97pts James Suckling

Succulent and gorgeous with such supple tannins, yet it’s full bodied and very rich. It’s very savory, too. Dense, yet polished on the palate, showing fresh, minerally and salty notes. You want to drink it already. 27% of the crop and a blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot, the rest petit verdot and cabernet franc.

96pts Wine Enthusiast

This is a ripe, deliciously juicy wine that is balanced by plenty of structure and spice. The pure black currant fruits are already impressive, giving a fine line of freshness that's allied with richness.

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2019 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge is absolutely brilliant, and jaw dropping stuff as a second wine. Deep purple-hued with a beautiful bouquet of ripe red and black fruits as well as sandalwood, spice, and tobacco, it's medium to full-bodied, has polished, seamless tannins, great overall balance, and a stunning finish. It has more than a little Château Margaux class, and while it’s already impossible to resist, it has another 20-25 years of longevity.

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Given that Margaux's second wine contains plenty of fruit that made it into the grand vin just a decade or two ago, great things are to be expected from this bottling. Yet I was nonetheless taken aback by the quality of the 2019 Pavillon Rouge. Wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, plums and cherries mingled with rose petals and sweet spices, it's medium to full-bodied, sensual and concentrated, with beautifully refined tannins, racy acids and a long, penetrating finish. This is an exquisite Pavillon Rouge that is well worth seeking out. I confess that I don't buy many second wines, but I did purchase a case of this, with alacrity, right after tasting it.

94pts Vinous

The 2019 Pavillon Rouge has a more austere bouquet than its peers, nuanced yet still well-defined, taut with black fruit laced with pencil shavings and freshly rolled tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, pliant and rounded, smooth and harmonious though not satin-like…there is still a bit of grit on the finish. It builds and opens nicely in the glass - a serious and quite compelling Deuxième Vin. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

94pts Decanter

Lovely perfumed Merlot type fragrance on the nose, soft, delicate but defined giving blackcurrant and cherry aromas. Lovely texture here, so smooth, with an element of ripeness in the dark berry fruit but also seering freshness that lifts the palate, juicy and highly toned. Such a nice nuance of freshness and cooling fruit. The texture is dense but so soft you get an impression of cream. There's a real quality to the tannins and framing of the fruit, textured and fresh. Delicious. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.

93pts Wine Spectator

Delivers a gorgeous velvety mouthfeel, with cassis, warmed plum and blackberry preserve flavors infused with black tea and incense. Features a fresh minerality that echoes through the suave finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now.

Winemaker's Notes

The grapes used to produce the Pavillon Rouge 2019 were carefully selected and represent only 27% of the harvest. The wine has body with a soft tannin structure and is remarkably balanced on the palate. It would probably have formed an integral part of the assemblage of our Grands Vins two decades ago. In our vineyards and cellars, we make the same painstaking effort to produce the batches used for the Pavillon Rouge as we do for our Grand Vin. Both wines undoubtedly have the same style, and some of the same aromas. One almost indefinable detail is sometimes missing, which means the batch is not included in the composition of the Grand Vin. 

About the Wine

The production of a second wine probably goes back to the beginning of the XVII century because it is inseparable from the search for excellence which started at that time.

Sold under the name of “Château Margaux 2nd wine”, it took its permanent name of Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux in 1908. After an eclipse between the thirties and the mid-seventies, its production restarted on the arrival of André Mentzelopoulos in 1977 and at first greatly increased in order to improve the quality of the first wine. From the mid – 1990s, the creation of a third wine in its turn, allowed for a more and more rigorous selection for Pavillon Rouge. For a few years now, a third of the harvest has gone into the first wine, barely 30% into the Pavillon Rouge, and the remainder is divided between the third and fourth wines.

The quality of Pavillon Rouge has become very close to that of the first wine because all the plots involved contributed to the blending of Château Margaux not so long ago. Of course there isn’t the same complexity, the same depth, the same “magic” but the flavours are close and the balance in the mouth leads to the same subtle senses of power and softness. In general it is ready to drink a little earlier whilst retaining an excellent potential to age largely beyond 30 or 40 years.

About the Winery

Château Margaux, located in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux’s Médoc region, is one of the most historic and prestigious wine estates in France. Its origins trace back to the 12th century, though viticulture became central to the property in the 16th and 17th centuries, when it began producing wines of exceptional quality. By the 18th century, Château Margaux had gained international acclaim and was recognized for its elegance and longevity. In 1855, it was classified as one of Bordeaux’s five First Growths (Premiers Crus), solidifying its place among the world’s greatest wines. After a period of decline in the mid-20th century, the estate was revitalized in 1977 when it was purchased by André Mentzelopoulos, whose investments restored its reputation. Today, under the leadership of his daughter Corinne Mentzelopoulos and her family, Château Margaux continues to produce some of the most refined and age-worthy wines in Bordeaux, blending deep tradition with modern innovation.

Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot