The Maréchal-Duc de Richelieu would have been proud of this day. He, after all, awarded Château Pouget with its coat of arms you’re looking at.

What else stands out on the label? 2003 Margaux! For $76? Are we still in 2003?

To be honest, we were sent a vertical of samples from this under-the-radar Classified Growth discovery and this 2003 was drinking head and shoulders above the others, including much younger ones.

A recap of what Robert Parker thought of 2003 reveals “in short, this vintage has produced some extraordinary wines… the top wines were very expensive when released, but they have not moved that much in price.” He revisited the vintage in 2014, adding that it “produced some pretty rich Clarets and tremendous values.. those smart consumers who bought these wines 11 years ago are certainly being rewarded with some beauties now.”

Fast forward a decade, and in this case, we’re looking at the buying opportunity of the year! What Wine Spectator found and loved in the similar 2005 vintage of this, turned up a notch, are all here too: “lots of concentrated fruit, dark chocolate and hints of game… full-bodied, with loads of fruit and wild mushroom character. Long, velvety, smoky and decadent.”

Add to that the tertiary complexity, giving this superbly aged Cabernet-dominated beauty a wonderful bouquet with exceptionally fine delineation of boysenberries, rosemary, and pencil shavings, developing earthy nuances of porcini mushrooms as it swirls in our glasses. Very elegant and refined, just the kind of mature Margaux that hits the spot. Supple and silky tannins, hints of fennel seed, adding great depth towards a finish that echoes gorgeously. You’d be safe holding it for the rest of this decade too, if there’s any reason to hold yourself back from drinking a case of this, easily, like we plan to!

This sister property to the more famous Château Boyd Cantenac may as well be the best-kept secret in the otherwise hyped-to-oblivion Margaux appellation. Another oddity here, cited by Decanter is that “there is no external consultant at this estate; owner Lucien Guillemet is a trained oenologist and winemaker, this is very unusual, as only a handful of classified estates have no external consultants – one notable case being Château Haut-Brion.”

All that at OVER $100 OFF THE LIBRARY PRICE?!

Not much else can be said but seize the day, given those facts this will go fast.