Margaux. The perfumed heart of the Médoc.

A warm corner of the Médoc

Margaux sits northwest of the city of Bordeaux on the Left Bank of the Gironde, the southernmost of the Médoc’s six communal appellations. Sheltered from the Atlantic by the Landes forest, its grapes can ripen 7 to 10 days earlier than further north. The name goes back to the 12th century and La Mothe de Margaux, the mound of Margaux, and the appellation has the highest gravel croupe in the Médoc. Thomas Jefferson praised Château Margaux in the 1780s and later named it among his four favorite Bordeaux wines, and in 1917 it became the first estate to print Cru Classé on its label.

Its soils were once thought to be the poorest in the Médoc: gravel, pebbles, stones and limestone. Thin, stony soils warm up quickly and drain well, which can save a wet vintage, though they struggle in drought. Because Bordeaux rainfall swings so widely, the episode stresses that vintage quality must be judged estate by estate.

Why Margaux tastes different

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted grape here, as on the rest of the Left Bank. What sets Margaux apart is a little more Merlot, thanks to pockets of clay in the soil. This gives many wines a silky, ethereal side, more delicate and soft than bold Pauillac. Styles vary a lot: Château Palmer has close to equal Cabernet and Merlot, while Château Margaux’s grand vin is around 90% Cabernet.

Margaux is the largest of the Médoc communal appellations, with just under 1,500 hectares, and it spans several communes, including Cantenac, Soussans, Arsac and Labarde. Be careful with the label: Château Margaux shares its name with the appellation, but most wines labeled Margaux come from other estates.

The 1855 Classification, explained

Margaux holds 21 of the 61 red wines classified in 1855, in all five tiers, with Château Margaux as its only First Growth. The episode explains how brokers drew up the list in two weeks for the Paris Universal Exposition, using decades of prices rather than tastings, and why it has been criticized: it classifies châteaux, not vineyards, so estates can grow and keep their status.

You will also learn about Liv-ex’s modern price-based version from 2009, and the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc, created for good estates outside the 1855 list. Since the 2018 vintage it has three tiers: Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. The hosts share their value tips, including a rare 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a little-known estate.

Grape thieves and a First Growth surprise

Out in the vines, Andreas plays a trick on Susie that leads to the story of Bordeaux mixture, the copper and lime spray born from farmers’ efforts to stop grape thieves.

Then Susie has a surprise of her own. Over a bottle of Château Margaux 2003, the estate’s team explains how they kept freshness in such a hot year through early picking and gentle extraction. Hear the hosts’ verdict on what they call benchmark Margaux.

Three levels of Margaux and steak tartare

Back in the studio, Susie compares three wines at three levels: Château Siran 2018, a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur with a dash of Petit Verdot, Fourth Growth Château Dauzac 2020 and Second Growth Château Lascombes 2016. Find out why Andreas calls Petit Verdot a salt and pepper grape, and which wine he finds almost Right Bank in style.

Chef Alexandre Baumard serves a refined steak tartare with egg yolk and root vegetables cooked in honey. Andreas explains how salt, acidity and a hint of sweetness bring out the fruit in tannic reds, and why a fairly light dish suits the relative lightness of Margaux.

Go furtherStudying Bordeaux in depth? The Bordeaux Master-Level program from the Wine Scholar Guild is a natural next step after this episode.