On this occasion, the 1947 Chateau Margaux outshone even the prodigious 1947 Mouton. Offering up a decadent mélange of aromas including ripe blackberries, sweet spices, dried rose petals, licorice and sweet soil tones, it's full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with a sweet, layered core of fruit framed by ripe, powdery tannins that are still not entirely melted. Deep and multidimensional, it's a seamless, sensual wine of immense appeal. Harvest at Margaux began on September 16, 1947, very early by the standards of the period. In the estate's internal ranking system at the time, the team awarded the 1947 vintage four out of five stars.

I was surprised at just how good the 1947 is because I had never been that impressed with most of the Medocs from that vintage. Among the first-growths in 1947, it is superior to Lafite and Latour, and just behind the great Mouton. Quite perfumed, rich, and full bodied, the 1947 Margaux is capable of another decade of evolution. Moreover, there is none of the volatile acidity or harshness that often creeps into many of the Medocs from that year.