1995 Château Margaux

The 1995 Château Margaux is a vintage that I have not tasted for several years. This bottle showed well, even if it was pipped to the post by the 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou on the night. It has a youthful bouquet with more red fruit than previous bottles, infused with freshly rolled tobacco and pencil box, crushed violet and hints of rose petal. The palate is armed with filigree tannins that frame the pure black fruit, hints of blue fruit surfacing towards the second half. Certainly its velvety texture instantly seduces and the poise on the finish is exquisite. This clearly has plenty in the tank, as it has not rushed headlong into its secondary phase. Tasted at the "Vintage Pairs" dinner at Club Bâtard in Hong Kong.

Caramel, sweet strawberries and a hint of herbaceous Cabernet tones on the nose. Smooth, sensual and light almost - a delicacy to the frame but still with trademark detail so you get nuance and concentration but not so much overt power. This retains a supple character though with an enjoyable succulence of cherry and blackberry fruit. Supremely charming, refined and pure and still with a determination to the flavours - driving and focussed. Pure class and a joy to drink. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.

Firm, masculine, hard style of Margaux with ample, ripe, fruits, great aromatics, but the tannic spine will take at least another decade to soften, that is if it does. The finish has a touch of greeness in the endnote. I own some, but I am not sure this is going to change much, we will have to wait and see, which is a lot to ask, considering it is already 27 years old!