Château Margaux 1973 at Arden Fine Wines: An ideal bottle for a 50th birthday or anniversary… 🍷

It was an up and down year in 1973…

The “Roe v. Wade” right to abortion was established in the USA (overruled by the Supreme Court in June 2022); a group of military officers led by General Augusto Pinochet seized power in Chile; the Paris Peace Accords were signed to end the Vietnam War (though it didn’t properly end until 1975); and the Sydney Opera House was opened.

In Bordeaux, the vineyards were rained on in July but August was very hot (the hottest since 1949). September was very wet too.

The overall Bordeaux crop was very large – only 1979 was larger in this decade – and was partly diluted by the rain and never able to finish off its ripening process correctly.

The grape-picking at Château Margaux began on 26th September 1973 – in the rain…

(NB That rain wasn’t the cause of the damp-stained label on a bottle sold by us recently).

The resulting wine was light, aromatic, and pleasant – similar to the 1971 vintage (but less expensive).

Château Margaux 1973 is a mature fine wine to be enjoyed with a suitably well-aged friend.

In my experience 50-year olds are often fruity and charming…