December 11th - December 14th, 2025

THIS WEEK'S TASTING FLIGHT:

Bordeaux - Margaux Mix!

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A study of Left Bank Bordeaux, showcasing the 2020 vintage from three Margaux châteaux.

This week, we’re turning our attention to my first wine love: Bordeaux, and one of Bordeaux’s most storied appellations: Margaux.


A place revered for its elegantly aromatic and silky wines and long celebrated as the most “feminine” of the Médoc’s great communes, Margaux balances grace with power.


The 1855 Classification remains one of the most enduring symbols of Bordeaux’s heritage, and this week’s lineup offers a rare opportunity to explore it firsthand. We’re pouring a 4th Growth, 3rd Growth, and 2nd Growth side-by-side... all from the 2020 vintage and from châteaux whose bottles typically sit well above the our typically flight price range. For collectors and connoisseurs, this is a unique chance to experience three benchmark estates in a single sitting; for newer enthusiasts, it’s an accessible window into the world of Classified Growth Bordeaux at its best.


Our $44 tasting flight features three distinguished wines that showcase the depth, structure, and aromatic finesse that make Margaux one of the Left Bank’s crown jewels:


Château Prieuré-Lichine Margaux 2020 (4ème Grand Cru Classé)

  • A supple, beautifully lifted expression with notes of blackberry, violet, cedar, and warm spice. Polished tannins and classic Margaux perfume.


Château Malescot St-Exupéry Margaux 2020 (3ème Grand Cru Classé)

  • Vibrant and concentrated, this wine reveals layers of cassis, graphite, dark plum, and exotic spice. Energetic, structured, and impressively deep.


Château Lascombes Margaux 2020 (2ème Grand Cru Classé)

  • Rich and expressive, offering blackberry liqueur, cocoa, licorice, and floral lift. Powerful yet velvety, with hallmark Margaux elegance.


Together, these wines feature the nuance and hierarchy of Bordeaux’s Left Bank: where gravel soils, careful craftsmanship, and generational expertise come together to create wines of enduring stature and quiet grandeur.


Join us in the Tasting Room today through Sunday and enjoy this opportunity to taste three Classified Growths from Bordeaux’s and experience why Margaux continues to captivate wine lovers around the world.


Cheers,

Mark & the Petit Philippe Team

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Take the Flight Home: The Margaux Classified 3-Pack


Experience these remarkable 2020 Margaux wines beyond the Tasting Room.


This exclusive 3-pack includes all three Classified Growths - perfectly suited for cellaring, gifting, or elevating your next dinner.


SHOP NOW →

5:00 - 9:00 pm Thursday

5:00 - 9:00 pm Friday

1:00 - 9:00 pm Saturday

1:00 - 7:00 pm Sunday

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Château Prieuré-Lichine Margaux 2020 (4ème Grand Cru Classé)

Cabernet Sauvingnon, Merlot, Petit Verdot | Bordeaux France

$79 retail

A refined, classically styled Margaux rooted in deep gravel soils, Prieuré-Lichine’s 2020 highlights the château’s hallmark balance of aromatics, structure, and velvety tannins. A sleek, polished Left Bank wine shaped by careful sorting, gravity-flow handling, and precise extraction.


Varietals: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot sourced from Günz gravel terroirs. Grapes are hand-picked into small crates, meticulously sorted (manual + optical), and vinified without crushing via gravity flow. Maceration lasts 25–28 days, followed by ageing in 40% new French oak and 60% second-fill barrels .


Tasting Notes: Deep and expressive, showing layers of blackcurrant, blackberry, and plum framed by notes of spice and graphite. The palate is silky and velvety, with ripe tannins, a black-fruit profile, and a supple finish that reflects the wine’s excellent ripeness from the warm 2020 vintage. A polished, aromatic Margaux with both early appeal and solid structure.



Bring a Bottle Home →

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Château Malescot St-Exupéry Margaux 2020 (3ème Grand Cru Classé)

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot | Bordeaux France

$130 retail

Malescot St-Exupéry’s 2020 is a vibrant, aromatic, and beautifully concentrated Margaux: seductive on the nose yet structured and energetic on the palate. It captures both the warmth and intensity of the vintage with remarkable finesse.


Varietals: 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot from gravel soils over chalk and marl. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled vats with malolactic in barrel. Aged 15 months in 70% new French oak with lees stirring, bottled without fining or filtration.


Tasting Notes: Particularly seductive aromas of blossoms, dark berries, and fresh florals lead into a palate marked by crisp, finely etched tannins and vibrant black-fruit purity. Notes of cassis, red and black cherry, and subtle spice unfold with impressive length and definition. The texture is both velvety and energetic... showing character, class, and exceptional breed for the vintage. 



Bring a Bottle Home →

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Château Lascombes Margaux 2020 (2ème Grand Cru Classé)

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot | Bordeaux France

$122 retail

A bold and richly textured style of Margaux, Lascombes’ 2020 Grand Vin showcases the château’s historic terroirs through deep fruit expression, plush tannins, and a broad, powerful frame shaped by long, gentle infusion.


Varietals: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot from the estate’s historic parcels . Grapes are hand-harvested in multiple passes and subjected to meticulous sorting. Vinification is gentle, using infusion and cold maceration with daily tasting to determine a 30–35 day maceration period. Aged in barrels and casks; 40 hl/ha yield.


Tasting Notes: Opulent aromas of black fruit, plum, and spice rise from the glass, joined by hints of violet and cocoa. The palate is broad and velvety, showing ripe dark berries, supple tannins, and a rich, enveloping texture. Concentrated yet polished, with a long, expressive finish... this wine delivers a powerful, modern expression of Margaux elegance.



Bring a Bottle Home →

Regional Spotlight: Bordeaux

France's Most Influential Region

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Stretching along the Atlantic coast in southwest France, Bordeaux is one of the world’s most historic and influential wine regions. Defined by the estuary of the Gironde and the rivers Garonne and Dordogne, Bordeaux is a patchwork of gravel, clay, limestone, and sand... each shaping distinct expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and their classic blending partners.


Bordeaux is traditionally divided into two broad zones:

  • Left Bank: Cabernet-driven blends known for structure, depth, and age-worthiness (home to Médoc, Margaux, Pauillac, and Graves).
  • Right Bank: Merlot-dominant wines that are plush, aromatic, and texturally supple (Saint-Émilion and Pomerol).


Across both banks, Bordeaux’s reputation rests on balance, elegance, and longevity... qualities that have influenced winemaking across the globe for centuries.



Understanding the 1855 Classification

Bordeaux's Historic Quality Hierarchy


Commissioned for the 1855 Paris Exposition, the Classification ranked the top châteaux of the Médoc and Graves into a five-tier hierarchy known as the Crus Classés (Classified Growths). Though created over 165 years ago, it remains one of the most influential quality systems in the wine world.


The tiers include:

  • 1er Cru (First Growth)
  • 2ème Cru (Second Growth)
  • 3ème Cru (Third Growth)
  • 4ème Cru (Fourth Growth)
  • 5ème Cru (Fifth Growth)


While originally based on market price and reputation, the rankings continue to reflect differences in terroir, style, and historical prestige.


This week’s lineup is especially unique: you’re tasting a 4th Growth, 3rd Growth, and 2nd Growth side-by-side... a rare chance to explore the nuances of the classification through three outstanding 2020 vintages.



Shop Bordeaux Wines →


A Deep-Dive into Margaux

Perfume, Finesse, and Silken Tannins


Located at the southern end of the Médoc, Margaux is often considered the most elegant and aromatic of Bordeaux’s Left Bank appellations. The region’s hallmark is its deep gravel soils, which offer ideal drainage and warmth, helping Cabernet Sauvignon ripen fully while retaining lift and freshness.

Margaux is known for producing wines with:


  • Aromatics: violets, rose petal, graphite, cedar
  • Texture: silky tannins and lifted structure
  • Style: a blend of grace and quiet power


With more Classified Growths than any other commune in the Médoc, Margaux offers a rare diversity of expressions: from ethereal and perfumed to rich, dark, and layered. This week's flight highlights that range beautifully.



Shop Margaux Wines →


 mark@petitphilippe.com | www.petitphilippe.com

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