1999 Chateau Margaux - Pontallier "History in a bottle"
1999 Chateau Margaux - Pontallier "History in a bottle"
"The 1999 Chateau Margaux is an immensely charming wine that's drinking beautifully today"
William Kelley for RobertParker.com
Château Margaux is known as the most elegant of the first growths. I am so happy to feature the 1999 Grand Vin as it is well loved by the critics and is now considered History in a bottle. I had the privilege to read a little about the late Paul Pontallier and have such a respect for him, it drives me to want to collect and experience Chateau Margaux even more!
The Wine Advocate published, "The loss of Paul Pontallier to both Château Margaux and Bordeaux last April cannot be overstated. Such was Paul’s bonhomie and zest for life that the idea of him no longer being with us was unimaginable. Anyone who regularly visited Château Margaux would have fond memories of the man since he took the baton back in 1983 and slam-dunked that vintage. We might not be around forever, but our ideas can be." Neal Martin October 2016.
Mr. Neal Martin further wrote, "Philippe Bascaules will be returning to Château Margaux from March 2017 as estate manager, having left in 2011 to take over the running of Inglenook in Napa. He will oversee both properties. This is a very positive move for Château Margaux, since Philippe worked alongside Paul Pontallier for 21 years, thereby lending a sense of continuity to the First Growth." Phillipe had a challenge to live up to and seems to have lived it well. All his collaborative ideas lives in the newer vintages Chateau Margaux and have charmed the critics in multiple 100 Point ratings!
Buy and collect these "History in a bottle" for a limited time. You are the first to find out, the new price is not even on the Wine-Searcher yet! Check out the 2015 Chateau Margaux in OWC. The Special Edition Gold Etched bottle, "Hommage a Paul Pontallier", A Wine of the Vintage AND commemorating the magic that impacted Margaux and Bordeaux!
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Tasting Notes:
"The 1999 Chateau Margaux is an immensely charming wine that's drinking beautifully today from both bottle and, in this case, magnum. Bursting with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and violets framed by subtle hints of cigar box, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and sensual, with an enveloping core of fruit, ripe and melting tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Analogies with the immensely charming 1985 vintage are very persuasive, as the 1999 is quite reminiscent of how the 1985 tasted fifteen years ago." WK Feb 2022
"The 1999 Chateau Margaux has been the standout First Growth since I first tasted the wine from barrel and it remains one of the finest Left Bank wines." NM Oct 2016
1999 Chateau Margaux "This is an archetypical Chateau Margaux of richness, finesse, balance, and symmetry. It can be drunk young, but promises to age nicely for two decades." RP Apr 2002
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points "The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years." JD Nov 2017
"The gold-etched black bottle bears the message, “Hommage à Paul Pontallier” at the bottom. This 2015 is an achingly beautiful swan song from an incredibly gifted winemaker, taken from us too soon. In my view, this alone makes this vintage more than worth the investment for the many lovers of history in a bottle." Lisa Perrotti-Brown for WA Feb 2018
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NEAL MARTIN
• AN Excerpt: 28th Oct 2016 | The Wine Advocate | 227 (Oct ‘16)
Following his passing, a friend invited me to a Château Margaux dinner at Chez Bruce to celebrate Paul’s life. The bottles spanned several decades.
Paul Pontallier debuted with the fabulous 1983 Château Margaux.
We finished with two perhaps undervalued vintages. I have admired the 1999 Château Margaux since I first tasted it from barrel and it remains one of the finest Left Bank wines. It actually shaded the 2001 Château Margaux that serves as a worthy follow-up to the millennial vintage, though without quite the same breeding as the 1999. Both pale against the 1996 and yet they stand as a testament to a skillfull winemaker who tackled even the most challenging vintages head on.
Now his dulcet tones no longer echo round the château and there is no question that his loss deprives Margaux of an irreplaceable figurehead. That does not preclude incredible wines forthcoming and I suspect that nothing would please Paul more than knowing how the 2015 will ultimately turn out. Winemakers come and go, but terroir remains. His legacy lives within the wines he oversaw between 1983 and 2015, and the reputation of Château Margaux that accrued over the last three decades.
When I last visited in July to taste the 1986 and 1996 Château Margaux, I entered the office and opened my mouth. I was just about to utter: “I’ve come to see P...” and stopped when I realized my mistake. Force of habit. It will take a long time to shake.
Post-script: News broke on October 20 that Philippe Bascaules will be returning to Château Margaux from March 2017 as estate manager, having left in 2011 to take over the running of Inglenook in Napa. He will oversee both properties. Sebastien Vergne will continue in his role as technical director. This is a very positive move for Château Margaux, since Philippe worked alongside Paul Pontallier for 21 years, thereby lending a sense of continuity to the First Growth. I wish them both luck for the future.
https://www.robertparker.com/articles/jCqfe4zEtfvnSeGMv/france-bordeaux-chateau-margaux-1924-2001
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