Bordeaux 2017 Primeurs: Margaux
To the north of Margaux, in St Estèphe, Pauillac and St Julien, the close proximity of the Gironde and its moderating effect on local temperatures protected the majority of the vineyards from the frost. Margaux, however, is a little different.
First, the appellation lies a little further south, separated from St Julien by a slew of marshland and Haut-Médoc vineyards. Up near St Estèphe the mighty estuary is close to 5 kilometres wide, and broadening rapidly as it approaches the Atlantic, whereas down by Margaux it is a somewhat less impressive. It is here that the Dordogne and Garonne meet to create the estuary, and opposite Château Margaux itself the main body of water is just 1.2 kilometres from side to side. While that is still a broad body of water (I certainly won’t be donning my Bordeaux AquaFun swimwear to swim across it any time soon) it is bound to have had a less protective effect on the local climate when the spring frosts struck.
In addition, St Estèphe, Pauillac and St Julien are all compact, single-commune appellations located on the great gravel beds of the Médoc, which were of course laid down by the Gironde in ancient times, when sea levels were higher. They thus hug the water’s edge, huddling close as if to make the most of its effect on the local climate. Margaux, however, is spread over five communes, and is rather more sprawling. Take, as an example, Château Lagrange in St Julien; this is a relatively ‘inland’ property, the furthest of all the St Julien cru classé estates from the Gironde, and it suffered significant frost damage in the 2017 vintage. To be precise it lies just 2 kilometres from the water’s edge.
