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Chateau Margaux

Top ways to experience Chateau Margaux and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Chateau Margaux - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• A Half-Day in Margaux (From $93.41)
• Medoc Region Private Sightseeing & Wine Day Trip with Tasting from Bordeaux (From $604.81)
• Full-Day tour to Saint-Emilion and Medoc, from Bordeaux (From $186.83)
• Private Médoc 4.5 hours Wine Tour in a Citroën 2CV from Bordeaux (From $257.71)
• Bordeaux Super Saver Historic Gourmet Walking Tour with Lunch and Médoc Tour (From $209.91)
• (0.13 mi) Hôtel de Margaux
• (0.12 mi) Château Marojallia
• (1.30 mi) Relais de Margaux - Golf & Spa
• (0.75 mi) Domaine de Clairefont
• (6.44 mi) Golf du Medoc Resort
• (0.10 mi) Restaurant le Wine Bar Margaux
• (0.05 mi) Baïja's Coffee
• (0.13 mi) L' Indigo
• (0.20 mi) Restaurant Le Savoie
• (0.15 mi) Margaux Snack'in

• Travel Book

Château Margaux

Description.

The gardens that surround Chateau Margaux are a pastoral paradise waiting to be discovered Five centuries separate the chateau's humble beginnings as the "Mothe de Margaux", and the spectacular estate we see today. Every passing year has left its mark on the property's illustrious history. Visitors are often left awestruck as they follow in the footsteps of the hundreds of men and women who have, over the course of centuries, shaped the destiny of this exceptional terroir. In the shade of the great poplar trees that surround the property, visitors are imbued with a unique sense of history as they catch a glimpse of the superb chateau, resplendent against its brilliant green backdrop. Approaching the chateau, visitors appreciate the stylistic purity of its monumental neoclassical façade, supported by four vast columns.

La Cabane des Chênes

Port d'issan, restaurant de l'ile vincent.

• 33460 MARGAUX
• Tel. +33 5 57 88 83 83

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Chateau Margaux

Margaux, bordeaux, france.

Château Margaux’s history and renown stem equally from the intrinsic genius of the place as from the contributions made by the various people who have served it for five centuries. But there has probably not been an owner who has played such a decisive role, in such a short time, as André Mentzelopoulos, who purchased the Estate in 1977 and who would have been 100 years old today.

It was the Marquis de la Colonilla who, 200 years ago, left his own mark on the Estate, in honour of the wine, through the construction of this great architectural heritage in a style inspired by ancient Greece; the architect Louis Combes had designed the Château’s peristyle paying homage to the Parthenon. André Mentzelopoulos was filled with pride and happiness at the sight of these Ionic columns that reminded him of his native Greece. More than 160 years later he had the foresight to take the radical measures necessary, in barely three years, to give back to Château Margaux, the lustre that it had lost during the long Bordeaux wine crisis.

Louis Combes and Norman Foster, two centuries apart, were both inspired by the genius of an age-old terroir, paying tribute to one of the world’s greatest wines.

Tastings may be made with advance appointment, but are typically reserved for trade only.

Tasting Price: $$$

Visits to the cellar by appointment only.

Beautiful Architecture

This winery is popular among visitors for its beautiful architectural design.

Great Views

This winery is known for its Great Views on the property.

This winery is popular among customers for its history.

Wine Tastings

This winery offers wine tastings on the property either by walk-in or appointment.

This winery offers wine tours on their property. Either of the winery facility, vineyards and/or cellar space.

Grape Varieties

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Petit Verdot

Wine Styles

• Dry Red Wines
• Dry White Wines
• White Wines

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Chateau Margaux

Top ways to experience Chateau Margaux and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

CHATEAU MARGAUX: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• A Half-Day in Margaux (From £73.37)
• Medoc Region Private Sightseeing & Wine Day Trip with Tasting from Bordeaux (From £475.04)
• Full-Day tour to Saint-Emilion and Medoc, from Bordeaux (From £146.74)
• Private Médoc 4.5 hours Wine Tour in a Citroën 2CV from Bordeaux (From £202.41)
• Bordeaux Super Saver Historic Gourmet Walking Tour with Lunch and Médoc Tour (From £164.87)
• (0.13 mi) Hôtel de Margaux
• (0.12 mi) Château Marojallia
• (1.30 mi) Relais de Margaux - Golf & Spa
• (0.75 mi) Domaine de Clairefont
• (6.44 mi) Golf du Medoc Resort
• (0.10 mi) Restaurant le Wine Bar Margaux
• (0.05 mi) Baïja's Coffee
• (0.13 mi) L' Indigo
• (0.20 mi) Restaurant Le Savoie
• (0.15 mi) Margaux Snack'in

A Half-Day tour in Margaux

Margaux and its Chateaux is the ideal setting for a good introduction to wine-making and wine-tasting, while enjoying great Medoc landscapes. A morning or an afternoon to understand Medoc diversity through the tasting of 5 different wines, all typical of this legendary wine-area.

• Tasting of 5 wines
• Visit of 2 Chateau
• Panoramic drive
• Small group tour
• private guide to assist you

Depart from the city center of Bordeaux aboard a van to discover the beautiful vineyards of the Margaux appellation and their wines. You will visit a first Chateau and enjoy a tasting of 3 wines, the opportunity to understand the specificities of this appellation.

During your visit to the first Chateau, you will be able to admire the vineyards as far as the eye can see and discover the different grape varieties used to produce the wines of the Margaux appellation. You will also have the opportunity to discuss with wine experts who will explain the production and winemaking techniques.

Then, you will pass by the famous “Chateau Margaux”, the opportunity to take a photo before going to your second guided tour in a 5th Grand Cru classified Chateau. You can then discover the history and architecture of this iconic castle while tasting at least 3 of their wines.

This small-group tour in an ideal setting will allow you to learn about the art of winemaking and tasting and ask all your questions to our guide!

- 09 AM : Pickup from Olala Bordeaux

- 01 PM : Drop-off at Olala Bordeaux

- 02 PM : Pickup from Olala Bordeaux

- 06 PM : Drop-off at Olala Bordeaux

Return times may change depending on traffic conditions.

List of partner chateaux in the Médoc : Château Siran, Château Dauzac, Château Paveil de Luze, Château Marquis de Terme, Château Paloumey…

Good to know

What's included.

Transportation

Guide/Driver

Guided tour of a vineyard and tasting of 3 wines

Guided tour of a grand cru vineyard and tasting of 2 wines

Photo stop at the famous Chateau Margaux

Informative brochures

Not included

Personal expenses

Number of participants

We advice to wear comfortable shoes and clothing adapted to the weather. Don't forget to take your water bottle to fill it up in the morning, at Olala Bordeaux we are committed to limiting our plastic waste! The guide can conduct the tour in French and English (bilingual), he adapts to the participants. The Chateaux and the schedule may vary, but the quality of the offer will remain the same. Children under 16 and pets are not allowed for the comfort of the group, so a private tour will be more suitable in your case.It is imperative to arrive 10 minutes before the departure time of your tour, no delay possible, to ensure the comfort of the group and the respect of the schedule.

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Need To Know

11 Things You Should Know About Château Margaux

words: Cat Wolinski

photography: Patrick Phillips

Château Margaux , located on the Left Bank of Bordeaux , is one of five first-growth estates in France’s prized Medoc region. Considered the top of its class since 1855 (and even earlier — more on that later), Margaux has captured the hearts and dollars of wine collectors for centuries.

But fame didn’t exactly come easy. This storied estate bounced back from the French Revolution, the Great French Wine Blight, and the Bordeaux market crash of the 1970s. Today, Margaux produces four wines: Château Margaux; Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux; Pavillon Blanc; and Margaux du Château Margaux. Here are 11 things you should know about Château Margaux.

Château Margaux has been around for more than 300 years.

As one of just five first-growth châteaux, Margaux has been classified as a top-tier wine since 1855. At the time of Napoleon III’s classification, Margaux was the only estate given a 20/20 rating.

Margaux’s elite status was recognized long before 1855. It appeared in an auction advertisement in the London Gazette in 1705, and its 1771 vintage was the first “claret” to appear in a Christie’s catalog. The birth of the estate traces back to the 16th century.

Thomas Jefferson was into it.

Before he was President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was sent to Paris where he would eventually succeed Benjamin Franklin as Minister to France. During that time, Jefferson attempted to create his own hierarchy of wines. He put Château Margaux in first place. In 1784, Jefferson placed an order for Margaux on which he wrote, “There couldn’t be a better Bordeaux bottle.”

‘Margaux’ is synonymous with elevation.

This château had a name before it even had vines. In the 12th century, the land was called “La Mothe de Margaux,” or “the mound of Margaux,” signifying its elevated position in the otherwise mostly flat Medoc region. Château Margaux is also the only Bordeaux wine to bear the name of its appellation.

It’s been setting trends for centuries.

Château Margaux claims to have originated modern vinification methods. At the turn of the 18th century, a man called Berlon became the first to vinify white grapes and red grapes separately, setting the standard for many vintages to come.

Château Margaux is owned by one of France’s wealthiest women.

After the Bordeaux market crash in the 1970s, a Greek businessman named André Mentzelopoulos bought Château Margaux for just 72 million francs (about $17 million at the time ). He was succeeded by his daughter Corinne Mentzelopoulos in 1980. She turned Château Margaux into a $1 billion business. With just 81 full-time employees as of May 2018, Margaux is one of the smallest billion-dollar companies in the world. The estate will be succeeded by Corinne’s daughter, Alexandra.

Château Microsoft? Mais non!

In the early 1990s, Corinne Mentzelopoulos sold financial control of the estate to the Agnelli family, the owners of Fiat. When the Agnelli family put the estate up for sale in 2003, Mentzelopoulos bought it back.

A Telegraph report at the time said French winemakers were relieved to have the estate back in French hands — it had been rumored that Bill Gates was interested in buying.

Château Margaux really sings.

The wine inspired an eponymous opera composed in 1887. An orchestral version of Château Margaux was recorded more recently, in 2015, and a comedic opera with the name played in Spain in 2017. Check it out .

It created the most expensive bottle of wine never sold.

Château Margaux 1787, a bottle from Thomas Jefferson’s collection, could have been the most expensive bottle ever sold (valued at $500,000). But when a wine merchant named William Sokolin brought the bottle to a Margaux dinner at the Four Seasons hotel in New York in 1989, a server knocked the bottle over, destroying its contents. The bottle eventually claimed $225,000 from insurers.

The walls talk: The house tells its history through its architecture.

In 1810, Margaux’s new owner, Marquis de la Colonilla, the first to own the land since it had been confiscated by the state during the French Revolution, hired architect Louis Combes to build the now-iconic château and cellars. Combes’ neo-Palladian style earned Margaux the nickname “ Versailles of the Médoc .”

In 2015 , a renovation project headed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster modernized the famous cellars for the first time since they were built in 1810.

Château Margaux is going (mostly) organic.

Although it is not officially designated as such, much of Margaux’s vineyard uses organic farming methods. In 2017, 100 percent of the vines for the Grand Vin were farmed organically, according to the Wine Cellar Insider.

Just say ‘no’ to faux Margaux.

Château Margaux began laser-etching bottles in 1989  to combat counterfeiting. In 2011, the company strengthened its anti-counterfeiting program with the prooftag system , which employs lights and algorithms to compute electronic signatures on a bottle label.

Published: October 12, 2018

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Bordeaux Travel Guide

The Best Bordeaux Chateaux to Visit for Unique Wine Tasting Experiences

Bordeaux Châteaux

Bordeaux isn’t just one of the most highly coveted wine blends in the world; it’s a massive wine region by the same encompassing more than 60 different appellations. In layman’s terms, that’s more than 7100 different wineries just in Bordeaux alone. Most visitors look for Bordeaux wine tours to whisk them away to the wineries, but the best wine tours in Bordeaux aren’t really “tours” at all. For the truly best Bordeaux wine tours, seek out the unique curated experiences exclusively offered by the châteaux themselves.

Many châteaux (wineries) offer classic visits with a wine tasting in Bordeaux. You see the vineyard and learn about the terroir, visit the winery, barrel room and possibly tour part of the château itself if it is open to the public. The approximately 45-minute tour is followed by a tasting of 1-2 vintages and usually a second wine produced by the estate. In all honesty, there’s not a lot in these classic visits that distinguish one château from the next. And it’s these classic visits that are offered as part of most small group Bordeaux vineyard tours.

That’s why we’ve sought out the most unique wine tasting experiences in Bordeaux. These are the ones that will make your trip to Bordeaux memorable and leave your friends back home jealous while you’re wine tasting in a 200 year old tree top or blending your own bottle of Bordeaux. Ready for the coolest wine tastings around? Then don’t miss these best chateaux in Bordeaux to visit for unique wine tasting experiences.

Best Bordeaux Chateaux on the Left Bank | Best Bordeaux Chateaux in Saint-Émilion and the Right Bank | Best Chateaux in Sauternes

Bordeaux Wine Tours on the Left Bank

Bordeaux’s Left Bank is home to some of the most famous vineyards in all of the Bordeaux wine region. It’s on the Left Bank that you’ll find all of the 1855 classified Bordeaux wines of the Médoc, including world-famous names like Château Margaux, Château Lafite and Château Mouton Rothschild. Some of our own personal favorites when it comes to appellations, like Pauillac, are located on the Left Bank.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape found in Bordeaux blends from the Left Bank. A small amount of Petit Verdot and even Malbec can be found in the blends, particularly from very hot years like 2016 when these grape varietals do particularly well. The best Bordeaux vintages include 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2006 and 2005 from the last decade or so. Bordeaux wine from the Left Bank is generally more powerful and made for aging.

5 Senses Tour at Château Pape Clement

We often don’t realize how all of our senses work together to help us explore the world around us. Even though it would seem we mostly use taste and smell when drinking wine, it’s amazing how sight and even sound influence how we think and feel about wine.

The 5 Senses tour at Château Pape Clement, in Bordeaux’s Pessac-Léognan appellation, engages all the senses. Wine tasting isn’t just reserved for the end of the tour, either. Tastings take place all throughout the tour.

There’s a tasting of barrel samples in Château Pape Clement’s barrel room, which is interesting as the grape varieties in a Bordeaux blend ferment and age separately before the final blending. The blind tasting in one of the rooms of the château tests your palette. You might even be surprised at just how difficult it can be to distinguish a white wine from a red when the color of the wine is masked by black glasses. Finally, sounds are used to see how you feel drinking wine in yet another room of the château.

After the Château Pape Clement 5 Senses tour, you’ll definitely believe that recent study by neuroscientists in which they say that wine tasting engages your brain more than math . And this tour is far more fun than any math class, which is why we recommend Château Pape Clement as one of the best wineries to visit in Bordeaux.

The 5 Senses Tour is available by reservation and is €49 per person. Plan 2 hours for this tasting experience. Château Pape Clement is also easily accessible by public transportation using Bus Line 4 from Gambetta to the Le Monteil (Cité Le Corbusier) stop. It is then about a 10 minute walk for 700 meters to the château. Plan your journey .

Vintage Tour at Château Kirwan

Bordeaux is renowned for its old vintages, especially when it comes to Bordeaux wines from the Left Bank. While some vintages are so exceptional that they can be drunk in just a few years time, it’s generally best to wait at least 10 years.

When you taste vintages on a classic Bordeaux château tour and tasting, you’ll almost always try wines that are fairly young. The aging is still taking place in the bottle and the wines haven’t quite reached their best yet.

At Château Kirwan , in Bordeaux’s Margaux appellation famous for Grand Cru Classé châteaux, you can taste Bordeaux vintages as old as a vintage from 1967 on the Vintage Tour. This unique experience allows you to choose from a list of vintages for your special tasting. You might select your birth year, the year of your anniversary or some other year special to you. Wines this powerful are best enjoyed with food, so fine cheeses accompany the vintage tasting. It also takes place in Château Kirwan’s cellar among some of their greatest vintages.

The Vintage Tour is available by reservation and is €85 per person. Plan 1.5 – 2 hours for this tasting experience. Château Kirwan can be reached from Bordeaux on public transportation. Take the train from Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean to Gare de Margaux. The château is located 4 kilometers from the village of Margaux, so we recommend taking a vcub shared bike with you and bicycling to the château. vcub costs €1 for a 24 hour membership and €2 per hour for the rental.

1855 Grand Cru Classé Workshop at Château Marquis de Terme

One thing you won’t be able to do is taste the wine of other Bordeaux châteaux while visiting a vineyard, with the few exceptions of multiple châteaux across different appellations that are owned by the same family. That’s what makes the 1855 Grand Cru Classé Workshop at Château Marquis de Terme so unique. It’s the one Bordeaux château where you will taste the wine of six different Bordeaux châteaux, which are all classified growths in the official 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines.

This workshop is for wine connoisseurs who particularly love Bordeaux’s Left Bank wines. Coupled with a visit to the organic vineyards, vat room and barrel room at Château Marquis de Terme , guests sit down with one of the château’s top guides to learn more about the 1855 Classification and each of the seven appellations that were included in it.

The tasting includes a wine from an 1855 Classified château from each of the Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estephe, Sauternes and Barsac appellations. The same vintage is chosen for the tasting so that guests can really appreciate the differences created from the changing terroir as you travel from south to north along Bordeaux’s Left Bank.

The 1855 Grand Cru Classé Workshop is available by reservation and is €100 per person. Plan 3 hours for this tasting experience. Château Marquis de Terme can be reached from Bordeaux on public transportation. Take the train from Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean to Gare de Margaux. The château is 900 meters from the station and is an easy 10-15 minute walk.

The Éclairée Tour and Tasting: Chocolate and Wine Pairing at Château Léoville-Poyferré

Attention chocolate lovers: Château Léoville-Poyferré and Hasnaâ Chocolats Grands Crus have come together to put together the best chocolate and wine pairing in all of Bordeaux. Trust us, we have tried a lot of chocolate pairing tours around the Bordeaux wine region.

What truly makes Château Léoville-Poyferré’s Éclairée tour and tasting stand out from the rest is the passion. Anne Cuvelier and Hasnaâ Ferreira married their love of wine and chocolate together as the perfect couple. Together, they’ve not only chosen the most complimentary Château Léoville-Poyferré vintages and Hasnaâ origin chocolates for the tasting, but also crafted chocolates exclusively for the château.

The tasting is a vertical tasting of 3 Château Léoville-Poyferré, including a barrel sample of the latest vintage paired with different Hasnaâ origin chocolates. The tasting follows a tour of the educational vineyard, vat and barrel rooms.

The Éclairée Tour and Tasting is available by reservation only and is €30 per person. Plan 1.25 hours for this tasting experience. Château Léoville-Poyferré is best accessed by car.

Bordeaux Wine Tours in Saint-Emilion and the Right Bank

The Right Bank is home to the well-known appellations of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion , along with many lesser-known satellite appellations. While wine-making didn’t really take center stage on the Left Bank until the 18th century, the Right Bank’s history of wine-making dates back to Roman times.

There’s far fewer “heavy-hitters” on the Right Bank when it comes to famous names known the world over. But the Right Bank is extremely popular to visit with far more châteaux open to the public and the ability to combine a winery visit with a stroll through the incredibly charming medieval village of Saint-Émilion.

Merlot is the dominant grape on the Right Bank and wines from Pomerol, Saint-Émilion and the satellite appellations have a reputation for being smooth drink-me-soon wines. Exceptional vintages include 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2003, 2000, 1998 and 1995.

Vitishow at Château de Seguin

Just across the Garonne River on the Right Bank is a little-known Bordeaux appellation: the Entre-Deux-Mers. With vineyards that slope down the hillsides, it’s a naturally beautiful area only 20 minutes drive from the center of Bordeaux.

Château de Seguin makes that drive over worth it with the interactive Vitishow. It’s a unique wine tasting experience that marries together going to the a vintage movie theater with wine tasting tours in Bordeaux’s most diverse appellation. Vitishow is an animated and interactive series of short movies along with exhibits that transports visitors back to the year 1920 in Château de Seguin’s vineyard. The movies help visitors understand what happens in the vineyard across all four seasons, the harvest and how the grapes become a fine Bordeaux wine.

The self-guided interactive tour inside Château de Seguin’s historic winery ends with a tasting of their wines inside the boutique, which also overlooks the vineyards from a balcony. The Entre-Deux-Mers is one of few Bordeaux appellations where you can taste both white and red Bordeaux.

Vitishow at Château de Seguin is open Tuesday through Saturday. Show times are at 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm May 1 – October 31 and at 11am, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm November 1 – April 30. Advance booking is recommended and tickets can be booked online , but walk-ins are also welcome. Plan 1 hour for this tasting experience. Château de Seguin is best accessed by car.

The Scent Garden at Château de Reignac

Wine tasting is an art form and being able to identify individual aromas in wine takes a finely tuned palette. Château de Reignac , a Bordeaux Supérieur estate located halfway between Bordeaux and Saint-Émilion, is the perfect place to learn about aromas.

Not only is the 16th century château stunning, the estate is also home to a greenhouse built by Gustav Eiffel (the same man to build Paris’ famous Eiffel Tower), a cleverly converted dovecote that now serves as the tasting room and the unique scent garden where all your senses are awakened. Before tasting the wines of Château de Reignac, you sniff, touch and taste various flowers, herbs and berries whose aromas can be found in wine.

The scent tour at Château de Reignac ends with a tasting of all four of the château’s wines.

The Scent Garden tour is available by reservation only. Plan 2 hours from this workshop and tasting experience. Château de Reignac is best accessed with a car.

B Winemaker at Château Fombrauge

There may be over 7100 individual châteaux in Bordeaux, but the wine of every single one is different despite all using the same primary grapes found in the Bordeaux wine region. Wine making and the blends that result is a deeply personal thing with the style of the wine maker shining through.

At Château Fombrauge , a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, you can get a taste for what it’s like to be a wine maker as you blend your very own bottle of wine. It’s like a fun science experiment as you measure out your percentages of Merlot and Cabernet to come up with your own personalized blend. After finding just the right blend for your tastes, you even bottle, cap and label your own unique bottle of wine. It’s an excellent souvenir to take home and drink while reminiscing about your trip to Bordeaux.

The B Winemaker workshop ends with a classic tour and tasting of Château Fombrauge.

The B Winemaker workshop is available by reservation only. Plan 2 hours from this workshop and tasting experience. Château Fombrauge is best accessed with a car.

Sunday Brunch at Château Ambe Tour Pourret

It’s fairly rare to find a château open on a Sunday in Bordeaux. But Château Ambe Tour Pourret , in Saint-Émilion, brings together Sunday brunch and wine tasting. Set in the garden under the château’s iconic tower and in the shade of their 100-year old chestnut tree, this is one of our favorite places to be on a Sunday in spring and summer in Bordeaux.

From April through October, Château Ambe Tour Pourret hosts a delicious Sunday brunch on the first Sunday of each month. The brunch theme changes each month and the buffet of dishes reflects that theme. There’s also a hot dish selection cooked to order. And no brunch would be complete without a glass of bubbly! Enjoy a glass of Château Ambe Tour Pourret’s crémant, which comes in white or rosé.

Brunch guests can also tour the winery and the tour is offered before brunch. There’s two seatings for brunch, and you can select either the 11am or 1pm seating.

The Sunday brunch is available on the first Sunday of each month from April – October at either 11am or 1pm. Plan 1.5 – 2 hours for brunch and the tour. Château Ambe Tour Pourret can be reached by taking the train from Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean to Gare Saint-Émilion. It is a 1.5 kilometer walk from the village of Saint-Émilion to the château.

Rooftop Dining at Château La Dominique

Château La Dominique is among Bordeaux’s most architecturally beautiful châteaux and is famous for its ombre red winery jutting out in to the vineyards from the historic château. The rooftop of the winery is home to La Terrasse Rouge , a gorgeous restaurant with views of the Saint-Émilion and Pomerol vines.

Château La Dominique is another of just a few châteaux that open their doors on Sundays (from April to October). Book a discovery tour and tasting of the château either before or after a lunch or before dinner at La Terrasse Rouge.

There’s only around a dozen châteaux restaurants set in the Bordeaux vineyards, and the rooftop is the perfect spot to linger over a lunch or dinner. Choose from either a la carte or the 3-course gourmet menu.

La Terrasse Rouge is open daily from 12pm – 3pm for lunch and 7pm – 10:30pm for dinner. Reservations highly recommended. The château is open daily from April to October from 10am – 7pm. Plan for 3 hours for the discovery tour and lunch or dinner.

Bordeaux Wine Tours in Sauternes

Sauternes is something entirely different. It’s the sweet Bordeaux wine appellation in which the micro-climate of the converging rivers creates just the right conditions for botrytis cinerea. This fungus, also known as noble rot, causes the grapes to turn intensely sweet.

Sauternes and Barsac are located on the Left Bank about 20 kilometers south of the city. Bordeaux’s only Superior First Growth, world-famous Château d’Yquem, is located in Sauternes. It’s undisputedly one of the best vineyards in Bordeaux.

The dominant grape is Semilion, a white wine grape. Great vintages from Sauternes include 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001 and 1997 from the last 20 years.

Sauternes has become one of our personal favorite appellations to visit with a number of the châteaux doing fun and interesting workshops and visits. It’s an appellation we definitely think you should make time to visit at least one châteaux in when you visit Bordeaux.

Discover Sauternes and Barsac Varietals at Château Coutet Barsac

One of the most complex wines in the Bordeaux region is Sauternes. If you don’t know Sauternes, it’s the sweet wine made with white grape varietals that contract a fungus called botrytis. Botrytis, or noble rot, highly concentrates the sugars in the grapes. Sauternes is special because this noble rot only occurs in the micro-climate in the Sauternes and Barsac appellations.

Château Coutet Barsac helps visitors understand exactly how botrytis affects the grapes and changes them with their Discover Saunternes and Barsac Varietals workshop. What’s particularly interesting about this workshop is that we don’t typically get to actually taste the grapes themselves unless you happen to be visiting Bordeaux in September or October during the harvest. So Château Coutet Barsac makes some of their grapes into jellies, allowing visitors to taste each individual grape varietal year round.

You’ll be shocked just how different a Sémillon grapes tastes from a Sémillon grape with botrytis. It’s in this special workshop that you can really appreciate how the blending of the grapes makes up the complex Sauternes blend.

Château Coutet Barsac is open by reservation only from Monday – Friday from 9am – 12pm and 1pm – 5pm. Plan 1.5 – 2 hours for the Discover Sauternes and Barsac Varietals workshop. Château Coutet Barsac is best accessed with a car.

Sauternes and Cheese Pairing at Château Guiraud

Sauternes is a wine that has traditionally been drunk during the holidays in the Southwest of France and is classically paired with foie gras. But the younger generations are discovering Sauternes isn’t just for Christmas and with a crusty baguette smeared with foie gras. No, this wine actually has many pairing opportunities, and Château Guiraud is keen to show visitors just what a match made in heaven Sauternes and cheese are.

Much of the estate tour at Château Guiraud is focused outdoors. Not only is Château Guiraud an 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé, but they are certified organic. It’s not an easy or simple certification to maintain, and they are extremely proud of their organic certification. Their estate is like its own ecosystem with a vegetable garden that supplies the on-site La Chapelle restaurant, insects and birds that all work together to keep the vines pest free, and other interesting bits like the trees and hedges that contribute to the success of being an organic vineyard.

After visiting the winery and barrel room, the visit concludes with a private table set in one of the gorgeous rooms of the château just for you. It’s here that cheese pairings are carefully selected for three Château Guiraud 1855 Premier Cru Classé vintages that you’ll taste.

Château Guiraud is open daily with the exception of December 25 and January 1. Advance booking is required. Plan 1.5 – 2 hours for this tasting experience. Château Guiraud is best accessed by car.

Tree Top Tasting at Château de Rayne Vigneau

There’s this misconception about wine tasting, especially here in Bordeaux. Long gone are the days of a stuffy affair of swirl, sniff and sip that was only for wine connoisseurs. Châteaux are shaking things up, and one of the most adventurous and fun-loving châteaux in the Bordeaux wine region is Château de Rayne Vigneau.

The château actually appears twice on this list, first with the most adventurous wine tasting tour in Bordeaux: a tree top tasting in Château de Rayne Vigneau’s 200-year old tree. This particular wine tasting experience definitely isn’t for everyone. You work for your wine tasting using the very type of climbing equipment arborists use, which is a static rope with a pulley system to hoist yourself up.

But the reward of a birds-eye view over the château, which the family still lives in and is otherwise mostly hidden by the tall trees surrounding the winery, is totally worth the effort.

This tree top tasting of Château de Rayne Vigneau’s 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé is the finale of the classic tour around the estate. It’s best done early in the morning before the day gets too hot and when weather conditions are most stable.

Tasting in a Treetop is available by reservation only and must be booked at least 10 days in advance. Plan 2.5 hours for this tasting experience. Wear pants and closed-toe shoes like tennis shoes for this tasting. Château de Rayne Vigneau is best accessed by car.

Escape Room at Château de Rayne Vigneau

Escape room games have become all the rage. We’ve tried them all in Bordeaux. From the popular Escape Hunt, which is can be found in cities around the world, to the Escape Road mobile escape game that has frequented the Bordeaux Food Truck Festival, we love solving a good mystery. We love it even more when we can combine a fun time racing against the clock with wine tasting.

Château de Rayne Vigneau does just that with their Sweet Escape game. The year is 1940 and château owner Viscount Gabriel de Roton has declared a deposit of semi-precious stones has been found on the estate. As you’ll learn on the classic part of the tour before putting your detective skills to work, Château de Rayne Vigneau really does have semi-precious gemstones mixed in with their soil and it’s part of what makes this 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé Sauternes unique. In the game, you’ve got to discover all 10 types of semi-precious gems present in order to unlock the bottle of Château de Rayne Vigneau for your tasting.

Though we solved it, we suspect even those who don’t are still rewarded for their efforts in this Bordeaux wine tasting tour meant to be enjoyed by a group of friends.

A Sweet Escpae is available by reservation only. You need a minimum of 3 people, though 4 is recommended for the escape game, and a maximum of 8. Plan 1.5 hours for this tasting experience. Château de Rayne Vigneau is best accessed by car.

Gourmet Picnic at Château Sigalas Raubaud

We easily think Sauternes is one of the most beautiful appellations to visit. Particularly Bommes, where there’s a concentration of gorgeous castles surrounded by vines, is stunning. Château Sigalas Raubaud , an 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé, has a bevvy of beautiful neighbors that their terrace looks out upon including Château Rayne de Vigneau and Château Lafaurie Peyraguey.

After a classic visit that takes you through the family-run estate, a gourmet Sauternes pairing picnic awaits. It’s truly all about la joie de vivre as you sit down with the owner and enjoy a variety of Laure’s own recipes.

Five wines of the château are paired with seasonal dishes. You’ll be shocked at the versatility of Sauternes when you break away from the classic pairings and stop thinking of it as a dessert-only wine. Not to mention that there’s not many châteaux where the owner themselves will sit down to lunch with you. It’s an experience where every guest is made to feel like a VIP.

The Gourmet Bites pairing picnic is available from Monday – Friday at 11:30am. It includes the visit and lasts about 2.5 hours. Reservations are obligatory and must be made no later than 1 day in advance. Château Sigalas Raubaud is best accessed by car.

A Michelin-Star Wine Pairing Meal at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Some of France’s most luxurious things come together with the marriage of wine and glass at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey . Owned by Lalique wine aficionado owner Silvio Denz, there’s unsurprisingly touches of Lalique woven in to nearly every detail of the château, including the iconic muse with grapes that adorns every bottle of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey.

What’s especially exquisite at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is the Restaurant Lalique, who impressively secured their first Michelin star in less than a year after opening. The food is truly art and every course is expertly paired with wines from across Silvio Denz’s properties, including Château Faugères in Saint-Émilion and the wines of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey.

Restaurant Lalique is truly something special and easily one of the top restaurants in the Bordeaux wine region.

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey visits are by appointment only from Monday – Sunday from 10am – 6pm. Restaurant Lalique is open for the lunch sitting from 12:30pm – 1:30pm and the dinner sitting from 7:30pm – 9:30pm. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reservations required. The château is best accessed by car.

This article contains affiliate links. When you book on Rue des Vignerons or Trainline through our affiliate sites, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Loved this post? We love when you share our content! ~ Jen & Tim

About Jennifer Dombrowski

Jennifer Dombrowski is an independent travel publisher and an American expat who has lived in Bordeaux, France since 2016. She previously lived in Northern Italy in a small village near Venice for seven years where she fell in love with wine and wine tourism. She is an award-winning travel writer. She is also a travel correspondent on Traveling on the American Forces Radio Network. Luxe Adventure Traveler was named one of the top travel blogs to watch by the Huffington Post and TripAdvisor, and has been featured by top publications such as National Geographic, CNN, Buzzfeed, and Business Insider. Jennifer's photography has also been featured on publications such as USA Today and Travel + Leisure and on the Travel Channel.

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A Visit to Chateau Margaux

Written by:

Joe Becerra

Last updated:

Visits to this grand Chateau are difficult to make.  Are you a customer of a fine wine shop in your area that sells Chateau Margaux? It is possible that the proprietor may be able to make a request on your behalf to arrange a visit for you. This is how we managed a visit to Margaux. Our seasoned tour driver admitted that this was the first time he had taken a client to Chateau Margaux. As we arrive the harvest activity at Margaux is beginning with the picking of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Although Chateau Margaux is famous for its magnificent red, they make a small percentage of Sauvignon Blanc, and it has the label Pavillon Blanc du Margaux. Cabernet Sauvignon and the other Bordeaux grapes will be ready for harvest in one week.

Chateau Margaux is in the northern area of Bordeaux in the Medoc and the wine appellation of Margaux. Chateau Margaux dates back to the 12 century. Chateau Margaux is one of one of the five designated Premier Cru or First Growth wineries in Bordeaux. Its wines are highly acclaimed and sought after and as you can imagine very expensive. We felt fortunate to be able to taste the 2004 vintage and the 2009 vintage of their second label Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux.

We walked through the cellar to view the wooden fermentation tanks and two beautiful barrel rooms. When the grapes are harvested each vineyard plot is kept separately in the large fermenting tanks. Once fermentation is complete the wine is transferred to barrels. It is not for several months that the winemaker and his assistant taste and evaluate the wine from each vineyard plot. It is only then that the wines are blended for the next vintage. The wine is blended in large tanks and then returned to the barrels pictured in the photo.

Chateau Margaux is only one of four Chateaus that makes their own oak barrels. In their cooperage center, they make barrels that provide 20% of the barrels needed for a normal vintage. The cooper can make one barrel in 4 hours. The cooper also fixes barrels that are leaking. The barrels at Chateau Margaux are used for two years only. It has been a tradition to make their own barrels and has been doing this for the last two centuries.

The Chateau itself as can be seen in the photo above is a magnificent structure built 200 years ago. The current owner of Margaux, Corinne Mentzelopoulos, lives in the Chateau. As we walk around the estate my footsteps can almost feel each generation of families and winemakers who have lived and worked at Margaux. What a fantastic visit, one that will live in my memory bank very long.

Joe Becerra has been traveling to wine country and enjoying wine since 1965. He is a retired educator, and now have the time the opportunity to share his wine travel experiences through this Website.

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The Best Châteaux To Visit In Bordeaux

06 May, 2022

Discover the best châteaux to visit in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux châteaux have been celebrated for producing the best wine in the world for hundreds of years. Leading the charge are the famous First Growths châteaux : Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Mouton, Château Haut Brion and Château Margaux. While every wine lover in the world wants to visit these top ch â teaux in Bordeaux, gaining an invitation can be difficult. But don’t worry, with over 3000 wine estates in the greater Bordeaux area, there are plenty of amazing châteaux and fine wines to enjoy. Read on for our pick of the best châteaux to visit in Bordeaux .

Or, if you’d like to sit back and relax, and let us organise your perfect tour of Bordeaux’s chateaux for you, just get in touch!

Enquire with our Tailor-made Team

1. château pape clément – wine tours and tastings.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Pape Clément? Find out more.

2. Château Cos d’Estournel – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Cos d’Estournel? Find out more.

3. Château Léognan – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Léognan? Find out more.

4. Château Haut-Bailly – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Haut-Bailly? Find out more.

5. Château Guiraud – wine tours and tastings

A Premier Grand Cru Classé château in the sweet white wine-producing region of Sauternes, which, apart from the famous Château d’Yquem, is the only other Grand Cru within the commune of Sauternes itself. The astonishingly small cellar produces stunningly rich and complex botrytized wines. The welcoming château takes the time to engage wine tourists with art exhibitions, wine tastings and a fascinating seminar on the unique wines of Sauternes.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Guiraud? Find out more.

6. Château Troplong Mondot – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Troplong Mondot? Find out more.

7. Château Pontet-Canet – wine tours and tastings

A Fifth Growth château owned by the Tesseron family, this château can trace its history back to 1725. Neighbouring the vineyards of Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Pontet-Canet is one of the largest wine producers in the Médoc. In addition, driven by a respect for nature and the environment, the estate is managed biodynamically.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Pontet-Canet? Find out more.

8. Château Phélan Ségur – wine tours and tastings

Classified among the ‘Grands Crus and assimilated’ by La Place de Bordeaux, critics, enthusiasts and amateurs alike celebrate this estate. A unique building in the Medoc, the château combines both the residence and winemaking structure in one connected building. With a great diversity of wine terroir, the château produces stunningly complex yet elegant wines. And the team itself has become famous for their hospitality. This beautiful château is produly a member of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Phélan Ségur ? Find out more.

9. Château La Dominique – wine tours and tastings

A Grand Cru Classe château in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Saint-Émilion, this estate produces high-quality wines based predominantly on the Merlot grape. The distinctive red cellar was designed by famous architect Jean Nouvel and is complemented by the red stone terrace at the château’s restaurant, La Terrasse Rouge.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château La Dominque ? Find out more.

10. Château Doisy-Daëne – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Doisy-Daëne ? Find out more.

11. Château De La Dauphine – wine tours and tastings

Once visited by the Dauphine Princess Maria-Josepha of Saxony, the wife and mother of Kings is one of the largest châteaux in the greater Right Bank Libourne region. The beautifully-restored manor house and stunning modern cellars produce wines that are prized for the freshness of the tannins and their overall vigour.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château De La Dauphine! Find out more.

12. Domaine de Chevalier – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Domaine de Chevalier! Find out more.

13. Château Lynch Bages – wine tours and tastings

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Lynch Bages! Find out more.

14. Château Beychevelle – wine tours and tastings

Photo credit: PA, ‘Château Beychevelle’, Creative Commons  Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Beychevelle is every bit as gorgeous as you’d expect a château in the heart of the St Julien area of Bordeaux to be but wait until you pass through the impressive vestibule and rooms into the gardens beyond. Three words will escape your breath, “Le Petit Versailles”. The expansive château gardens are entirely reminiscent of such splendour, and flow from the château wings which house a variety of facilities for the wine traveller – a well-equipped and befitting wine tasting room and all the private hire functions of La Table de Beychevelle, where you can stay, celebrate, convene, dine and taste. Beychevelle’s Grand Cru and second wine, Amiral de Beychevelle are both deserving of a visit on their own.

Interested in wine tastings and winery tours at Château Beychevelle ! Find out more.

The best way to discover the châteaux of Bordeaux is on a guided wine tour. Experience the different winemaking styles in a day on a wine tour with passionate tour guides and regional experts. We have a huge range of wine and food tours in Bordeaux  including wine tastings and food tours. Find the perfect tour for you! Have you read our other wine region guides? Here are our experts’ opinions on which wineries to visit in  Rioja ,  Umbria ,  Provence  and  Puglia !

Tags: Bordeaux , châteaux , France , wineries

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12 Châteaux You Must Visit in Bordeaux Wine Country

You can’t move in Gironde without coming face to face with a château. Here is a selection of a few worth visiting

Related article: Great French Destinations, Raise a Glass to Gironde

CHÂTEAU LA CROIZILLE

La Croizille is a family-owned château on top of a hill in the heart of the vineyard of Saint-Émilion. From its tasting room, overhanging the valley, you can enjoy exceptional views. Its modern cellar offers a different take on the wine of Bordeaux. www.chateaulacroizille.com

CHÂTEAU PÉDESCLAUX

Don’t miss this immaculate estate, Grand Cru Classé 1855, in Pauillac. Architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte has melded old and new seamlessly. Check out the winery, with its breathtaking use of oak, steel, glass and concrete for a fresh take on an old tradition. www.chateau-pedesclaux.com

CHÂTEAU BESSAN

Check out the younger, groovier side of Bordeaux at this stunning spot in Tabanac. Winegrower Mathieu Verdier has brought fresh passion to the estate, and a simply stunning eco-cabin overlooking the vineyards and the great river beyond. chateaubessan.fr

CHÂTEAU SIGALAS-RABAUD

Another Grand Cru Classé 1855, this château oozes age-old charm, with its red doors and windows. A warm welcome awaits from a passionate crew with a love of the land and an inventive attitude. Make time for a taste of the divine Sauternes. www.chateau-sigalas-rabaud.com

CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD

This Grand Cru Classé 1855 has 100 hectares of vines and is renowned for its natural approach to viticulture, which involved building an insect hotel, planting 5km of hedges and developing genetic diversity. It produces great wines with a strong personality. www.chateauguiraud.com

CHÂTEAU DE ROUILLAC

Rouillac is a very old and noble estate that was bequeathed by Jean de Martigny, King’s Counsel, to Jean-Paul Loret, the then President of the parliament of Bordeaux. Today it’s a vast property that can retrace the family history of its successive owners. www.chateauderouillac.com

CHÂTEAU DE REIGNAC

Crowned International Best of Wine Tourism 2018, the château lies at the confluence of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers in Entre-Deux-Mers. It was originally built in the 16th century, and has a remarkable, later, greenhouse designed by Gustave Eiffel. www.reignac.com

CHÂTEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD

One of the most famous names in Bordeaux, this estate has its roots in the 14th century, but it is with the Ségur family that the property became renowned. Lafite’s wine was even drunk in Versailles, by the royal family. www.lafite.com

CHÂTEAU MARGAUX

Another famous name from the region is Margaux, which has an exceptional terroir. In the shade of the great poplar trees that surround the property, visitors are imbued with a unique sense of history as they catch a glimpse of the superb château. www.chateau-margaux.com

CHÂTEAU D’YQUEM

The renowned Château d’Yquem produces complex, sweet wines made from botrytised grapes in the Sauternes region of Bordeaux . Presiding over the vineyards from the top of a hill, the oldest parts of the castle go back to the 15th century. www.yquem.fr

CHÂTEAU LES CARMES HAUT-BRION

With its remarkable winery designed by Philippe Starck, this is the only château within Bordeaux. It dates from the 16th century, when Jean de Pontac, lord of Haut-Brion, donated a large mill and vines to the Carmelite Order. www.les-carmes-haut-brion.com

CHÂTEAU VIEUX PLANTIER

Lying right at the heart of the Côtes de Bourg appellation, this estate covers 31 hectares, producing fruity wines. The château is open all year and is just a stone’s throw from the village, with its Merovingian sarcophagus and history dating back to Napoleon III. www.chateau-vieux-plantier.com

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Gill Harris has 20 years' experience of travel writing and journalism. She fell in love with the French language at school and then with the country when, as a teenager, she spent a summer working in Languedoc. She visits whenever she has the chance.

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Premier Grand Cru Classé

• L'Histoire
• Les Équipes

Le Savoir-Faire

• Le travail de la vigne
• Le travail des chais
• La conservation de nos vins
• Le service & la dégustation
• Pavillon Rouge
• Pavillon Blanc
• Pavillon Blanc Second Vin
• Contact & Visites
• Authentification

Our châteaux and properties

67 wine-growing properties.

The Margaux appellation is an archipelago of properties with great diversity in terms of reputation and size: some estates have less than 1 ha, while others exceed 100 ha.

However, the quest for quality, the passing on of expertise and innovation while respecting traditions and the terroir are common values that run through this diversity. We hope you will have the pleasure of visiting these properties, meeting the winegrowers, and tasting their wines.

Châteaux & properties

consult the list in alphabetical order or refine your search

1855 Grands Crus Classés

Great classics, cru bourgeois, crus artisans, artisans winegrowers, micro-cuvées.

CHÂTEAU ANGLUDET

Château Angludet 33640 CANTENAC

• 05 57 88 71 41

Open to the public, with a reservation . Paid visit. On site store.

• Summer opening (May to October) : Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm
• Winter opening (November to April) : Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm

Offers et services :

• Tour and tasting on our terrace under Angludet’s chestnut tree 
• Food (by reservation, 48h before) : platters of charcuterie, cheese, truffle and burrata toasted sandwich, home-made desserts
• Seminars conferences (capacity : 50), Dining reception (capacity : 35 seated, 55 standing)

CHÂTEAU BEL AIR MARQUIS D’ALIGRE

Route de Bel Air 33460 SOUSSANS

• 05 57 88 70 70

CHÂTEAU BELLEVUE DE TAYAC

Rte de Pauillac, Lieu dit Le Grand Port 33460 SOUSSANS

• 05 56 59 58 16

Open to the public, with or without reservation . Free tour. On site store.

• Summer opening (May to October) : Monday to Saturday, 2pm to 7.30pm
• Winter opening (November to April) : on demand
• Free tour of the vineyard and vat room
• Wine Gaming by reservation (kind of escape game)
• Bike rental
• Seminars conferences (capacity : 40)
• One-off exhibitions

CHÂTEAU BOYD-CANTENAC

3 ème Grand Cru Classé

11 Route de Jean Faure 33460 MARGAUX-CANTENAC

• 05 57 88 90 82

CHÂTEAU BRANE CANTENAC

2 ème Grand Cru Classé

Route de Brane 33460 MARGAUX-CANTENAC

• 05 57 88 83 33
• Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 12.30pm / 2pm to 5pm

CHÂTEAU CAMBON LA PELOUSE

5 Chemin de Canteloup 33460 MACAU

• 05 57 88 40 32

On site store.

• Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm / 2pm to 4pm

CHÂTEAU CANTENAC BROWN

Route d'Arsac 33460 MARGAUX

• 05 57 88 81 81
• Summer opening (June to August) : Monday to Saturday, 10am to 12.30pm / 2pm to 6pm
• Winter opening (September to May) : Monday to Friday, 10am to 12.30pm / 2pm to 6pm

CHÂTEAU CHANTELUNE

17 Route des Châteaux "Tayac" 33460 SOUSSANS

• 06 10 46 34 35

CHÂTEAU CHARMANT

14 Rue Alfred de Luze 33460 SOUSSANS

• 05 57 88 35 27
• Monday to Friday, 9am to 11.30am / 2pm to 5pm

CHÂTEAU CONFIDENCE DE MARGAUX

121 Avenue du Port du Roy 33290 BLANQUEFORT

• 05 57 87 12 79

CHÂTEAU D’ARSAC

1 Allée du Comte 33460 ARSAC

• 05 56 58 83 90
• Summer opening (May to October) : Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm
• Winter opening (November to April) : Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, Saturday on demand
• Art & wine tour, wine-music show “Si Arsac m’était chanté”
• Food (by reservation, 48h before) : platter of 3 cheeses
• Seminars conferences (capacity : 50), Dining reception (capacity : 50)
• Collection of contemporary works

CHÂTEAU D’ISSAN

Chemin de la Ménagerie 33460 MARGAUX-CANTENAC

• 05 57 88 35 91
• Monday to Friday, 9am to 12.30pm / 1.30pm to 5pm

CHÂTEAU DAUZAC

5 ème Grand Cru Classé

1 Avenue Georges Johnston 33460 LABARDE

• 05 55 88 98 51

Open to the public, with or without reservation . Paid visit. On site store.

• Summer opening (May to October) : Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm
• Winter opening (November to April) : Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Discovery tour, wine and chocolate pairing, secrets of a vintage, expression of a terroir 
• Seminars conferences (capacity : 250), Reception dining (capacity : 150 seated, 100 standing), Wedding reception   (capacity : 150)

CHÂTEAU DES EYRINS

27 Rue du Général de Gaulle 33460 MARGAUX-CANTENAC

• 05 56 76 28 44

CHÂTEAU DES GRAVIERS

52 Rue du Gravier 33460 ARSAC

• 05 56 58 89 11

Open to the public, with a reservation . Free tour. On site store.

• Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm

CHÂTEAU DESMIRAIL

28 Avenue de la Vème République 33460 MARGAUX-CANTENAC

• 05 57 88 57 14
• Summer opening (June to October) : every day, 9.30am to 12.30pm / 2pm to 6pm
• Winter opening (November to May) : Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 12.30pm / 2pm to 6pm
• Classic tour, wine and cheese tour, olfactory tour 
• Seminars conferences, Wedding reception (capacity : 40 seated, 80 standing)

CHÂTEAU DEYREM VALENTIN

1 Rue Valentin Deyrem 33460 SOUSSANS

• 05 57 88 35 70
• Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm / 1.30pm to 5.30pm

CHÂTEAU DU TERTRE

14 Allée du Tertre 33460 ARSAC

• 05 57 88 52 52
• Summer opening (May to October) : Every day, 9.30am to 12.30pm / 1.30pm to 5.30pm
• Winter opening (November to April) : Monday to Saturday, .30am to 12.30pm / 1.30pm to 5.30pm
• Discovery visit, convivial tour (small groups)
• Food (by reservation, 48h before) : platters and picnic
• Accommodation : 5 guest rooms
• Seminars conferences (capacity : 60), Reception dining, Wedding reception (capacity : 80 seated, 150 standing)

CHÂTEAU DURFORT-VIVENS

3 Rue du Général de Gaulle 33460 MARGAUX

• 05 57 88 31 02

CHÂTEAU FERRIERE

33Bis Rue de la Trémoille 33460 MARGAUX

• 05 57 88 76 65
• Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5.30pm
• Fun tours focusing in our organic and biodynamic methods, tasting of our 3 Grands Crus Classés (prestige), perfect wine and chocolate pairing, tasting of old vintage
• Food (by reservation, 24h before) : platters of charcuterie, cheese, terrine, crunchy vegetables, to be enjoyed picnic style in the park
• Seminars conferences (capacity : 15), Reception dining (capacity : 15)

CHÂTEAU GISCOURS

10 Route de Giscours 33460 MARGAUX

• 05 57 97 09 09
• Summer opening (April to October) : Every day, 9.30am to 5.30pm
• Winter opening (November to March) : Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm
• Discovery tour, customized tasting, access to park
• Food (by reservation, 48h before) : picnic and platters
• Accommodations : 3 guest rooms
• Seminars conferences, R eception dining, Wedding reception (capacity : 400 seated, 2000 standing)

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Maison du vin de Margaux Syndicat Viticole de Margaux Place de la Tremoille 33460 Margaux +33 (0)5 57 88 70 82 Open from Monday to Saturday from 9a.m. to 6p.m.

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Château Margaux

Grand Vin du Château Margaux

Release price, drink window, growing conditions.

As in the preceding vintages, 2020 saw average temperatures that were among the highest ever recorded due to a series of heatwaves and an exceptionally dry summer. After abundant rainfall at the end of 2019, there was very little rain in the first quarter of 2020, 80 mm (3.15 inches) less than the thirty-year average. Winter 2020 stood out for its mild temperatures. Average temperatures were 3°C (37°F) above the thirty-year average and temperatures in February sometimes exceeded 20°C (68°F). Only four light frosts occurred in what was otherwise a mild winter. As a result, bud break was extremely early, from the 22nd to the 26th of March depending on the grape variety, approximately ten days earlier than average. The 2020 vintage promised to be an early one. The spring was also very mild. Temperatures in April were among the hottest since 1962. Flowering occurred between the 21st and the 26th of May, in excellent conditions. There were no signs of coulure or millerandage. The spring was particularly wet, which meant a greater risk of disease that we nonetheless managed to control (very few signs on the leaves and none on the bunches). The summer brought long and intense heatwaves between the 23rd of June and the 12th of August, as well as significant drought, with no rain at all between the 19th of June and the 10th of August. Ripening occurred between the 23rd and the 26th of July. It was only during the second ten-day period of August that rainfall helped limit potentially excessive hydric stress. Nearly 80 mm (3.15 inches) of rain fell on August 13th. In spite of the thunderstorms that followed, the rainfall did not significantly penetrate the soil. However, the storms did cause the temperature to decrease and limit sun exposure thus contributing to maintaining good acid potential in the berries. Conditions in September were also ideal for the grapes, with glorious sunshine by day, cool nights and only 14 mm (0.55 inches) of rain.

We began to harvest our early Merlots on September 10th. There were just a few days in mid-September when it became too hot to harvest during the afternoon. The harvest began on a larger scale on September 21st when all our grape-pickers arrived and immediately began picking our Cabernets. The harvest ended on September 30th.

The Grand Vin of Château Margaux 2020 follows in the footsteps of those of 2018 and 2019. It is very rare for three consecutive years in Bordeaux to be so homogenous and of such high quality. The final blend is very similar to those of the most recent vintages: Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for 89% of the blend, completed by 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The Grand Vin represents 36% of the harvest. There is a perfect balance between the density and the fineness of its tannins. Several factors contributed to making this a superb wine: homogenous flowering, summer conditions that favoured small berries and therefore concentrated wines, and excellent harvesting conditions. Only the yield was not as we had hoped. The fertility of the grape varieties was lower than in previous years, with 1.6 bunches per shoot, compared to 2 in 2019. The average yield on the estate was therefore 36 hl/ha.

More from this Producer

Since the 17th Century, the first wine of Château Margaux has been recognised as being one of the greatest wines in the entire world.

The pursuit of excellence has always led Château Margaux to produce a second wine, which took the name of Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux in 1908. Our demands have never ceased to strengthen and led to the creation of a third batch of wine as from 1997. Over the years, the selection has become more and more rigorous, thus improving the quality of Pavillon Rouge and consequently, that of the third wine. The exceptional quality of the 2009 vintage and our wish to take advantage of it, have enabled us to produce a third wine of a standard never previously attained. It seemed a pity to us to sell it in bulk as we had done until then… We aged it in barrels with the same care as Pavillon Rouge and bottled it after fifteen months, thus giving birth to the first vintage of Margaux du Château Margaux. Of course, the production of this wine being limited, Margaux du Château Margaux will only be available at first in a small selection of restaurants within Château Margaux’s traditional markets : in France and the United Kingdom since September 2013 and will become available in Japan and the United States between now and the beginning of 2014.

The production of a second wine probably goes back to the beginning of the XVII century because it is inseparable from the search for excellence which started at that time. Sold under the name of “Château Margaux 2nd wine”, it took its permanent name of Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux in 1908. After an eclipse between the thirties and the mid-seventies, its production restarted on the arrival of André Mentzelopoulos in 1977 and at first greatly increased in order to improve the quality of the first wine. From the mid – 1990s, the creation of a third wine in its turn, allowed for a more and more rigorous selection for Pavillon Rouge. For a few years now, a third of the harvest has gone into the first wine, barely 30% into the Pavillon Rouge, and the remainder is divided between the third and fourth wines. The quality of Pavillon Rouge has become very close to that of the first wine because all the plots involved contributed to the blending of Château Margaux not so long ago. Of course there isn’t the same complexity, the same depth, the same “magic” but the flavours are close and the balance in the mouth leads to the same subtle senses of power and softness. In general it is ready to drink a little earlier whilst retaining an excellent potential to age largely beyond 30 or 40 years.

White wine production at Château Margaux goes back to the end of the XVII century. The cellar master at that time recounts how he was one of the first to separate the white grapes from the red during the vinification. Sold in the XIX century under the name « Château Margaux vin de sauvignon », it has existed under the brand name « Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux » since 1920 and its label has not changed since that date. The eleven-hectare vineyard is composed only of Sauvignon Blanc. It is situated on a very old plot of the Estate that had long since been planted with red vines and then been dug up because of the high risk of spring frosts. Production techniques, as well as the selection have been completely reviewed since the years 2009/2010 in order to reach a higher level of excellence; only 1/3 of the harvest is bottled, the remaining 2/3 is sold loose. So the quantity of Pavillon Blanc has been greatly reduced and isn’t more than one thousand cases. Today it benefits from the new wine cellar’s ultra-modern installations designed by Norman Foster. The finesse, complexity, richness and the length in the mouth of Pavillon Blanc are incomparable for a wine produced from 100% Sauvignon. The very latest vintages, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 in particular, have opened up new horizons in quality, ageing capacity and style which has become more mineral and much more complex. A significant part of the harvest is bottled in magnums which create optimum ageing conditions.