年來風靡了許多酒迷的心，包括美國第一任駐法大使，後來當上第三任美國總統湯瑪斯·傑佛遜，他甚至將Chateau Margaux列為他心目中第一名的波爾多紅酒。
Chateau Margaux早在1908年就開始生產二軍酒Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux，一般簡稱「紅亭」；它大部分是採用比較年輕樹齡的果實，也會使用較多的壓榨酒，展現了和一軍相近而略顯粗獷的迷人風格。
WA:92 - 94 Drink :2025 - 2043
The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The alcohol weighs in at 13.6%. Deep purple-black in color, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal gorgeous floral notes of lilacs and red roses, leading to a core of blackcurrant cordial, Morello cherries and minted blackberries, plus wafts of crushed rocks, forest floor and tilled loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is a mouthful of pure vinous seduction, slowly releasing layers of perfumed black fruits and mineral accents within a frame of achingly plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and a whole array of fragrant earth sparks.
“What I like in 2020 is the intensity of the flavors, the wines are more floral. It is amazing to have a young wine so immediately complex,” said Chateau Margaux’s technical director, Philippe Bascaules. “We had 80 millimeters of rain on the 13th of August. This completely stopped the stress on the vines; it stopped the dehydration. In 2018, we had dehydration in September, even in 2019. This explains the higher levels of alcohol. We didn’t see this dehydration in 2020. But why do we have this high level of phenolics? Because the skins in 2020 were even richer than in 2018 and 2019—they were rich in phenolics. Even if we didn’t have the higher alcohol as a solvent, we had more tannins in the wines. They diffused very easily to the juice. It was a sign of very good ripeness. We picked 10th through 30th September. Fortunately, we had an early harvest—before it turned cold and wet.” No doubt thanks to the deep, free-draining gravels accounting for much of the vineyard area here and quickly dispensing with excess water during the August rains, the grand vin of Chateau Margaux is an absolute standout among my tastings of the wines of Médoc. It has grace with just enough generosity and sustained mid-palate intensity as well as a long finish. The quality of the tannins and the layers are phenomenal, but it is the freshness that is truly mind-blowing. Sensational performance in 2020!
