Margaux as an appellation is immensely varied, spanning five communes. It comes as no great surprise that there are great variations in style. Very generally, poor, thin soils, readily warmed, make for earlier ripening fruit and a style of wine which enchants with fragrance and finesse over power. Margaux and its satellites, Cantenac, Soussans, Arsac and Labarde are responsible for one first growth, five second, ten third, three fourth and two fifth growths. Terroirs are obviously very diverse. Even Château Margaux, taken in isolation, is very varied, with some parcels gravel-rich and others thin and sparse.This degree of geological diversity adds both to the complexity of the first growth and to other wines of note, including Palmer, chief contender to Margaux’s status in the commune. There is, surprisingly, a fair distance north to south within the appellation.
We are regular followers of second growth Rauzan-Ségla . The owners here also own Château Canon in Saint-Emilion – and Chanel. They are genuinely interested in the property and its success, not only in the financial investment they have made. Their improvements, allied to the cool hand of John Kolasa, have placed Rauzan-Ségla amongst the toprank second growths.
In the Cantenac area, we have renewed our relationship with the Sichel family over the last few years, beating a path to Château d’Angludet. Ben Sichel continues to run this very fine estate, which had been built up over forty years by his late father, Peter Sichel.
Finally in Cantenac, we cannot forget our good friends at Château Kirwan, the Schÿler family. The very charming Nathalie Schÿler manages the château, with a great deal of style, and the property has improved by leaps and bounds under her tenure. Top quality, allied to a sensible approach to pricing, makes Kirwan a very attractive purchase.