Pavillon Rouge 2005

The structure and richness of a Second Red Wine from Margaux

The estate

With origins dating back to the 12th century, Château Margaux is among those Grands Crus that have built the legend of great Bordeaux wines around the world. In 1855, the estate was elevated to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé and was the only one of the four châteaux presented to receive a perfect score of twenty out of twenty. With the acquisition of the estate in 1977 by André Mentzelopoulos, Château Margaux began a new chapter in its history. Elevating the Grand Vin of Château Margaux to the highest level, he reintroduced the estate’s Second Wine, Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, first created in 1908. Following in her father’s footsteps after his premature passing, Corinne Mentzelopoulos took up the family standard with energy and passion to preserve the standing of Château Margaux, which had become a Bordeaux masterpiece, so recognizable by its neo-Palladian style. Vintage after vintage, the estate’s wines rank among the greatest in the world.

The vineyard

The vineyard of Château Margaux owes its distinctiveness to its rare and unique terroir, located on a gravel outcrop. The estate’s varietal composition gives pride of place to the region’s flagship black grape, Cabernet Sauvignon, without forgetting Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The property’s clay-limestone soils give rise to legendary wines, with a racy and sensual character, so representative of the Margaux appellation.

The vintage

A cooler-than-normal winter delayed budbreak by a week, then a warm, bright spring carried the vines confidently to a quick flowering in early June, aligned with last year’s timing. Fruit set was ideal, yet it did not conceal an anticipated smaller harvest than in 2004, as the vines bore fewer clusters. The summer, splendid and marked above all by exceptional dryness — barely 100 mm of rain from May 1 to harvest — was fortunately warm without excess, avoiding a repeat of 2003’s extremes. As is often the case, the great terroirs showed remarkable wisdom: they tempered the extremes, responding with the same poise and balance that define their wines. Harvest began on September 20.

Blend

Cabernets (48%), Merlot (48%), Petit Verdot (4%).

Characteristics and tasting advice for Pavillon Rouge 2005

Tasting

Power, roundness, and balance harmoniously define this 2005 vintage which, alongside 2010 and 2015, ranks among the Pavillon Rouge wines with the highest levels of alcohol and tannins ever produced.