Pavillon Rouge is the second wine of Château Margaux, 1er Cru Classé. It is recognized by amateurs as one of the best Second Bordeaux wines.
If Château Margaux has been renowned since the 17th century, it is above all since its buyout in 1978 by the Mentzelopoulos family, then with the remarkable work of director Paul Pontallier, that the cru has truly established itself as the best of its appellation. To succeed the latter, who died prematurely in spring 2016, the family appointed Philippe Bascaules; he is none other than the former director of operations of Château Margaux (1990-2011), who returned from California where he spent the last five years at the head of Inglenook, the vineyard of Francis Ford Coppola. Sébastien Vergne leans on the technical director. The vinifications are supervised by the oenologist Eric Boissenot. At the end of 2015, the château inaugurated a brand new cellar and a wine cellar to house its cellar treasures, two achievements signed by the British architect Norman Foster.
It should be noted that the vineyard has not grown for 20 years, an exception among the 1er Crus Classés du Médoc. On 80 hectares, mainly cabernet-sauvignon, Margaux produces a wine with an inimitable style, between elegance, complexity and freshness, which never seeks to seduce. Another specificity of this 1er Cru: even if it is promised a long aging, it is also tasted very well young, on its pure fruit. Since the last vintages, the selection of grapes has increased further, resulting in a production volume halving, but wines that are better than ever.