The 2009 Chateau Margaux is a remarkable wine that blends power and finesse, showcasing the elegance the estate is known for while maintaining the structure needed for long-term aging. Composed primarily of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine offers a deep, garnet hue with an aromatic profile of minted cassis, Black Forest cake, lilacs, and subtle earthy notes like pencil shavings and dusty soil. On the palate, it is full-bodied with a firm, grainy tannin structure, accompanied by a lively acidity that lifts the fruit, ensuring balance and freshness. The wine's finish is long, mineral-laced, and incredibly refined. While it already offers pleasure, this wine is in its early stages and will benefit from further aging to fully develop. It’s a truly classic vintage, with the balance, concentration, and freshness to improve over the next few decades.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 99
Published: Mar 11, 2019

This marathon runner is currently in the no-man's land between youthful vitality and mellow maturity. There's a very serious tannin structure here, but it needs a lot longer to fully resolve. Very tight and closed. A perfect wine usually. But not today. Try in 2020. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)

The Wine Advocate | RP 98
Published: Mar 14, 2019
Drink: 2020-2050

The 2009 Château Margaux is deep garnet in color and features wonderfully fragrant minted cassis, lilacs, Black Forest cake and oolong tea scents with touches of pencil shavings and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, grainy frame with lovely freshness lifting the perfumed fruit to a very long, mineral-laced finish.

Decanter | D 98
Published: Château Margaux vertical: 1928-2010
Drink: 2016-2040

Run for many decades by Paul Pontallier, whose regime is backed by owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos, Margaux never seems to put a foot wrong. Nothing here is done by rote: each decision is carefully considered and the result is a truly classic wine that epitomises the elegance for which the Margaux appellation is renowned, without sacrificing the structure necessary for a wine intended to improve over many decades. This generous, intense, impeccably balanced 2009 will surely go the distance and take its place among the classic vintages from this historic estate.   Stephen Brook
Splendid and generous blackberry and cassis nose. Slightly soft palate; this has an abundance of very ripe black fruits, and high concentration balanced by lively acidity. There’s a hint of overripeness but not enough to detract from the hedonistic pleasure of the wine. Has energy and length.   Alun Griffiths MW
Powerful and attractive bouquet of ripe black fruit, with good commune typicity. Lovely layered density on the palate, good management of tannins, fine balance and a long finish. Excellent intensity and texture.   Steven Spurrier
Very fine depth of cassis fruit with an added element of earthy richness. Wonderfully expressive of 2009, and yet all contained in an harmoniously rich whole. A big, warm wine with great depth and a very good future.
Closure: Natural Cork
Alcohol: 13.50%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked
Grapes:  2% Cabernet Franc 87% Cabernet Sauvignon 9% Merlot 2% Petit Verdot

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 18
Published: Feb 7, 2024
Drink: 2018-2035

Bright crimson. Great balance. Very Margaux. Very smooth already and this seems to be a lovely moment to drink this wine. Delightfully subtle.

Chateau-margaux.com

2009 is perhaps the greatest young Château Margaux we have tasted over the last 30 years. Mother Nature could not have done it all by herself; barely 36% of the crop (ie just 31% by the time it is bottled) went into the first wine – a drastic selection for such a vintage. Still, in 2009, Mother Nature surpassed herself. She allowed the greatest terroirs, whatever their grape variety, to bring their fruit to exceptional ripeness, providing a wine of wonderful concentration, finesse, balance and freshness. The Cabernet (87% of the blend) has no equivalent other than 2005, but it is more tender. The only two batches of Merlot that were kept (9%) have no equivalent at all. As for the Cabernet Franc (2%) and the Petit Verdot (2%), they performed at their highest levels. The 2009 Château Margaux is an unparalleled vintage in its tannic power and fullness (reminding us of 2005) and its softness (reminiscent of 1990). And since its alcoholic degree is barely over 13, its finish remains fresh, flavorsome and of astonishing length. When to drink it? This is a question that is difficult to answer as it already gives so much pleasure, but with such enormous potential. (October 2019)