2005 Pavillon Rouge du Ch. Margaux

The balance and harmony in this powerful Second Wine is immediately reminiscent of the sensational Grand Vin. The creamy black cherry and blackcurrant fruit is as smooth as velvet and extremely mouth-filling. The much greater percentage of Merlot (48%) this year gives it far more opulence than usual, while the Cabernet Sauvignon (48%) provides the incredible concentration, tannic structure and sheer class.  This tastes more like a Second Growth than a Second Wine.

Deep crimson. Glowing with health. Quite zesty nose, broad and ripe. Very seductive ripeness with lovely polished tannins. Good balance of acidity with velvety tannins and ripe fruit. Firm, sandy tannins on the finish. Some slight heat on the finish – just like Alter Ego de Palmer. Fourteen per cent alcohol. (Merlot reached unheard-of levels 13.7–15.5% - and the blend here is almost half Merlot.)
(Jancis Robinson - jancisrobinson.com - 11-Apr-2006)

Margaux’s second wine gets better with each vintage. The 2005 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux (200,000 bottles produced) is an equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a hefty alcohol content. Fleshy, opulent, and nearly decadent, with terrific fruit, a creamy texture, and supple tannin, it can be enjoyed over the next 12-15+ years.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - Apr-2008)

Margaux’s second wine gets better with each vintage. The 2005 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux (200,000 bottles produced) is an equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a hefty alcohol content. Fleshy, opulent, and nearly decadent, with terrific fruit, a creamy texture, and supple tannin, it can be enjoyed over the next 12-15+ years.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - 01-Apr-2008)

Very beautiful aromas of crushed flowers--like roses--follow through to plum, berry and Indian spices. Full-bodied, refined and silky, with lovely ripe fruit and a delicate aftertaste of raisin and flowers. The second wine of Margaux. Best after 2012.
(James Suckling - Wine Spectator - Mar-2008)