Chateau Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classe 2002

Chateau Margaux, 1'eme Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, Bordeaux, 2002

Grapes: A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Matured in French oak.

The old vine Merlot this year was hit badly by both coulure (poor spring fruit set/pollination = no grapes form from flowers) and millerandage (irregular fruit on a bunch with grapes forming in different sizes, some normal, some tiny and seedless) with, consequently, very little being harvested. On the other hand, the Indian summer in 2002 produced Cabernet & Petit Verdot of remarkable quality!

"Performing better from bottle than at any time in cask (which of course is the objective of great winemaking, isn’t it?), this wine reveals a dense ruby/purple color in a style somewhat reminiscent of the 1988 but with more power, concentration, and volume. It has a beautifully elegant nose of black fruits intermixed with truffle, flower, and oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied, dense, with wonderful precision, freshness, and a long, full-bodied finish with impressive levels of concentration"

93/100 points, Robert M. Parker Jr., WINE ADVOCATE, April 2005