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Château Margaux: Annual Blending and Selection
Château located in Margaux, Bordeaux, France. The grand vin Château Margaux is a red wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon. It is made by selecting base wines from several varieties and blending them according to each vintage.
Comparing the Grand Vin from 2021 and 2022: read separately about blend, proportion of selected harvest, and extraction decisions.
Questions for this course
In years when the proportion of Cabernet increased, what changed in the vineyard?
Before you start reading, briefly jot down your thoughts. You will rephrase them at the end.
To applied practice using the material ↓
To explanation task notes ↓Château Margaux / Learn from producers
France / Bordeaux / Margaux
Synonym/Label: Château Margaux / Margaux
Update date: 2026-09-24
Two vintages of the same label
This uses annual data for the Grand Vin published by Château Margaux in Bordeaux. By keeping the producer and label constant, you can trace how ingredients and decisions change with vintage. The comparison here focuses on two vintages of the Grand Vin.
From 87% to 92%
The proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon is 87% in 2021 and 92% in 2022. The rest of the blend also differs, with Petit Verdot at 2% in 2021 not included in the 2022 blend. This ratio refers to the final composition of the finished wine, not to the planted vineyard area.
36% and 40% of the harvest
The proportion selected for the Grand Vin was 36% of the 2021 harvest and 40% of the 2022 harvest. The denominator here is the harvest. Even though both percentages, like varietal ratio and this one, are given as percents, they are answers to different questions. Selection rate and blend ratio cannot be summed on the same graph.
Select the extraction method according to the ingredient.
For 2021, it is explained that extraction of tannins was gentle, not forced. For 2022, the notes include both small berries and winemaking precautions. Do not decide that a year with a higher variety proportion is simply 'more tannic.' Check each process to see exactly what and how much was extracted from the raw grapes.
What to align and what to compare.
Blending
- Conditions to standardize
- Same producer: same Grand Vin
- Conditions for comparison.
- Varietal composition in 2021 and 2022
- Additional points to confirm
- Is the denominator the finished product or the planted vineyard area?
Sorting
- Conditions to standardize
- Comparing inclusion in Grand Vin
- Conditions for comparison.
- 36% and 40% of the harvest
- Additional points to confirm
- Is it a different figure from the blend ratio?
Extraction
- Conditions to standardize
- Both are producers’ vintage records.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Condition of the raw material and measures for extraction
- Additional points to confirm
- Tannin intensity should be checked separately by tasting
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
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READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Château Margaux Document Analysis: Annual Blending and Selection
Check for differing conditions by reading the table and sources. For tastings, list characteristics not included in the data separately as aspects to confirm.
This is a summary of materials published by the producer. Vintage-specific information comes from material for that year; details without a vintage refer to the product or process description at the time checked.
| Comparison items | 2021 Grand Vin | The 2022 grand vin |
|---|---|---|
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 87% | 92% |
| Other varieties. | Merlot 8%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit Verdot 2% | Merlot 6%, Cabernet Franc 2% |
| Adoption ratio from harvest | 36% | 40% |
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Read the explanation for each question
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What is the denominator for the 92% figure?
92% is the blend for 2022. This is information about the blend and separate from vineyard replanting area or adoption rates; it is not evidence that Cabernet plantings increased by 5 points.
What does the 36% in 2021 indicate?
36% is the proportion of the harvest that was used. The 87% in the same document is the varietal blend. Therefore, you cannot add them to explain the makeup of the raw material.
Can you conclude just from the materials that the 2022 vintage is more tannic?
Both vintages note care in extraction. Explain differences in blends that have been confirmed, and separately describe tannin quantity and quality as verified through tasting.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
Compare the conditions checked in the documentation, and explain what the producer chose.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | 2021 Grand Vin | The 2022 grand vin |
|---|---|---|
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 87% | 92% |
| Other varieties. | Merlot 8%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit Verdot 2% | Merlot 6%, Cabernet Franc 2% |
| Adoption ratio from harvest | 36% | 40% |
Sources of materials used for comparison are listed in the text and exercises.
Explain in your own words
Explain the two percentages for 2021 and 2022, write what can be inferred from these figures, and what differences in taste cannot yet be known from them.
Check after writing
- Did you distinguish between the blend and the denominator for adoption rate?
- Did you specify the vintage and the wine's name?
- Are you deciding tannin level only from blend ratio?
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