Pavillon Rouge 2016

Of special refinement, incredibly delicate yet firm, refreshing, elegant, with exceptional class and length: a magnificent wine.

Very refined and focused, with fine-grained sandalwood and alder accents lining a core of stylish, gently mulled cherry and blackberry fruit flavors. A perfumed lilac note weaves around the fruit on the elegant finish. Approachable now, but buried minerality lurks, and this is sneaky long, so cellaring is easily doable. Best from 2022 through 2035. 8,333 cases made.

This has softened and deepened over the 18 months of ageing yet still has a touch of austerity and will take a few years to settle down. It's not as plump or generous as the 2015, but it's a beautiful wine that has balance and effortless class – a wonderfully poised Pavillon Rouge. 60% new oak has lent it some toasted almond and tarry notes. It represents just 26% of the harvest, making this the smallest ever percentage of the crop to make it into the second wine.

The blackcurrant and floral aromas with brick and hot stones are tantalizing. Flowers underneath it all. Medium- to full-bodied, with firm, silky tannins and beautiful ripeness that highlights the palate. Second wine of Château Margaux. Try after 2024.

Tasted blind. Light TCA (and no second bottle was available). Sinewy and fresh. A bit drying on the end. Green notes. (JR)

Margaux’s 2016 Pavillon Rouge is a gorgeous, precise wine that will offer plenty of drinking pleasure right out of the gate. Bright red cherry fruit, sweet tobacco and dried herbs are all laced together in this finely knit, inviting wine. Hints of blood orange and mint add an attractive upper register. In 2016, Pavillon Rouge stands out for its persistence and impeccable balance.

Ruby red in color, this is what Japan must smell like when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Followed by an array of sweet plum and earthy notes, this medium-bodied wine is elegant and sophisticated with sweet, fresh red berries on the finish. Balance, finesse, refinement is its mantra. The wine was produced from a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, reaching 13% ABV with a pH of 3.6. Of the harvest, 26% was used for Pavillon Rouge du Margaux.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections and delicate brightening on the rim. Finely spiced dark berry fruit, tobacco notes, a hint of cardamom and ripe cherry in the background. Juicy, sweet plum fruit on the palate, round tannins and fine nougat with a long finish marked by honey, chocolate and minerality. Already accessible.

Elegant and aromatic nose with fine red fruit, red currant, mint sage, plum and cherry notes. Medium-bodied and finely restrained, bright freshness, good length, not bold but elegant, needing time.

The second wine of Château Margaux is the 2016 Pavillon Rouge, a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 60% new barrels. It too is incredibly classic, elegant, and finesse-driven, with textbook Margaux aromatics of cassis, ripe cherries, and spring flowers, medium body, subtle background oak, and lively acidity. It has real class and is capable of 2–3 decades of longevity.

84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. Purple garnet with a violet rim. Dense, blueberry-scented bouquet, followed by fragrant violet and plum-skin notes. Mid-palate shows a structured texture, highly elegant with great finesse, finishing very fresh on cassis and Earl Grey notes. Very good! 17.5/20

Kunz barrel sample 17: velvety, dense, complex, fresh bouquet, cassis, assorted berries, grenadine, mint. Juicy, dense, powerful palate with sweet fruit, creamy structure, rich, sweet, multi-layered aromas, plenty of fine tannins, long, dense, delicately opulent finish.

With 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Pavillon Rouge from Chateau Margaux is deep garnet in color, with a touch of purple. It needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal notes of crushed black plums, black cherry preserves, and wild blueberries, followed by hints of unsmoked cigars, sandalwood, and dusty soil, with a waft of roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is so elegant, perfumed and energetic, featuring finely pixilated tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced.

Caressing, creamy and powerful all at once, Pavillon 2016 is an irresistible wine, with a beautifully supple mouthfeel and plenty of fruit expression.

The nose is fruity, very elegant, refined, and offers concentration (yet with finesse) as well as complexity. It reveals notes of ripe blackcurrant, ripe wild strawberry, and morello cherry, combined with touches of wild blackberry and liquorice, along with discreet hints of tonka bean, gravel/terroir, tea, and a very subtle hint of pepper (in the background). The palate is fruity, balanced, silky, and precise, with lovely minerality, refreshing lift, concentration, a fine mineral backbone, great elegance, delicate texture, a touch of tension, and a fine, polished grain. On the palate, this wine shows notes of black cherry, blackberry, and, more subtly, blackcurrant, combined with touches of fleshy wild strawberry and fleshy wild raspberry, as well as discreet hints of spice, tonka bean, dark chocolate, and a very subtle note of toasted hazelnut (in the background). The tannins are fine, elegant, and structuring. Beautiful length and delicious appeal!

Purplish violet. Intense, fresh nose, clearly marked by Cabernet Sauvignon with pleasant fruity and refreshing notes. The palate is racy, fresh, and dense. On the palate, the wine shows incredible aromatic intensity, power, and a lively structure that brings juiciness, a mouthwatering character, and longevity. Still somewhat angular in character but impressively compact and ready to move forward. A characterful Pavillon Rouge with excellent potential to age.

With its dense texture and high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, this is an impressively powerful second wine of Château Margaux. Acidity and dark blueberry flavors are concentrated, with layers of tannins that demand aging. Drink from 2023.