2017 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge

95 POINTS

James Suckling

The quality of tannins in the Pavillon Rouge is really beautiful with extremely fine grain. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and silky. Racy and extended on the palate. Really pretty. Strength with elegance. Drink after 2022.

94 POINTS

James Suckling

There is very pretty purity of fruit to this with lots of currant, strawberry and plum character. Lots of chocolate and hazelnut too. Full body, velvety tannins and a chewy finish. Excellent for the vintage. About half the normal production. This is the same level of quality as 2016. Points: 94-95

93 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

This wine is crisp, full of black currants and with attractive acidity as well as a firm texture. It is cool and classic, with a light touch of wood and tannin. It's likely to be ready from 2023.

93 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

A lush aroma to this ripe wine comes through on the palate, with ripe tannins that support the black-fruit flavors. It has an open structure, full of black-currant freshness and acidity. Drink this delicious wine from 2022.

93 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

92–94. Barrel Sample. This wine is crisp, full of black currants and with attractive acidity as well as a firm texture. It is cool and classic, with a light touch of wood and tannin. It's likely to be ready from 2023.

93 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

This medium-bodied wine, quite floral in nature, generates the perfect forum for the gently smoked, red fruits and pure cherry found on the nose and in the palate. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.

93 POINTS

Jeb Dunnuck

A wine that might be the best second wine in the vintage, the 2017 Pavillon Rouge offers a beautiful, classic Margaux perfume of cherries, cassis, flowers, and spice box. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, again, an incredible floral character, ripe tannin, and incredible elegance, enjoy it anytime over the coming two decades.

92 POINTS

Jane Anson - Decanter

This has great concentration, with carefully balanced black fruits that are fleshy and inviting but unfussy. The berry size was a little bigger than last year after the September rains (70mm in 20 days) so there is a feeling of juice and mouthwatering seduction once you give it some time to work through the initial austerity. There's no dilution through the mid-palate, and it's one of the few second wines that really gets your attention in 2017. They lost 10% of the crop to frost, giving a yield of 35hl/ha, with no secondary fruits used in Pavillon or Margaux (not even the first generation buds from any affected plots). 22% of total production is the lowest ever for Pavillon, and combined with the low yield means there will be 40% fewer bottles. The vineyards were entirely organically farmed in 2017, although there are still no plans to go for certification. Harvested 18-26 September. 3.7pH. IPT 73 - as high as last year. 4% Cabernet Franc also in the blend. Will be 60% new oak.