Château Malescot St-Exupéry 2001, Margaux
7th December 2007
Even people who don’t drink have heard of Margaux. The name has become synonymous with “luxury wine”, something consumed by rich, sophisticated people, along with Romeo y Julieta cigars and Beluga caviar – though ideally not all at once. Lovers of trivia may also know that one of Ernest Hemingway’s granddaughters was named after it. (She eventually killed herself, though for unrelated reasons.)
The Margaux appellation covers five villages in the southern Médoc. Of the many wines permitted to call themselves Margaux, the most famous and esteemed is called simply Château Margaux. Its price reflects its repute. A bottle of the 2001 fetches around $200 in the United States, £150 in the United Kingdom. The 2003 costs four times that.
There are other Margaux costing far less, but the very cheapest are to be avoided. Once, when I was young and unschooled, I picked one up while hurrying to a dinner party. I did not know the label, but assumed that anything containing the magic word “Margaux” must be all right. I was sadly mistaken. The wine was stolid, characterless and unfragrant. My disappointment was shared by everyone else at that dinner. I vowed that I would never again give anyone a wine I had not first tried myself.
So if not the bottom of the ladder, how about one rung from the top? After Château Margaux the best-reputed label is Château Palmer, named after a dissolute 19th century English general who founded the estate. It costs half the price of Château Margaux yet approaches it in quality. But many of us would still hesitate before spending over $100 on a single bottle of wine. To them I propose Château Malescot St-Exupéry.
Its price varies wildly: in the UK the 2001 fetches £22 to £35; in the US from $40 to an unbelievable $95, though the average seems to be $60. But it is outstanding value. Having tried Châteaux Margaux and Palmer I can confirm that Malescot St-Exupéry shares their pedigree. It looks the part – deep ruby, with brownish lights – and has the unique Margaux nose, redolent of smoke and wild mushrooms. It is exquisitely proportioned, with a fine spectrum of flavours, including toasted nuts, berries and treacle. The finish is long enough to melt your heart.
This wine appears to have another, magical quality. It can repel armed robbers. Last June an intruder broke in upon a barbecue on Capitol Hill, in Washington DC. Placing a gun to the head of a 14 year-old guest, he demanded everyone’s money. Those present kept calm and offered the robber a glass of Malescot St-Exupéry. He accepted, and exclaimed “Damn, that’s good wine.” His tone then changed completely. Abandoning his demands for money, he asked instead that everyone give him a hug. After another sip and a bite of Camembert cheese, the robber went on his way, empty-handed. (And if you nasty cynical readers think I have made all this up, look here.)
