Château Margaux Margaux 1982

98 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The 1982 Château Margaux is drinking beautifully today, bursting from the glass with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, burning embers, loamy soil, dried flowers and subtle hints of cedar. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, it's deep and concentrated, with terrific concentration, beautifully refined tannins and an elegant, harmonious profile. Of all the 1982 first growths, Château Margaux is arguably the least defined by the vintage and the most marked by site and style. Drink: 2012-2035. (12/30/22)"

98 points Robert Parker: "Consistently scoring between 98-100, the superb 1982 Margaux may be slightly bigger, bolder, and more masculine than vintages produced over the last 15-20 years. Its dark plum/purple color is followed by notes of melted tar intermixed with sweet cassis and floral underpinnings. Very full-bodied and dense for a Chateau Margaux, with a slight rusticity to the tannins, it boasts blockbuster power, richness, and impressive aromatics. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life. (Jun 2009)"

98 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot). A cloud of peonies and gunsmoke immediately strikes as you approach the 1982 Château Margaux, and it stands out for its finesse and charm. The tannins continue to cradle the fruit, this is richly nuanced, with pencil lead, strawberry puree, truffles, ash, cocoa, rose petals and saffran. Owner Corinne Menzelopoulos had succeeded her late father as the head of the estate in 1981, working with estate director Philippe Barré. Perhaps Paul Pontallier's arrival the following year helped to cement the reputation of the exceptional 1983 at Château Margaux, but the 1982 is clearly rivalling it on recent tastings. Alcohol 12.5%. Drink: 2023-2045. (10/11/23)"

98 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "Vibrant, elegant and characterful – a complex nose full of floral scents, baked blackcurrants and cherries, totally beguiling yet delicate and graceful. A smoky palate with charred toast, caramelised fruit, cigar smoke and truffles. Tannins are fleshy, almost chewy with acidity bright and alive. Sharp, smooth, deep – this offers such interplay of power and grace, and such a long finish that still has a menthol, liquorice tang and bite, reminding you that there is much more to come from this exceptional wine. Drinking Window: 2023-2044. (8/26/23)"

97 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Elegant, and refined, the wine kicks off with a blend of violets, tobacco, red and black currants and cedar. Texturally, this is simply gorgeous with its multiple layers of sweet, ripe, silky fruits. Drink from 2023-2035."

96 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "This bottle of 1982 Château Margaux was wonderful yet atypical. This has a heightened sense of brine on the nose that initially drew me towards an older vintage such as 1961. Yet the colour was clearly not as old as that, and it has more youthfulness than you would anticipate. Very complex, yet more reserved than expected, it just seems to “flow” on the palate. Very fine structure and perfect sapidity, yet this bottle seemed to hold something back. It is an occasion when I wonder if the 1983 Margaux had been juxtaposed, this would have come out second best, taking nothing away from its own virtues. Drink: 2022-2045. (Sep 2022)"

96 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Deep ruby-red. Boysenberry, cassis, toasty oak and bitter chocolate on the slightly dusty nose. Penetrating and powerful; quite dry but almost exotically ripe, with sappy berry flavors complicated by graphite and licorice notes. Finishes very tannic and very long, with a strongly spicy character. 94(+?). Second bottle: Medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of boysenberry, violet and licorice. Pure silk in the mouth, with great sappy verve. Hugely concentrated and compellingly sweet. Utterly spherical wine, finishing with outstanding mounting fruit. Drink now to 2030. (Jun 2002)"

19.5/20 points Clive Coates (The Wines of Bordeaux): "Full colour. Little sign of maturity. Soft, ripe and complex. Fullish-bodied, ripe and multi-dimensional. I find this refined and very lovely. Ripe, rich and round. It finishes long and complex. Very classy. More vigour than Palmer. Very fine indeed. Now-2019. (2004)" 5 stars (potential), Michael Broadbent's Pocket Vintage Wine Companion: "Consistently top of the class at several major tastings in the late 1990s, with power but less elegance. Nevertheless superb with its very fragrant 'hot vintage' scent, sweetness, body, extract and very dry tannic finish. Last tasted Nov 2000."