98+

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2023 Château Margaux is a delicate, beguiling wine. Floral aromatics make a strong first impression. A wine of nuance and understatement, the Margaux Grand Vin is light on its feet, with sublime balance and tons of class. This has closed down quite a bit since I tasted it from barrel, but that is not especially surprising. Readers will find a super-classic Grand Vin—a Margaux that is exactly as it should be. 03/2026

97

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2023 Château Margaux, which was bottled at the beginning of July, is a supremely gifted wine for the vintage. It unfolds in the glass with precise, quite mineral-driven black cherry and blueberry fruit, the patina of new oak suggesting it will require six or seven years in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with a satin-like texture that lends this First Growth weightlessness, yet paradoxically, there is still impressive concentration and persistence. This was so seductive in barrel and it has lost none of that in bottle. 02/2026

96

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2023 Château Margaux unwinds in the glass with notes of sweet red and black fruits mingled with hints of violets, orange zest and petals, lavishly framed by spicy, toasty oak that is quite prominent out of the gates. Medium- to full-bodied, with a deep core of primary fruit built around bright acids and chalky structuring tannins, it's youthful and vibrant and will require a bit of patience. It's a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that attained 13% alcohol, with the Cabernet Sauvignon seeing somewhat shorter than usual macerations and the inverse for Merlot. 04/2026

96-100

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2023 Château Margaux is clearly one of the greats in the vintage, and it actually reminds me a touch of the 1996, if not better. Revealing a deep purple hue, it has an incredible bouquet of cassis and blue fruits interwoven with classic Margaux floral, sandalwood, spice, and graphite aromatics. It's hard to find a wine in 2023 that has this much density and depth, with sweet tannins and so much charm. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all of which will see 20 months in new barrels. Not enough can be said about the genius of Philippe Bascaules and the Mentzelopoulos family, who continue to produce sensational wine after sensational wine. 05/2024

97

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur sombre, pourpre et vive. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, subtil et noble, avec du fond et pour autant une note florale de violette. Ultra minutieux en entrée de bouche, délicat, subtil et aérien au milieu, le vin évolue dense, juteux et parfumé, sur un toucher fin. Il s'achève long, sur une saveur de fruits noirs. C'est superbe ! Assemblage : 89 % cabernet sauvignon, 5 % merlot, 4 % cabernet franc, 2 % petit verdot. Degré d'alcool : 13°1 - pH : 3,6. Sélection : 41 % de la récolte. 04/2024

99-100

James Suckling

James Suckling

The aromas in this young Margaux are so primary, reminding me of grape must fermenting in the vat, then turning to perfumes and flowers. Violets and roses. Full-bodied but it comes across as so agile and bright, with vivid acidity that makes the wine crunchy and linear. As Alexis, one of the owners of Margaux said, this really shows the DNA of the estate. Weightless. One of the wines of the vintage. 3.6 pH. Blend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. 04/2024