Château Margaux Margaux 2001

98 points (19/20) La Revue du Vin de France (Jan 2007).

97 points Jane Anson: "Right now, at 20 years old, this wine is approaching its perfect drinking beginning - by which I mean it is now stepping up onto the plateau that the best wines get to, where you don't need to worry about opening them immediately, but you can feel confident that you are going to be getting the best of them if you choose to do so. Although we didn't taste the 2000 in this particular lineup, on recent openings it is a more muscular and closed down than the 2001, and will probably last longer, but this is just blindingly delicious right now. The descriptions that are most often associated with Château Margaux must surely be finessed tannins and floral aromatics, and you have both of them in spades, along with gentle roasted fruits of plum and blackberry, violet, cedar spice, liquorice and tobacco. The tannins are fine and full of pleasure. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 100% new oak. Drinking Window: 2021-2038. (6/25/21)"

97 points Wine Enthusiast: "'For me, this vintage is what makes Margaux special,' says Margaux winemaker Paul Pontallier. He is right: With its denseness, spice, flavors of black currants layered with dryness and fresh acidity, this is a huge and impressive wine that never forgets that it is Margaux. It is still young, and the dry tannic aftertaste, which lasts for many minutes, shows this. (Jun 2005)"

95 points Wine Spectator: "Suave from the start, with beguiling tea, singed sandalwood and lilac notes backed by alluring, gently steeped red and black currant fruit. The long finish has an alder edge that stays in lockstep with the fruit, ending with a minerally echo.--Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. (7/31/18)"

95 points Charles Curtis, MW (Decanter): "2001 as a vintage was unfortunately eclipsed by the one preceding it. This superb wine shows restrained, elegant blackcurrant fruit aromas, edged with spice and floral notes, and a hint of lead pencil graphite. The texture is silky but not lacking in structure or body. The wine is still youthful and the abundant substance suggests a marvellous future in the cellar. 35% of the harvest is used in the grand vin. Atypically, the wine is only 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 7% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window: 2023-2045. (7/19/23)"

94 points Neal Martin (Wine Advocate): "The 2001 Chateau Margaux continues to evolve in impressive fashion. The nose feels sensual, veering towards red rather than black fruit, with disarming purity and perhaps showing more floral/violet character than the 1999. Both display tremendous precision and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, edgy and tensile with crisp acidity, so fresh and vital in the mouth. Tasted next to the 1996 Château Margaux, it is clear to see that the 2001 is several steps behind, yet the way it fans out with such confidence and brio on the finish assures that this has a prosperous future. Tasted May 2016. Drink: 2018-2045. (Oct 2016)"

93 points Robert Parker: "Performing well from bottle, Chateau Margaux’s 2001, which is somewhat reminiscent of both the 1985 and 1999, is an elegant, seamlessly constructed effort with a deep ruby/purple color, and a beautiful nose of flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, and cedar. A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, this forward, opulent beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years. This is one of the most elegant wines of the vintage. (6/29/04)"

93 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Enticing aromas of boysenberry, cedar, espresso and roasted oak. Sweet, lush and broad in the mouth, with sappy berry and espresso flavors. This boasts the pliant texture and near-perfect balance of the vintage's best examples. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins. Like so many 2001s, this is easy to taste today but may well close down in the coming year or so. 'The 2001 is a smiley wine,' says Pontallier, 'while the 2002, though a bit stiff today, has more power and excellent aging potential. But neither ranks among our greatest vintages.' (May 2004)"

93 points Bettane & Desseauve's Guide to the Wines of France. (2011)