The most famous Médoc estate is also one of the most imposing. Thanks to an ancient royal privilege, Chateau Margaux is the only estate to bear the exact same name as the wine produced on its grounds. The winery is owned by a young woman, Corinne Mentzelopoulos. She is the worthy heiress of a distinguished merchant from Patras, Greece, who had the idea to buy this French icon in 1977 after making a huge fortune. Before André Mentzelopoulos died, he had plenty of time to instil a new spirit in Margaux. He made many innovations and as a result it became a model for other Métis wineries. These innovations include draining the land, taking advice from expert consultants, replacing old barrels with new ones and digging a new cellar perfectly adapted to barrel ageing. Other winemakers emulated all these initiatives until they eventually became generally accepted rules. André Mentzelopoulos was a pioneer whose footsteps have been followed by many others. The winery spreads both above and below ground around a rectangular courtyard as large as a town square. The idea of hiding part of the winery underground dates back to André Mentzelopoulos. All the necessary facilities are concentrated around the wine cellar, the interior of which is decorated with eighteen tall Ionic columns. A path of interconnecting rooms leads from the magnificent wooden barrels to the cooper's workshop, one of the last in Bordeaux's cru classé chateaus. The quality of the third wine makes it a traditionally exceptionally consistent, excellent tasting 'cabernet' wine with power and nonchalance. It presents a dark, ripe hue with floral notes complemented by a hint of caramel. It offers a rich, spicy flavour profile with a soft but robust structure and perfectly integrated tannins, which emerge particularly on the finish.