2006 Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux

General Manager Paul Pontallier is rightly proud of his 2006. It boasts an aristocratic, fresh cassis nose with mocha and violet notes. The powerful palate shows dark chocolate, black fruit, hints of cedar and a long pure finish while the texture, as ever, is pure silk. Pontallier's opinion is that with the least amount of Merlot ever (4%) and only 36% of the crop making it into the Grand Vin, this is like a tighter version of the 1996. Make no mistake, this is not only one of the best wines of the vintage, it is also a fantastic wine in its own right.