{"product_id":"chateau-margaux-2018","title":"2018 Chateau Margaux","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003e2018 Chateau Margaux, Margaux, France\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003eChâteau Margaux 2018 is one of the best wines to be produced on the Estate in recent years even taking into consideration the extraordinary quality of the 2015 and 2016 vintages!\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/angrywinemerchant.com\/products\/2021-chateau-margaux\" title=\"château margaux\"\u003eChâteau Margaux\u003c\/a\u003e 2018 is remarkably concentrated. A small grape size and relatively low yields largely explain the exceptionally high tannin indices. The wine’s power is not, however, overwhelming and helps to considerably lengthen the aromas and structure of the finish.\u003cbr\u003eFairly early in the wine-making process, we understood this tannic potential and moderated our extraction programs including for our Merlot plots, which are usually less dense than our fine Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The latter still form the heart of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/angrywinemerchant.com\/products\/2021-chateau-margaux\" title=\"château margaux\"\u003eChâteau Margaux\u003c\/a\u003e, accounting for 90% of the blend. They limit the alcohol content to 14° in these weather conditions. This wine’s blend is completed by 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Château Margaux represents 36% of the harvest.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_3O4lEa0OJhnBugu1lPpNER\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"uYaWEyqJCxXE7Dp7ZXJPR\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"_2G2m-Mnk166iGu9x1AZqok\"\u003eClimate\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003eThe warmest year since the beginning of the 20th century, temperatures in 2018 were 3.24°F above the national average. In Margaux, the year began with a relatively mild winter with below-normal temperatures and occasional frosts in February which had no impact on our vines. The rest of the year was hot, sometimes very hot, compared with seasonal averages, marked by record-breaking temperatures in the last ten days of June and the first ten days of August, more than 7.2°F above the 30-year average.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003eRainfall in the first half of the year was heavy with nearly 25 inches in Margaux between January 1st and July 10th, making growing conditions challenging. Each rainy day made a good vintage less likely. But dry and warm summer conditions eventually reached our region and remained until the end of the harvest.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003eRainfall was very low between mid-July and late September at 2 inches. This rainfall pattern is reminiscent of 2009.Under these conditions, budbreak was relatively late between the 4th and the 10th of April. The vines flowered between the 25th and the 28th of May and, despite fairly poor conditions, we did not note, even in the relatively sensitive Merlot plots, poor or failed fruit-set. The greatest challenge was mildew which this year led to slightly lower yields than hoped for after the fruit-set.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe white grapes were harvested the week of August 27th. The red harvest took place from September 17th to October13th in ideal conditions. Again this year, we were able to choose the best time to harvest our grapes – no Botrytis symptoms, mild weather, ripening conditions sufficiently spread between the earliest Merlots and latest Cabernets – and we had time to take the necessary care with each wine-making vat. Nearly a hundred different batches were converted into wine this year, demonstrating our continued efforts for better and more precise selections.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"uYaWEyqJCxXE7Dp7ZXJPR\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFact Sheet\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"fYFDAB7nXkR_IB5FYz8yy\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSURFACE AREA OF THE ESTATE: 650 acres\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVINEYARD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRed vines: \u003c\/em\u003e215 acres of appellation contrôlée of which 202 acres planted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVine Stock : Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVINIFICATION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRed wines\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFermentation in oak barrels.\u003cbr\u003eAgeing: 18 to 24 months in new oak barrels.\u003cbr\u003eFining: with egg-white.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChâteau Margaux: 120,000 bottles (average production).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Chateau Margaux","offers":[{"title":"750 mL","offer_id":41295951134912,"sku":"MAR-B18-750","price":745.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/4310\/4704\/products\/Chateau_Margaux_Bordeaux_bottle_front.png?v=1754288218","url":"https:\/\/angrywinemerchant.com\/products\/chateau-margaux-2018","provider":"Angry Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}