Chateau Ferrière Margaux 3. Cru Classé 2011

Gilbert & Gaillard

Deep garnet-red. Red fruit-driven nose with plummy notes and elegant oak. Fleshy attack with savoury fruit, refined tannins and good acidity. A taut, focused style. Good presence.

Wine Spectator

Supple, with light iron and black tea hints weaving through the plum, black cherry and cassis flavors. A touch light in the end, but pretty.

Falstaff

Strong ruby garnet, violet reflections, ocher edge brightening. Fine blackberry nuances, some nougat, a touch of vanilla. Juicy and elegant, red cherries, fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, shows very good maturity, an accessible, lively accompaniment to food, already drinkable, salty aftertaste, further aging potential.

James Suckling

This shows lots of fresh and ripe fruit for the vintage, with a dried-strawberry and raspberry character. Full body, round tannins and a juicy-fruit finish. Friendly; less harsh than many 2011s.

Vinum

Superb aromatic complexity, crisp, silky tannins, impressive aromatic length, perfect balance, excellent, elegant, classic through and through. It certainly doesn't have the stunning, aloof style of 2010, but it's still one of the most beautiful wines in the appellation this year.

Wine Enthusiast

Firm and complex, this wine is smoothed by some new wood, but dominated by flavors of ripe black plum and berry. It has weight, its tannic core surrounded by a rich, soft texture.

Vert de Vin Magazine

The nose is fruity, elegant and offers a little creaminess as well as a fine power. There are notes of crunchy blackberry, crunchy redcurrant and more slightly plum combined with delicate hints of zan and blueberry. The palate is fruity and offers a tangy structure, a nice fleshiness of the fruit, good definition, a fine acidic backbone, a nice freshness and a certain gourmandise. On the palate this wine has crunchy redcurrant, pulpy strawberry and slightly blackcurrant notes with a touch of tart/juicy plum, blue berries, fine violet, vanilla and a subtle hint of blueberry, liquorice and eucalyptus (in the background). Nice tannins with a fine mellowness. Fine sapidity/salinity in the background.

Robert Parker

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc and aged in 35% new oak, the Ferriere has a very pure bouquet that is so elegant and refined. The palate is very well balanced with a pleasant fleshy entry. It has an effervescent red fruit profile with hints of orange zest towards the bright, perky finish. I hope it is as delicious as this after bottling.