2012 Margaux Bordeaux Wine Tasting Notes In Barrel Ratings

2012 d’Angludet – Fresh red berry notes with earthy scents, medium body and a bright red fruit finish are found in this vintage. 88-90 Pts

2012 L’Aura de Cambon – The debut vintage where Hubert de Bouard from Chateau Angelus acts as the consultant. Licorice, dark berries and chocolate with sweet, round textures and a ripe, dark berry finish. From a blend of equal parts, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. 88-91 Pts

2012 Bellevue de Tayac – Oak, tobacco, some earth and dark berries open to a medium-bodied, cranberry and cherry finish. 85-87 Pts

2012 Brane Cantenac – Blending 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot, the wine reached 13% Alcohol with a pH of 3.86. With a cassis, anise, floral, tobacco and earthy personality, the medium-bodied wine is bright, fresh, elegant and crisp with a sweet cassis- and blackberry-filled finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Baron de Brane – Sweet and tart red berries, medium body and a short finish. 84-86 Pts

2012 Cantenac Brown – Soft textured, with sweet cherries, floral notes, plum and earth, the wine ends with a mélange of red and black fruits. 90-93 Pts

2012 d’Issan – From a blend of 67% Merlot and 33% Merlot, the wine reached 13.24% alcohol. Dark ruby in color with coffee, truffle, licorice, tobacco, black cherry and smoke in the nose. Soft in texture with a supple core of cool black cherries and dark chocolate in the finish. 90-93 Pts

2012 Blason d’Issan – Coffee, licorice and black cherry in the nose with fresh, soft, but herbaceous notes in the black cherry finish. 84-86 Pts

2012 Durfort Vivens – Elegant in style with medium body, cherries and earth in the profile, this is a lighter, classic style of wine that should drink well on release. 87-90 Pts

2012 Giscours – Blending 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Dark ruby in color, licorice, flowers, cocoa, cherry and cassis notes open to soft, refined, medium-bodied dark cherry- and cassis-filled wine with good freshness, supple textures and a red berry-dominated finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Labegorce – With an earthy nose, the wine is filled with fresh black raspberries and cassis. From a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13% alcohol. 88-90 Pts

2012 Lascombes – Oak, earth and cassis notes with an oaky licorice and blackberry finish. 89-91 Pts

2012 Malescot St. Exupery – Blending 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 7% Cabernet Franc that reached 12.8% alcohol, which is similar to what the estate reached in 2008 and 2006. The medium-bodied wine will be aged in 90% new French oak barrels for close to 15 months. Flowers, smoke, tobacco, black cherry and black raspberry notes open to medium/full-bodied, supple-textured wine filled with chocolate-covered cherries and spice. 91-93 Pts

2012 Margaux – Blending 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with coaxing flowers, blackberries, cassis, gravel, fennel, coffee bean and mint. Refined and structured, with plush, polished tannins, tangy black cherry notes add to the fresh, persistent and elegant finish. 93-95 Pts

2012 Pavillon Rouge – From 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The wine offers earth, tobacco, and cassis notes, finishing with a spicy and crunch cassis-filled finish. 88-91 Pts

2012 Pavillon Blanc – Honeydew, cantaloupe, grassy, citrus scents pop with little effort. Fresh, lively, peppy and sweet, lemon and lime flavors produce a persistent finish. 92-94 Pts

2012 Marojallia – Truffle, tobacco, earth, licorice and blackberry scents open to a blackberry-filled wine that shows almost too much oak in the chocolate and black cherry-filled finish. 89-91 Pts

2012 Marquis d’Alesme – Medium-bodied with good freshness and a floral, earthy, licorice and cassis nose, the wine is a success for the vintage. 89-91 Pts

2012 Marquis de Terme – Ripe black fruit with chocolate, round textures and a fleshy, flashy blackberry and dark chocolate finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Paveil de Luze – 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot opened to a medium-bodied, light, red berry and oak finish. 85-87 Pts

2012 Palmer – From an assemblage of 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Interestingly, this is the first time Petit Verdot was included in the blend of Palmer and Alter Ego. Chateau Palmer reached 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. The wine will be aged in 70% new French oak for between 18 and 20 months. Deep in color with scents of licorice, flowers and fresh juicy plums, the wine is silky, round and soft with a fresh black raspberry and herbal finish. This is truly successful for the vintage. 94-97 Pts

2012 Alter Ego – 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot, which reached 13.4% alcohol. The wine will be aged in 30% new French oak for between 16 and 18 months. With a ruby color, flowers, cherry blossoms, earth, fennel and spice notes lead to a sweet, cherry filled-wine with dusty tannins, supple textures and a fresh, spicy cassis finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Prieure-Lichine – Showing polished tannins with ample plum, vanilla and black cherry notes that ends with an elegant, fresh finish. 90-92 Pts

2012 Rauzan-Gassies – Medium bodied, dominated by red berries, with a lean, cranberry, cherry finish. 86-89 Pts

2012 Rauzan-Segla – With 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Merlot, 1.5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol with a PH of 3.67. Sporting a deep, ruby color, the wine is fresh, sweet, soft and spicy. The ample tannins are silky. There is a polished core of cherries, licorice and cassis in the finish. 92-94 Pts

2012 Segla – Perfect example of an easy-to-drink, easy-to-like, classic Bordeaux wine that will be drinkable on release. 84-86 Pts

2012 Siran – 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, the red berry and herb-tinged wine is chalky on the finish. 84-86 Pts

2012 du Tertre – From a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13% alcohol and will be aged in 45% new French oak for close to 16 months. Ruby in color, this medium-bodied wine opens with tobacco, licorice, flowers and cherry notes. Soft and easygoing, the fresh, elegant, red berry-dominated wine should drink well close to release. 88-91 Pts