2022 Château Margaux Pavillon Blanc Second Vin

The 2022 Château Margaux Pavillon Blanc Second Vin is the inaugural release of a remarkable new white wine from one of Bordeaux’s most storied estates. Crafted entirely from historic Sauvignon Blanc vines, it represents a second selection from the same exacting vineyard and cellar work that produces Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux. With only around 8,000 bottles made, this is a rare chance to experience a fresh expression of Château Margaux’s centuries‑long pursuit of finesse in dry white wine.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 Pavillon Blanc Second Vin shines a pale lemon to straw color with youthful green highlights, signaling its vibrancy and concentration. The nose is immediately refined and crystalline: lifted aromas of white grapefruit, lemon zest, fresh lime leaf and gooseberry mingle with notes of white peach, green apple, and subtle passion fruit. Underneath the fruit, a delicate floral perfume of acacia and jasmine emerges, along with hints of crushed stone, chalk and a gentle touch of smoky, nutty oak from élevage. On the palate, the wine is poised and intensely focused, with a mouthwatering, linear acidity that frames its pure citrus and stone-fruit core. Flavors of lemon curd, pink grapefruit, white nectarine and pear are layered over a distinctly mineral backbone, reflecting its limestone-rich terroir. The texture is silky yet taut, with an almost saline finish that lingers on notes of lime zest, white flowers and subtle savory herbs. While beautifully approachable in its youth for its energy and brightness, the structure and concentration suggest a graceful evolution over at least 15–20 years, gaining more complexity, creaminess and tertiary nuances of honey, wax and toasted nuts over time.

Production
The Pavillon Blanc Second Vin is sourced from an 11-hectare parcel of old-vine Sauvignon Blanc, averaging around 50 years of age, rooted in clay and limestone soils that are particularly suited to crafting structured, ageworthy white wines. These poor, well-draining soils naturally restrict vigor, resulting in tiny yields of only 15–20 hl/ha and intensely flavored fruit. Harvesting is carried out with great precision at optimal ripeness, typically by hand in multiple passes to ensure only the finest clusters are selected. In the search for absolute quality, Château Margaux retains less than half of the total white harvest for the grand vin Pavillon Blanc; the exceptionally high standard of the remaining lots led to the creation of this Second Vin starting with the 2022 vintage. Vinification follows the estate’s rigorous, detail-driven approach: gentle pressing, strict settling of the must, followed by fermentation and maturation in temperature-controlled conditions, with carefully judged use of oak and lees contact to enhance texture and complexity without overshadowing the purity and tension of the Sauvignon Blanc.

Food & Serving
This refined white Bordeaux is a superb partner for elegant, seafood-driven cuisine. Think oysters, scallops, langoustines, grilled lobster with citrus butter, or delicately prepared white fish such as turbot or sole. Its vibrant acidity and mineral cut also make it an excellent match for sushi and sashimi, ceviche, crab salad, and fine goat’s cheeses or young Comté. Herbal poultry dishes, such as roast chicken with tarragon, or vegetable-focused plates featuring asparagus, artichokes, fennel or pea purée, will also sing alongside this wine. Serve well-chilled but not icy, ideally at 10–12°C (50–54°F), to allow the aromatic complexity to unfold. Young bottles can benefit from 20–30 minutes in a carafe to open up, but long decanting is not necessary; for older vintages, a gentle splash-decant just before serving is sufficient.

Producer
Château Margaux is one of Bordeaux’s legendary First Growth estates, with a history in fine wine production dating back to at least the 16th century. Its reputation for elegance, finesse and longevity—particularly in red wine—has made it a benchmark not only for the Margaux appellation, but for the entire Médoc. Less widely known, yet equally historic, is the estate’s tradition of producing a great dry white: originally called Château Margaux Vin Blanc de Sauvignon in the 18th century, it became Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux in 1920. Over the last few decades, an unwavering quest for precision in viticulture and winemaking, supported by deep soil studies and parcel-by-parcel insights, has led to ever more rigorous selection and lower yields. The quality of the lots not chosen for Pavillon Blanc became so compelling that the estate decided to bottle them separately, giving birth to Pavillon Blanc Second Vin with the 2022 vintage. This new wine stands as a testament to Château Margaux’s continual innovation within tradition and its status as a reference point for world-class Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux.