James Suckling, Lisa Perrotti-Brown and Jeb Dunnuck gave the Bordeaux red 100 points; Neal Martin and Roger Voss landed slightly below
Château Margaux 2018 is the grand vin of Château Margaux, a Bordeaux first growth, in France. The vintage is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and the grand vin took only 36% of the crop, according to the technical details reproduced in the reviews. Below is what named critics have published about it.
James Suckling gave it 100 points in 2021. He describes ash, tobacco, earth, flowers, blackberry and blackcurrant on the nose; on the palate, full-bodied and refined, with ripe cherry, chocolate, walnut and a touch of cedar, seamless tannins spread across the palate and a very long finish. He recommends drinking it after 2025.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, in Robert Parker Wine Advocate, also gave it 100 points, in March 2021, after scoring it 97 to 100 from barrel in 2019. She mentions cassis, wild blueberry, Black Forest cake, rose oil, dark chocolate, cedar and star anise, with firm, finely grained tannins. She says the wine can already be enjoyed but calls for 6 to 8 years in the cellar and sees it evolving for more than 40 years.
Jeb Dunnuck completed the trio of 100 points, also in March 2021. He highlights blueberry, cassis, acacia flower, scorched earth, sandalwood and violet, silky and abundant tannins, and notes that the 14% alcohol is high for the estate but well integrated. He advises hiding the bottles for 7 to 8 years and expects a life of more than 75 years.
Roger Voss, of Wine Enthusiast, gave it 98 points in May 2021: a powerful, well-structured wine, both ripe and restrained, that starts to become ready from 2028. From barrel, in November 2019, Neal Martin, of Vinous, gave it 95 to 97 points, with raspberry, blueberry, violet petals, cassis and a hint of vanilla, and described it as opulent rather than rich, and medium-bodied.
What the five have in common is time: all of them treat the 2018 as a wine that needs years in bottle before it shows everything.
Sources: James Suckling (January 2021), Robert Parker Wine Advocate (March 31, 2021), Jeb Dunnuck (March 2021), Wine Enthusiast (May 2021), Vinous (November 2019), reviews compiled by JJ Buckley and Laguna Cellar (October 28, 2026).
