Well known for their highly sort after Cabernet Sauvignon, this Bordeaux based winery produces some of the most expensive wines on the market, making it a worthy investment opportunity for anyone looking at the top end of the market.
5 interesting facts you might not know about Château Margaux
Quality and Quantity
The average annual production of the Grand Vin, Château Margaux, is 200,000 bottles, while the second wine Pavilion Rouge also can produce up to 200,000 bottles.
To produce the red wine of Chateau Margaux vinification takes place in vats that are a combination of wood and stainless steel.
There are a total of 34 wood vats and 22 stainless steel vats. The vats range in size from as much as 180 hectoliter wood vats down to 25 hectoliters.
In the new vat rooms, which were completed in 2014, the estate added 35 more vats ranging in size from 5 to 15 hectoliters.
The new, small vats will be used for in the production as well as for testing new ideas.
The red wine of Chateau Margaux is aged in 100% new oak for 18-24 months, depending on the quality and character of the Bordeaux vintage.
Options at the Lower End
With such massive levels of production going on at Chateau Margaux it’s inevitable that not every bottle produced is going to be of the highest quality.
Any grapes deemed to be not up to the strict quality control standards are sold off in bulk to produce cheaper bottles of wine for the mass market.
Size Matters
The domain of this winery extends to 262 hectares (650 acres), of which 87 hectares (210 acres) are entitled to the Margaux AOC declaration.
80 hectares (200 acres) are planted with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, with 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot 12 hectares (30 acres) are cultivated with Sauvignon blanc to make the dry white Pavillon Blanc.
The Stand Out Owner
Château Margaux’s history and renown stem equally from the intrinsic genius of the place as from the contributions made by the various people who have served it for five centuries.
But there has probably not been an owner who has played such a decisive role, in such a short time, as André Mentzelopoulos, who purchased the Estate in 1977, changing production and operation processes to bring the estate back to the top of its game.
An Esteemed History
The Margaux appellation was the first Bordeaux area cultivated for vineyards.
There is evidence that the Romans planted grapes in the area almost 2,000 years ago.
The famed Roman poet Ausonious poetically called the region Marojallia, which is where the winery known as Marojallia, found its name. Skipping ahead close to 1700 years, Margaux had already earned its well-deserved reputation for producing great wine.
That reputation caused Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, to visit the region.
