Learn everything about Marojallia, Margaux with wine tasting notes with wine and food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, a history of the property, information on vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Marojallia History, Overview
Marojallia is one of the newer estates in the Medoc as it only dates back to 1998 when the vineyard was purchased by Philippe Porcheron from Roger Rex. At the time of the sale, the vineyard was under a leasing agreement with another grower. The vines were previously used for Chateau Durfort-Vivens. Before that, the vineyard was previously owned by the Ginestet family. However, the name of the property is well-rooted in the history of the Bordeaux region.
It is a known fact that wine from Bordeaux was favored by the ancient Romans. There are numerous remains of their efforts scattered over the Right Bank as well as in the Left Bank. In fact, the ancient Romans coined a word for what we now call the Margaux appellation, Marojallia. The famed Roman poet Ausonius is credited for having come up with the word. To honor him, Chateau Ausone in St. Emilion also took its name from Ausonius.
Marojallia started as one of the few “micro cuvees” Bordeaux producers in the Left Bank. In fact, Marojallia was the first, small, boutique property in the Medoc.
Philippe Porcheron produced the debut vintage of Marojallia in 1999. This was with the help of Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud from Valandraud in Saint Emilion. Murielle Andraud worked with the estate on their 1999 and 2000 vintages. After that date, Michel Rolland was retained as a consultant oenologist.
At the time of the debut release, the property was only 2.5 hectares of vines, most of which were located in Arsac. Since then, Philippe Porcheron has been able to purchase an additional 1.5 hectares of vines.
Because the vineyard was under a lease agreement prior to the purchase by Porcheron, the new owner had to create a new cellar and wine-making facility at the estate.
Due to the unconventional winemaking views of Marojallia, (unconventional for the Medoc is a much more accurate statement), the new owner was initially greeted with doubt by some of his neighbors.
However, the quality of Marojallia is there. All anyone needs to do is taste the wine. But because the production of this Left Bank Bordeaux wine is small and prices are high, it is often difficult to find. In a recent tasting of all the top 2000 wines in 2010, the wine showed well and had ample stuffing to continue to age and evolve.
Marojallia added a hotel, restaurant, and conference facilities to their property. They have good neighbors. The hotel and chateau are located just across the street from Durfort Vivens, which also places them close to Chateau Margaux and Chateau Rauzan Segla.
In March 2023, Chateau Marojallia was purchased by the Seneclauze family that owns the neighboring vineyard, Chateau Marquis de Terme.
Marojallia Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The diminutive 6-hectare Marojallia vineyard is planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. This is a big change in the vineyard plantings. Over the years the estate has overseen a large increase in the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon planted here. The vineyard is well placed in the appellation. It is not too far from the village of Margaux. Its closest neighbor is Durfort Vivens.
The vines are on average, 25 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 10,000 vines per hectare. Yields are often tiny at 25 hectoliters per hectare.
To produce the wine of Marojallia, vinification takes place in temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. The wine of Chateau Marojallia is then aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for between 18 to 24 months before bottling. On average, 1,250 cases of Marojallia are produced per year. There is a second wine, Clos Margalaine.
The best vintages of Marojallia are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2000, and 1999.
Marojallia produces 3 additional wines: Chateau Bouqueyran, from vines they own in the Moulis appellation, and Chateau Rose Sainte Croix from vines they have planted in the neighboring Listrac appellation. Both those wines are interestingly made from the same blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot. They make a third wine, Benjamin de Margalaine, which comes from vines planted in the Haut Medoc appellation.
When to Drink Chateau Marojallia, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Marojallia can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 2-3 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Chateau Marojallia is usually better with at least 7-8 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Marojallia offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 10-25 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Marojallia, with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Marojallia is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Marojallia is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Marojallia is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.
Château Marojallia Wine Tasting Notes
27 Vintages 95,030 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
| 2021 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Incense, flowers, spice and dark currants show on the nose and on the round, plush, polished, chocolatey, espresso-tinted, supple-textured palate. Drink from 2023-2040 90-92 1,415 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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| 2021 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Savory-edged, red fruits, flowers and plums, with a strong note of espresso, cocoa and smoke on the nose and round textured palate will show nicely with just a year or so aging. Drink from 2023-2028. 87-89 1,662 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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| 2020 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Dried flowers, incense, spice, espresso and black currants show in the nose. On the palate the wine is round, supple, creamy, polished and forward with a finish packed with black and red currants and chocolate. Drink from 2024-2045. 182 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Richly colored, the wine shows an oaky edge on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, round, plush, fleshy and polished, the wine finishes with chocolate and ripe blackberries in the endnote. 90-92 Pts 1,742 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
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| 2020 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Espresso, chocolate and cherry notes open the wine. On the palate, you find loads of supple, polished, creamy, red fruits, cocoa and coffee bean. The wine exchanges complexity for pleasure and it works, because this is probably the best vintage Clos Margalaine I recall, ever tasting. And, you can drink this with pleasure on release. Drink from 2023-2032. 212 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Dark in color, the wine shows a savory, earthy, tobacco, oak, and blackberry nose. Soft, round and fruity, with an herbal, peppery edge to the finish, you can enjoy this on release. 87-89 Pts 2,213 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
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| 2019 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Deep, dark in color with incense, espresso, chocolate, wet earth and currants on the nose and on the palate. Lush, round, full and packed with loads of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits, opulent, chocolate and espresso coated plummy finish says you can enjoy this with just a year or two of age. Drink from 2024-2038. 1,092 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Medium/full-bodied, round, and soft, the oak still shows on the nose and palate. The tannins are ripe, the texture is round, rich and supple, delivering a blast of sweet cherries and coffee bean in the polished finish. This modern styled Margaux was produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. 90-92 Pts 2,213 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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| 2019 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Soft, round and medium-bodied, the wine is forward with a core of red fruits, smoke, vanilla and coffee bean in the easy-drinking finish. 88-90 Pts 3,104 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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| 2018 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Smoky, espresso, licorice, spice, blackberry and barbecue scented aromas meld perfectly with the full-bodied, round-textured, polished, lush, flashy, sweet, dark red berry filled mid-palate and finish. This modern styled Margaux blends 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. 1,159 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Deep, rich, full-bodied and lush in texture, you'll find floral, black cherry, licorice and espresso notes in the bouquet. Round and polished, concentrated and forward, this is a modern style Margaux. The wine was produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. 91-93 Pts 1,841 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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| 2018 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Filled with juicy, round, sweet, dark red fruits, espresso and a hint of spice, the wine ends with a jolt of strong black coffee and red plums. You can enjoy this on release. 1,556 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Medium bodied, soft, round, plush and quite oaky, the fruits are ripe, forward and easy to like, finishing with a blend of espresso and cherries. 86-89 Pts 3,576 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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| 2018 | Château Marojallia Benjamin de Margalaine (Haut-Médoc) | |
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Light, tart, early drinking, cranberry and bright strawberry oriented wine that will be best in its first few years of life. 1,305 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021 |
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| 2017 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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With a plummy, cassis, smoke, thyme and espresso profile, the wine is full bodied, round, soft and fleshy. Produced from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. 1,973 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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| 2016 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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With good depth of color, the wine offers tobacco, cocoa, espresso, blackberry and black cherry. Concentrated, lush, rich and pure silk on the palate, this is a lush, forward, sexy version of Margaux. 1,592 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019Truffle, oak, licorice and black fruits with soft, polished, rich textures, sweetness and length, this wine was made from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. 2,311 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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| 2015 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Lush, round and full-bodied, the wine is concentrated and clearly has depth, but even with a few hours of decanting, the oak is fairly noticeable. I am not sure how well it is going to integrate, even with time. 3,081 Views Tasted Dec 4, 2019Dark in color, the wine opens with espresso, wet earth, tobacco and blackberries. With a lush, forward character, there is a lot of round textured, sweet fruit found here with little effort. Richly textured, with silky tannins, give this a decade to develop. 3,220 Views Tasted May 21, 2018This wine is dark in color with a nose of blackberry, flowers, espresso and earthy notes. Rich, fat and sweet with a lush character and a round, fruit-filled finish, the wine was made from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. 92 - 94 Pts 3,009 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2016 |
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| 2014 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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With an oaky, floral, black cherry nose, this fleshy, round, wine has an early drinking, seductive, open charm. 89-91 Pts 2,187 Views Tasted Apr 22, 2015 |
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| 2013 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Deep in color for the vintage, this wine is tight and needs coaxing to reveal aromas of coffee bean and black raspberry. Soft, polished and forward, it’s all about the sweet black cherries on the palate with a lot of oak in the end note. 88-90 Pts 1,292 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
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| 2012 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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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 3,306 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
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| 2011 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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70% Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Merlot produce a wine that’s deep ruby in color. Oak, coffee, jammy strawberry and vanilla scents open to a fresh, plum- and cassis-filled wine that ends with oak, blackberry jam and coffee bean in the finish. 89-91 Pts 1,787 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
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| 2011 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Coffee, vanilla and black cherry scents, fresh, bright, tart, tannic and filled with red berries and oak. 86-87 Pts 3,086 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2012 |
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| 2010 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Marojaillia Deep dark ruby color, oak, black raspberry and licorice scents are followed by a dense, round, sweet, licorice, chocolate and boysenberry filled palate. This is a rich, opulent textured wine of pleasure. 92-94 Pts 5,363 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2011 |
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| 2009 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Espresso bean, vanilla, chocolate, black cherry, truffle and earthy scents produce an interesting perfume. Lush, round and silky, this opulent, black cherry and dark cocoa filled wine has a lot to offer with its ripe fruit and plush textures. 5,141 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
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| 2009 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Truffle, forest, black cherry scents, medium bodied with a soft, round, cherry filled finish. 2,708 Views Tasted May 1, 2012 |
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| 2008 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Wet earth, smoke, caramel, coffee, dark berries and stone create the perfume. Soft, round and supple in texture, the wine is foiled with fresh black cherry and dark, bitter chocolate. Give it a few more years. 2,980 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
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| 2008 | Clos Margalaine (Margaux) | |
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Hints of coffee, raspberry and earth. Fresh, medium bodied, tart, cocoa and red berry finish is found in the wine. 2,371 Views Tasted May 1, 2012 |
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| 2007 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Herbs, coffee, red fruits and soft in texture, the wine ends with cherries and oak in the finish. Drink now as it will not age well from here. 2,109 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
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| 2006 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Medium bodied, elegant, smoky wine with black cherry, thyme, espresso and floral accents that is offering, silky textured pleasure today. 3,329 Views Tasted May 25, 2016Light ruby in color, forest floor, truffle, strawberry, blackberry, earth and herb scents open to a round, soft textured, sweet, red and black cherry filled wine that is starting to show well. 4,112 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
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| 2005 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Earth, truffle, coffee, cocoa, black cherry, plum, forest floor and mineral scents are found in the perfume. Good concentration of flavor, with supple, fleshy textures and a round, fresh, chocolate, black cherry and blackberry finish. Still tannic, give it another 3-5 years. 4,146 Views Tasted May 4, 2012 |
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| 2004 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Soft, silky, medium bodied and seductive, this mature wine serves up a smooth blend of earth, black raspberries, tobacco and earthy notes. 3,847 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015 |
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| 2000 | Château Marojallia (Margaux) | |
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Aromatically, the wine serves up a blast of licorice, black cherry, smoke, flowers, espresso and chocolate covered cherries. On the palate, the wine tastes and feels oaky, which at close to 17, worries me. There is a lushness to texture, silky tannins, and plenty of sweet, ripe, cherries. But but the level of oak is on the border. 2,782 Views Tasted Sep 28, 2016Here's something you do not see everyday, a Garage styled wine from the Left Bank! showing well, with its licorice, tobacco, black cherry, cocoa and liqueur charms. Soft, open, east to drink, it could develop more secondary characteristics, but it does not need additional cellaring at this point. This 500 case production was consulted by Jean Luc Thunevin. 2,605 Views Tasted Nov 23, 2014This offers an intriguing perfume of truffle, earth, mocha, black berry and black cherry scents. This is a very sexy style of Margaux that combines plush, opulent textures with ripe, round fruit. 3,421 Views Tasted Mar 5, 2010 |
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