60% cabernet sauvignon 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Aged in 50% new oak. Opaque inky core with a bright fuchsia rim. Packed with ripe dark fruit on the nose with black cherry berry liqueur and sweet red licorice. The palate is fresh and lively again with good acidity and tannic structure. More fruit driven than some examples but still shows a good amount of secondary characteristics including coffee and leather. Leave this alone for at least a year or two before enjoying over the following 15 years.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 38% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot picked from 25th September until 10th October the Marquis de Terme has a fragrant bouquet with delicate floral aromas and fine precision. The palate is ripe and rounded on the entry: crisp red fruits laced with a citric acidity a nice build in the mouth and a solid structure matched with good weight of fruit on the Pauillac like finish. This is a very fine Margaux.

The 2011 Marquis de Terme was the first vintage with troconic tanks augmenting the original wooden vats and the first with pumping over during fermentation. It had a low yield, especially for the Cabernet Sauvignon, which was picked at less than 20hl/ha. Matured in 50% new oak, it actually sports a commendable bouquet with pure black cherries and blueberry fruit, touches of mocha and leather developing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and fresh acidity, quite elegant and more precise perhaps than the previous vintage; there is a slightly granular touch towards the finish. With decent grip and plenty of freshness, this is a fine Margaux for the vintage and ranks alongside or even better than the 2009 and 2010. The Petit Verdot, which underwent a light infusion, imparts florality on the finish. Tasted at the Marquis de Terme vertical. -- Neal Martin