Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux, Margaux 2025

The 2025 Pavillon Rouge is a gorgeous, very sexy wine, a Margaux that captures the best the vintage had to offer. Succulent red cherry/plum fruit, mocha and new leather open first. This offers gorgeous mid-palate pliancy and fabulous persistence, not to mention compelling balance all around. It's a very fine Pavillon Rouge, but one that will require cellaring as the tannins are quite imposing.

The 2025 Pavillon Rouge represents 28% of the volume this year, a little lower than previous years, containing just a little more Petit Verdot (10%), matured as usual in around 60% new oak, though my sample was taken from a new barrel. It has a bright nose, black cherries and blueberry fruit, crushed violet developing in the glass, a hint of black olive. The palate is medium-bodied, with a pleasing rondeur on the entry, a “pillowy” Pavillon Rouge at this stage, a pleasing countervailing bitterness that balances the opulence that comes through on the slightly briny finish. Less jagged than its peers, this will be quite tempting in its youth, yet it certainly has the substance to last.