Wine atlas · FR · Margaux
Grand Vin du Château Margaux 2018
Château Margaux · 930 US label registrations
Vintage entry with an indicative editorial window.
01 · Profile in the glass
Classic, perfumed Margaux
An editorial reading based on style, grapes, and sources — not a tasting note for this bottle.
- Color
- Deep ruby to garnet.
- Palate
- Structured and fine: high but polished tannin; dark fruit with perfume rather than only power.
- Finish
- Long, dry, with cedar and dried flower.
Aromatic families
- cassis
- violet
- cedar
- graphite
- plum
- tobacco
02 · The terroir shaping the wine
Margaux
Margaux is a lesson in gravel terraces: drainage and moderate heat retention help Cabernet Sauvignon ripen with fine tannin.
- Soil
- Gravel terraces with sand and clay
- Altitude
- 5–40 m
- Annual rainfall
- 950 mm
- Heat summation
- Not catalogued
- Aspect
- Low-elevation terraces
- Harvest
- September to October
- Appellation
- AOC · INAO-17930
03 · From landscape to flavor
From landscape to flavor
Every relationship displays its evidence grade and source; contested links remain visibly contested.
Greater heat accumulation tends to support Ripe fruit
Within the limits of variety and management, more heat can accelerate ripening and shift fruit profile.
Influence of Climate, Soil, and Cultivar on TerroirHarvest timing tends to support Freshness
Harvest date changes the observable combination of sugar, acidity, and aromatic maturity.
Standards and technical documents: viticultureCluster sunlight exposure tends to support Color
Exposure changes ripening and pigmentation processes, with effects depending on variety and intensity.
Standards and technical documents: viticultureOak contact tends to support Vanilla
Wood-derived compounds can contribute aromas associated with vanilla.
Oak influence in wineDrainage of gravel terraces tends to support Structure
Drainage influences water available to vines; linking it directly to structure requires controlling for vintage and management.
MargauxOld vines tends to support Concentration
Vine age is often associated with concentration, but site selection, yield, and management confound attribution.
Standards and technical documents: viticultureLarge diurnal temperature range tends to support Freshness
Diurnal range is often used to explain freshness, but averages, extremes, and available water also matter.
Influence of Climate, Soil, and Cultivar on TerroirSite dominates cultivar tends to support Structure
Terroir studies show interaction among climate, soil, and cultivar, not a fixed hierarchy in every context.
Influence of Climate, Soil, and Cultivar on Terroir04 · How to read this bottle
How to read this bottle
bordeaux
Bottle anatomy
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Drag to rotate, then use the wheel or pinch gesture to zoom. The points open notes about the shape.
This device is using the static edition. The label and every annotation remain accessible.
05 · How it is made
How it is made
Bordeaux blending organizes varieties by function: Cabernet Sauvignon structures, Merlot fills, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot adjust perfume, color, and tension.
06 · Why it matters
Why it matters
The reputation is immense, but the page should teach mechanism: why gravel, drainage, and blending matter.
07 · Serving and table
Serving and table
- Temperature
- 16–18 °C
- Decanting
- 1 to 2 hours young; cautious service for mature bottles.
- Glass
- Large Bordeaux glass.
Pairings
- lamb
- mushrooms
- game birds
- hard cheeses
08 · Points to remember
Points to remember
- Margaux is an INAO-recognized AOC.
- Cabernet Sauvignon is the structural grape of the style.
- Gravel does not directly “taste mineral”; it influences water and heat.