“2018 is a great year to explore estates like these in Margaux…” – Decanter

Back vintage Margaux for $35?? Are we on the Wayback Machine by mistake? Is it just dumb luck? Did we fall through a rip in time and land in another dimension?

You get the drift…

MARGAUX, people, as defined by the Oxford Companion to Wine remains “potentially the most seductive appellation of the Haut-Médoc district of Bordeaux. At their stereotypical best, the wines of Margaux combine the deep ruby color, structure, and concentration of any top-quality Médoc with a haunting perfume and a silkier texture than is found to the north in St-Julien, Pauillac, and St-Estèphe.”

Stuff that legends are made of. Some First Growths from the appellation can cost you 25-30x more than this hidden gem. Think of it, you could stash away a couple of cases of this instead of a single bottle of the mythical property that happens to be just three miles to the East as the crow flies. Now, we aren’t saying this will take down a First Growth in a blind tasting, but it certainly flashes many of the same qualities that make Margaux such a distinct region.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate explains “Family owned since 1862; this 32-hectare Margaux estate produces stylish, classy wines that distinguish it as among the finest non-classified estates of the Médoc. Indeed, Paveil de Luze has performed so well in recent tastings that I was excited to visit the property and to add some bottles to my own cellar… Stéphane Derenoncourt and his team consult and, as throughout the Derenoncourt portfolio in recent years, do so with an increasingly light stylistic touch. There are plenty of great values in the Médoc, but not many can boast the pedigree and refinement of the wines of Paveil de Luze.”

The scores may not be as massive as the Cru Classe since Paveil de Luze was not on anyone’s radar back in 1855, even though what’s in this bottle is quintessential Margaux. Recently it was elevated to the newer “Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel” status, however as Jeb Dunnuck says for this 2018. “It’s one heck of a delicious Cru Bourgeois!”

As the flashier (and much, much pricier) Derenoncourt wines do, it jumps out of the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, cigar box, pencil shavings, scorched earth, dark chocolate covered cherries and floral nuances with violets. The palate is medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with fine depth at the core, and silky round tannins that both beg for enjoying now, but also hint at tremendous age-worthiness.

We stashed away a few cases for the cold months, recommend you do the same before it vanishes.

92 Points – Decanter “The estate is located in the village of Soussans. 2018 is a great year to explore estates like these in Margaux as they offer value and approachability. This one is rich and deep in colour extraction, full of tight blackberry fruits. This is packed with ripples of raspberry and redcurrant fruits, with lilting energy through the finish and finely boned tannins. 30% new oak and a yield of 57hl/ha. Drink 2023-2040.”

92 Points – Wine Enthusiast “Young but already elegant and complex, this wine is destined for long-term aging. Ripe blackberry fruits and serious tannins will take time to mature. Drink from 2025 when this wine will be in balance.”

91+ Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Based on 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, the 2018 Château Paveil de Luze offers a beautiful, classic Margaux complexity and elegance. Lots of black raspberry and cassis fruits as well as notes of sandalwood, dried flowers, truffle, and loamy soil emerge from the glass, and it’s medium-bodied, with a layered, seamless texture and ripe, moderate tannins. It already offers pleasure, yet I see no reason it shouldn’t evolve for 10-15 years. It’s one heck of a delicious Cru Bourgeois! Drink 2021-2036.”