Learn everything about Chateau de Lamarque Haut Medoc with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairings. Learn the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau de Lamarque History, Overview
Chateau de Lamarque is one of the more picturesque, old castles in the Medoc. The original chateau was built at some point in the 1300s, although parts of the original design could be several centuries older. While today, the property is a vineyard, at the time it was created, due to its location on the riverbank, the estate offered protection to the local citizens from attacks by Vikings, which explains its fortified appearance.
The castle also served as a military fortress during the Hundred Years War. Following the French Revolution, Chateau de Lamarque became a full-time working vineyard and winery. Today, Chateau de Lamarque is owned and managed by Pierre-Gilles Gromand-Brunet d’Evry, whose family has a long history in the Bordeaux region. In fact, they are direct descendants of the de Lamarque family. This makes them the longest, unbroken line of ownership in the world of any wine family!
The estate has a long history as a vineyard as well, as vines were planted there s far back as in the 1400s. It is well worth visiting the property for its castle and history. Chateau de Lamarque is located just north of the appellation of Margaux, next to the Gironde river. It’s quite close to where you catch the ferry that brings you across the river to the Cotes de Bourg.
Chateau de Lamarque Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The Left Bank, 35-hectare vineyard of Chateau de Lamarque is planted to 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. You can divide the vineyard into three main blocks with their best vines situated not far from Chateau Poujeaux in Moulis. The vineyard is located almost where the Margaux appellation stops and the St. Julien appellation starts.
The terroir is gravel, clay, and sandstone soils. The vines are on average, 35 years of age. Chateau de Lamarque uses optical sorting technology during the harvest.
Chateau de Lamarque is aged in traditional cement vats. Interestingly, you would not know they use cement tanks just by looking in the vat room. The design of the cellars places the cement vats directly inside the old wood tanks, hiding them from plain sight. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tanks.
To add more depth and weight to the wine, the tanks are bled, releasing about 15% of the wine. The wine is then aged in an average of 25% new, French oak barrels for 14 to 16 months before bottling. There is a second wine, D de Lamarque. On average, 20,000 cases of Chateau de Lamarque are produced each year.
The best vintages of Chateau de Lamarque are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009 and 2005.
When to Drink Chateau de Lamarque, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau de Lamarque can be decanted for an average of 1 hour or so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau de Lamarque is usually better with at least 3-5 years of bottle age.
Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Lamarque offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 4-14 years of age after the vintage.
Serving and Decanting Chateau de Lamarque with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau de Lamarque is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The wine of Chateau de Lamarque is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes.
Chateau de Lamarque is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.
Château de Lamarque Wine Tasting Notes
16 Vintages 54,827 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
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2022
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
The blackberries, and currants are soft, fresh, creamy and vibrant. The accents of flowers, cigar wrapper and herbs make everything even better! Drink from 2026-2042. 91-93 Pts. 1,875 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2021
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Tobacco, cedar and red currant filled, medium-bodied, lighter styled wine for early-drinking consumption. Drink from 2023-2028. 87-89 1,251 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2020
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Dried flowers, red fruits, tobacco, cedar and a hint of truffle create the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, lifted and a touch salty, with a round-textured, fruity, earthy, black cherry finish. Drink from 2024-2040. 1,084 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Black raspberries, blackberries, espresso, cocoa, cedar, tobacco and herbs open the nose. On the palate, the wine is juicy, fresh, vibrant and fruit-filled, leaving with you loads of sweet, crisp, energetic currants and herbs with staying power. 89-90 Pts 1,708 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
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2019
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Espresso, cassis, blackberries and floral notes create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is soft, round and vibrant with a juicy core of fresh red berries that finishes with a touch of peppery spice on the backend for a nice addition to the finish. Just a year or two in the cellar is all this well-priced wine needs. Drink from 2023-2037. 2,206 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022More body, depth and ripeness than usual, this wine offers freshness and fruit, along with a big, crisp juicy gulp of cassis, tobacco, cedar and earth. Full-bodied, with loads of volume and fruit, this is a perfect example of a Left Bank value wine. 90-92 Pts 3,270 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2018
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Loads of fresh, ripe, juicy berries here. The wine offers a blast of fruit, cigar box, wet earth and peppery goodness. There is plenty or earthy red fruits in every sniff and sip. This has really added a lot since the aging process. 3,140 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Earthy, forest floor, tobacco and red fruits in a medium- bodied classic style. 87-89 Pts 1,701 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2017
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Sweet dark fruits are available out of the gate. Medium bodied, soft and forward, the wine delivers an open, fruity finish. 1,979 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2016
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
With charm, fresh, red fruits, tobacco leaf, cedar and earth, the wine is medium bodied, fruity, forward and delivers a charming example of a Medoc for a fair price. 2,981 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019With charm, fresh, dark red fruits, espresso and earthy aromas, the wine also offers lift, along with a fine tobacco and red fruit character in the finish. 3,736 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2015
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Earth, tobacco, cedar, smoke and black currants are already available with just a quick swirl. The wine is medium bodied, forward, delivering a soft, sweet, likable, fresh cherry charm that you can enjoy today. 2,097 Views Tasted May 21, 2018With a kiss of oak, earth and tobacco, the wine is medium bodied, forward, and offers a sweet, likable, fresh cherry charm from start to finish. 87 - 89 Pts 2,253 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2016 |
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2014
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Forward, upfront and almost crowd pleasing in style, with its dark red fruit, cedar and tobacco character. Give this easy drinking wine a few years to develop more complexity. 5,416 Views Tasted Feb 7, 2017 |
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2013
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Medium bodied, early drinker, with a fresh, red plum, thyme and espresso personality. 2,295 Views Tasted Feb 7, 2016 |
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2012
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Easy drinking forward, medium bodied, fresh, earthy, cassis and blackberry dominated wine for current drinking, at a fair price. 4,276 Views Tasted Oct 24, 2016 |
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2010
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
A great example of a Bordeaux value wine that blends tobacco, earth and cassis aromatics with a spicy, cassis and blackberry character. This can be enjoyed, for a more fruity experience, or aged a few more years, if you prefer even more earth and tobacco notes. 2,753 Views Tasted Sep 13, 2015 |
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2009
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Licorice, thyme, earth, ripe black cherries and espresso notes in the nose. Medium bodied, soft, open and ready for drinking, there is a touch of dryness in the finish. This is a nice example of a well priced, easy drinking Bordeaux value wine. 2,540 Views Tasted Nov 19, 2014 |
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2008
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Soft, round, easy drinking charmer, with ample, earthy, red fruits, tobacco and cedar chest. Medium bodied, fresh and ready to go, this is a nice value wine. 3,346 Views Tasted Oct 18, 2017 |
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2005
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
Fully developed, with more secondary notes, wet earth, tobacco, olives, herbs, green pepper and cranberry than fruit remaining. Medium-bodied, bright, lean and with piquant red berries in the finish, there is no reason to hold this any longer. 2,409 Views Tasted Aug 12, 2020 |
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2000
Château de Lamarque (Haut-Médoc)
On the downslope, with more secondary character than fruit, though you can still find ripe red currants on the nose and medium-bodied, firm palate, along with tobacco, cedar, and peppery herbs. 2,511 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2021 |
