Fifteen or twenty years ago, Margaux was Bordeaux’s most inconsistent great wine commune. There were always splendid highlights, but there were a fair degree of disappointments. There will always be variety in Margaux. It is a relatively large appellation that covers a lot of diverse terroir, but in recent vintages there has been much more consistency here. The movement away from extractive winemaking has helped no doubt, and a number of wines that were formally hard and unnecessarily chewy seemed to have cleaned up their act. I won’t name names, but there is such a lot more refinement to the wines these days. Margaux certainly comes into its own in 2025. This may be one of its most classical years since 2015. Though quite different in style, there was just as much excitement for me tasting these wines as there was back during 2015 primeurs, a decade ago. I don’t think anyone has really put a foot wrong in 2025 here but what are the top Margaux picks?

I’ve already snapped up some Château Angludet. This is fresh and attractive with a lovely texture. I think this will be as good as their wonderful 2005 and 2015. Château Brane-Cantenac is utterly brilliant and definitely one to consider, year in, year out. This has a lot of concentration and purity with its Cabernet dominant blend. Château Cantenac-Brown is also now playing to its strengths and has produced impressive wine. There seems more clarity and precision here now than the slightly extractive muddiness a decade ago.

Château Giscours is beautiful, up there with Brane Cantenac and its sibling Château du Tertre is also very creamy and fresh. Château Kirwan also looks good with more mid-palate richness than a decade ago when the wines here were somewhat hard in their youth. There has also an interesting character shift at Château Lascombes, now under American ownership and the winemaking star Axel Heinz, previously of Ornellaia. This is certainly more identifiably Margaux than it used to be. There is much more freshness on display and blackcurrant aromatics. Previously Lascombes was super lush and enticing but it’s fair to say you couldn’t really place the wine geographically.

Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry is a bit of a bruiser at present. There is lots of extract and matter here and plenty of supporting structure but it needs time to meld. It’s not really my thing, to be honest. Château Dauzac had greater freshness here than I remember and seems a positive and vigourous wine in 2025. Château Siran is inky and bold. Château Marquis de Terme is fresh and attractive. This was another Margaux that for a time felt very well made but a bit anonymous in terms of typicity. This seems to be a shift to show its Margaux origins which is a good thing.

Château Rauzan-Gassies also looks clean and pure in 2025. This property is on great terroir and it’s been a slow upswing at the property here over the last decades. This is not hugely complex, but I enjoyed the cool, fresh blackcurrant fruit tones and there was excellent length. Château Rauzan-Ségla by comparison is a wine of great minerality. This is a well-structured and deep which will need time but it is up with the finest in the appellation. Super fine wine.

Below are the detailed notes from my tastings at the Grand Cercle and the UCGB in April. As I said at the to, the wines are impressive and impressively consistent. Cheers!

Château Angludet, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; generous colour; fresh, stalky blackcurrants; pure and attractive; nicely caressing palate which also shows plenty of fresh, attractive blackcurrant notes; creamy tannin profile and lovely texture. I think this will easily be as good as their excellent 2005, if not even better. Dazzling purity from the Margaux woods. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot]. 20/4/26 Drink 2029-2045.  92-94

Château Brane-Cantenac, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Dark and saturated; opaque at core; intense aromatics; mineral and resin; this is very pent up on the nose with real concentration; similarly intense and dense on the palate; the structure is considerable but there is plenty of enveloping fruit; inky finish. Very well done. [80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère. 13.3% alcohol]. 20/4/26 Drink 2032-2050. 94-96+

Château Cantenac-Brown, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Bold and dense looking; intense Cabernet aromatics; inky; attractive; cool blackcurrant notes on the palate; nicely done; fresh palate and I’m really enjoying the purity here; less muddiness than a decade ago here; freshness on the end; inky and pure. Super effort. [13.4% alc]. 20/4/26 Drink 2032-2045. 92-94

Château Dauzac, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated looking; menthol, camphor and lifted black fruits; blackcurrants and plums; palate has freshness and structure but plenty of middle; nicely extracted works well. Saline finish on the end. Good stuff from Dauzac. [70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot]. 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040. 91-93+

Chateau Deyrem Valentin, Margaux, 2025

Mid depth; nice clarity; with perfume; lifted and works well; full and quite saturated; bolder; more foursquare; fresh and nicely structured; more extract but I don’t mind this. Should settle, Tannic on the end. Quite classical, refreshing Margaux. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2029-2035. 87-89+

Château Desmirail, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Mid depth; satin and smoke with attractive forward red fruits; opens up well; some delicacy to the palate with red fruits again and smoky oak; there is also some sap and freshness on the finish. Works in the typically more forward Desmirail style. [52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2029-2037.  88-90

Château Giscours, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; opaque at centre; lovely pure blackcurrant aromatics; fresh as a daisy; creamy notes too; super pure and linear on the palate with plenty of layers and depth; a lovely expression of Cabernet; very strong wine which has purity, acidity and freshness. [64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% alcohol]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2032-2050. 94-96+

Chateau Haut Breton Lariguadière, Margaux, 2025

Deep and sat looking; sturdy aromatics; some red fruits and violet notes; soft and easy, attractive soft fruit flavours; nicely handled with some intensity; works well in an easy and full style. Tasted Grand Cercle 19/4/26. Drink 2029-2035. 87-89

Château Kirwan, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; super dark yet fresh looking; vibrant, attractive blackcurrant fruit, nice purity; fresh and layered; some menthol and spice; has intensity; more meaty Cabernet on the palate; with good richness and extract; this works well. Not the hardness that characterised the property a little a while ago.[63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Carménère]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2032-2045. 92-94+

Château Labégorce, Margaux, 2025

Dark; opaque core; tarry and full on the nose; meaty and intense black fruits especially blackcurrants; attractive palate to start with; works well; on the inky side but has ripeness to the fruit; overall inky and full of extract but well formed with some care to retain harmony. Bit chewy on the finish. My case of 2010 Labegorce, despite initial primeurs promise, has yet to shed its tannins. This should be different. Time will tell. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040. 90-91

Château Lascombes, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated looking; dark at core; fresh blueberry aromatics and stalky blackcurrants; fresh as a daisy and clearly different from the sublimated vintages of the past; wet rock and mineral on the palate with some extract but cool blackcurrant flavours continue; pure and unadorned winemaking. Inky and intense on the finish. I enjoy the freshness and purity here now. [60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 94-96+

Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and dark; saturated; some walnut and ink notes initially alongside camphor, menthol and spices; palate a little oaky at present but this should meld; lots of extract but currently very drying; plenty of inky fruit and lots of density and extraction but this will need time during élevage and later in bottle. Currently a bit of a bruiser. Will have its fans. [60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 90-92

Château Marquis d’Alesme Becker, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; opaque at centre; stalky blackcurrant aromatics; quite pure with a nice seam of inky, blackcurrant fruit; cassis notes; had depth and extract on the palate and currently a little drying on the finish but this should come good during élevage. Has freshness. [62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040. 89-91

Château Marquis de Terme, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated look; fresh black cherry and blackcurrant aromatics; some cassis too; like the purity here; again stalky blackcurrant fruit on the palate which is pure and layered and really works well. Fresh and attractive. Structured and classical. Like this. [64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 92-94+

Château Monbrison, Margaux, 2025

Glossy in the glass; opaque at centre; wheatflour, some mint and a little fruitcake mix; some lift; feels full and meaty on the palate with the fruitcake spice and dark black fruit notes; has extract and also grip and is inky on the finish. Fresh. [75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2040. 90-91+

Château Prieure-Lichine, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and dark; opaque at core; stalky blackcurrant fruit; clean and pure; sturdy palate with stalky blackcurrant fruit with an attractive creamy purity to the tannins; works well. Like the purity here. Inky finish but not drying. [60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2041. 91-93+

Château Rauzan-Gassies, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and glossy in the glass; strong colour; sturdy fresh blackcurrant aromatics; like the purity; not hugely complex but I’m enjoying the honesty; cool, fresh blackcurrant fruit tones on the palate with a creamy note; nicely pure and excellent length. Worth considering for sure. Great terroir. [72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2043. 91-93+

Château Rauzan-Ségla, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; opaque at centre; mineral intensity; some tar and menthol notes; emphasis on the tarry, spicy wet rock minerality; dense on the palate and structured; has an attractive sappy freshness too; currently a bit dry on the finish but has excellent length. Will be fine and long-lived. [65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1.5% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2050. 94-96+

Château Siran, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; stalky blackcurrant and black cherry fruit; real pure blackcurrant notes; dense and structured; quite extracted but the tannins are sweet; definitely inky. Bold style. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2050. 90-92+

Château du Tertre, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; opaque again; lovely creamy blackcurrant fruit; cool and fresh as a daisy; works well; again super pure Cabernet notes on the palate; clean and fresh; with a boatload of layered blackcurrant fruit. Fresh and pure. [65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 20/4/26 Drink 2030-2045. 92-94+