2020 Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux

Cabernet Sauvignon 89%, Merlot 8%, Petit Verdot 2%, Cabernet Franc 1%

This is a breath-taking wine that, in truth, dumbfounded expectations. The concern was that the drought and heat would have robbed Margaux of some of its sublimity and elegance; the reverse is true. The wine is dense and imposing, but the skill has been in the selection (the grand vin accounts for just 36% of the harvest) and the extraction, holding on to the pure core of endlessly expressive fruit, swirling and intoxicating across the palate. Everything – tannins, fruit, freshness – is then enfolded together in a finish that is luxuriantly silky yet precisely defined. It’s a marvel.

Drink 2030-2065