Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Tasted at the château. It was necessary to select barely a third of the harvest to secure a grand vin as accomplished as this! Once again the Merlot accounts for only some 10%, and the Cabernet marks the bouquet and texture with its exceptional finesse and the tension of its tannin. The overall effect is very pure, very racy, with a minty finish of marvelous freshness and splendor. It is at the same level as the 2004, and certainly higher than the 2006. 18.5/19

Michael Schuster: A refined, scented nose of ripe fruit and mineral; a superfine Margaux balance, delicately fleshy, fresh, sweet fruited, silky fine in texture; pure, graceful, long and refined, with a wonderfully mouthcoating perfume; what impresses above all is not an immediate weight of fruit, but the persistent, enveloping scent and its effortless quality as a drink. A truly lovely Margaux, from the most severe selection ever. 2017–30+. 18/18.5