Margaux Year of the Horse Case (1978-1990-2002)

1978: The first harvest under the direction of the Mentzelopoulos family, 1978 quickly established itself as the wine of the vintage, breaking away from a series of disappointing crops under the Ginestet family. This success was largely due to a bold decision to delay harvesting, at the cost of yields, certainly, but allowing the grapes to reach optimal ripeness. These low yields, combined with rigorous selection and the expertise of the renowned Émile Peynaud, engaged by the estate as consultant, resulted in a wine of remarkable concentration and length. The reintroduction of new oak barrels also refined the ageing process, bringing both greater precision and enhanced structure and softness. Despite  nearly half a century having passed, this vintage retains a surprising youthfulness and excellent ageing potential. To ensure its preservation for future generations, each bottle was tasted and delicately reconditioned in 2025. A specific back label attests to this.

Vinous 93: The 1978 Château Margaux saw a remarkable return of fortunes under their new owners, the Mentzelopoulos family. Crisp and vital on the nose, it is a typical old-school claret armed with black fruit, tertiary scents and a light lavender trait. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, a little austere maybe, but that is a leitmotif of the vintage. It's a fine "solid" First Growth, nowhere near as spectacular as the 1982 or 1983, yet auguring what was to follow.

Wine Advocate 100: The 1990 Château Margaux is really beginning to hit its stride at age 31, soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries and cassis mingled with notions of licorice, cedar and violets, framed by subtle hints of vanilla and spice. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it's seamless and complete, its velvety tannins and ripe acids entirely cloaked in a lavish but vibrant core of fruit. This is an especially dramatic, fleshy rendition of Margaux, yet it remains impeccably balanced and has decades of longevity ahead of it.

Vinous 98: The 1990 Château Margaux has a really fabulous, knock-your-socks-off nose, soaring from the glass with crushed violet, copious black fruit, blueberry and pressed violets. So pure and enticing, this is just magnificent. The palate displays sublime balance and filigree tannins. This is perhaps the freshest example of the 1990 I have encountered to date. Caressing in texture, sumptuous, so much so that it disguises the backbone underneath. This is awesome. Tasted at the Académie du Vin dinner in Bordeaux.

Wine Advocate 93: Performing better from bottle than at any time in cask (which of course is the objective of great winemaking, isn’t it?), this wine reveals a dense ruby/purple color in a style somewhat reminiscent of the 1988 but with more power, concentration, and volume. It has a beautifully elegant nose of black fruits intermixed with truffle, flower, and oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied, dense, with wonderful precision, freshness, and a long, full-bodied finish with impressive levels of concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.

Vinous 92+: Bright, deep red. Classic aromas of boysenberry, black cherry, minerals and lead pencil. Then juicy and penetrating, with cabernet-dominated berry and mineral flavors (there's a very low 8% merlot in the blend). Finishes with very firm, youthfully tough tannins that will require a good decade of patience. Quite tight today and difficult to assess. "We had a gorgeous September, but it came too late for the merlot," said Pontallier.