Château Giscours - Margaux

90 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
89 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
88 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
86 points - The Wine Advocate
86 points - The Wine Advocate
Château Giscours - Margaux - 2019 - 75cl - Onshore Cellars

Château Giscours - Margaux

90 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
89 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
90 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
88 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
86 points - The Wine Advocate
86 points - The Wine Advocate
Vintage
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Château Giscours - Margaux

The Taste Profile

Château Giscours is a wine that is known for its elegance and finesse. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, which gives it a complex and layered taste profile. On the nose, you will find aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with a silky texture and flavors of dark fruit, spice, and a touch of oak. The tannins are firm but well-integrated, giving the wine a long and smooth finish.

The History of the Producer

Château Giscours is located in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, France. The estate has a long and rich history, dating back to the 14th century when it was owned by the Knights Templar. In the 16th century, the property was acquired by the de Lur-Saluces family, who owned it for over 200 years. In the 19th century, the estate was purchased by the Cruse family, who were prominent Bordeaux wine merchants. They invested heavily in the property, building a new winery and expanding the vineyards. Today, Château Giscours is owned by Eric Albada Jelgersma, a Dutch businessman who has continued to invest in the estate and improve the quality of the wine.

Where to Enjoy Château Giscours

Château Giscours is a wine that is best enjoyed with food. It pairs well with red meat, game, and strong cheeses. It is also a wine that can be aged for many years, so it is a great choice for collectors or those who want to experience the evolution of a wine over time. If you are looking for a special occasion to enjoy Château Giscours, consider a romantic dinner for two or a celebratory meal with friends and family. The wine is sure to impress and create lasting memories.
The 2011 Château Giscours is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, picked between September 8 and October 1. It offers more fruit intensity than the 2012 and I find more Margaux florality here. It would benefit from more delineation, but there is decent delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin on the entry, red cherry and raspberry fruit intermingling with cedar and tobacco notes. It feels a little conservative on the finish and needs more finesse, but it is a commendable contribution to the vintage.
The 2019 Giscours has turned out very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, cherries, burning embers, lilac and violets framed by a discreet patina of new oak. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's polished and perfumed, with a velvety, seamless profile and bright animating acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Alexandre Van Beek and his team are taking this estate to heights it hasn't hit since the 1970s, and this is another of the great bargains of the 2019 en primeur campaign.
Deep garnet-purple coloured, the 2018 Giscours opens with fragrant notions of kirsch, black cherry compote and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of dried lavender, cinnamon stick and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a good amount of red and black fruit flavours with compelling purity, framed by soft tannins and well-balanced freshness, finishing with a spicy lift.
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Giscours offers pretty plum preserves, warm cassis and wilted roses scents with fragrant earth and cinnamon stick hints. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant and plush with lovely expressiveness and a bit of spice on the finish.
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Giscours gives up aromas of cassis, chocolate, earth, tar, pepper and hoisin with touches of flowers and a meaty nuance. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with a great core and a long finish.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Giscours opens with expressive cassis, blackberry and red currants on the nose with touches of cedar chest, roses and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied with a good core of muscular fruit and firm, grainy tannins, it finishes long.
The 2014 Giscours has come on leaps and bounds since I tasted it twice in barrel. It is clearly more sophisticated and complex than the du Tertre on the nose. For a start, there is more fruit concentration with red cherries, raspberry and blackcurrant laced with cedar and graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, pure red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit with a precise finish that the property never used to be able to offer. This is a lovely Margaux that should drink well for 20 years.
Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical and a few months later again at the property, the 2012 Château Giscours is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc picked between September 27 and October 17. It has a rather conservative nose with raspberry, fresh strawberry, tobacco and light licorice scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple black fruit, but with slightly aggressive acidity. Like the 2013, though to a lesser extent, it needs to show a little more concentration and finesse on the finish; but otherwise, enjoy this over the next decade or so.
The 2011 Château Giscours is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, picked between September 8 and October 1. It offers more fruit intensity than the 2012 and I find more Margaux florality here. It would benefit from more delineation, but there is decent delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin on the entry, red cherry and raspberry fruit intermingling with cedar and tobacco notes. It feels a little conservative on the finish and needs more finesse, but it is a commendable contribution to the vintage.
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Giscours slips seductively out of the glass with notions of baked black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves plus hints of cassis, pencil lead and dried Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is toting a fair amount of oak with a sturdy frame of chewy tannins, coming through with a long, fruity finish.
Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2009 Château Giscours is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot picked between September 22 and October 13. Deep garnet in color, it has a sumptuous bouquet with blackberry, saddle leather, forest floor and even just a faint touch of juniper berries. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, lightly grained tannin. This is a very harmonious Giscours with cedar and a pinch of black pepper sprinkled over the black fruit. It is certainly well proportioned with one of the more "masculine" finishes for the vintage. Showing better than when I tasted it blind a couple of years ago, this is an excellent Margaux that should drink earlier than the succeeding vintage.
The 2008 Château Giscours is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot picked between September 30 and October 1. The bouquet is very well defined with ebullient red berry fruit mixed with orange peel and cedar aromas. There is something that distantly echoes a Côte de Beaune! Perhaps the purity on offer here? The palate is very well balanced with a keen line of acidity, very fine tannins and ample freshness. I loved this Giscours from barrel and it is now living up to my expectations. The terroir shines through on this wine - true Margaux. This is an excellent wine from winemaker Alexandre Van Beek.
Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2006 Château Giscours is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot picked between September 21 and October 9. It has been several years since I last tasted this vintage and the aromatics have evolved well, now offering quite plush redcurrant, strawberry and ferrous scents that are nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, savory in the mouth with dried blood, rosemary and sage notes towards the finish. I like the depth here, the cohesion and length. It might not be the most flamboyant recent Giscours, however in the context of the vintage, this is certainly a commendable wine that is beginning to deliver on its promise.
The 2005 Château Giscours is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot picked between September 22 and October 6. Conspicuously deep in color, both the aromatics and palate replicate the strong performance from earlier this year. The bouquet offers very fine intensity with blackberry and cedar, here a tinge of cassis that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannin. It is very well balanced and almost Saint Julien in style. It is clearly very focused with a sustained, mineral-rich finish that (as I said before) contains real energy. This is an excellent Giscours that will age nicely over the next 20-25 years.
The 2003 Château Giscours is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Considering the vintage, the aromatics have retained a respectable degree of freshness, although it is not as nuanced or as complex as the previous two vintages. It offers redcurrant, leather and a touch of dark chocolate, perhaps reflecting the growing season more than the terroir. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin. This is a little lactic on the mouth, smooth if not complex, but there is no flabbiness marking the finish and it offers decent length.
The 2000 Château Giscours is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc picked between September 25 and October 7. The bouquet is clearly in a different league to the previous two vintages: red plum, mulberry and cedar aromas that generously waft from the glass. There is something a little more exotic about these aromatics, with hints of stewed apricots in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and cedar-infused black fruit with hints of black truffle towards the finish.
The robust, exotic, rich, full-bodied 1990 offers low acidity, plenty of tannin, and excellent richness and fruit.
The 1998 Château Giscours is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc picked between September 28 and October 9. It has a healthy deep garnet colour with a thin brick rim. The bouquet has melted somewhat since I last tasted it, offering mulberry, overripe oranges and light violet scents. The palate is medium bodied with a savoury opening, the acidity quite noticeable, but beginning to show just a little dryness towards the finish. This had a period where it was quite plump in the mouth. There is still the weight here, the presence, but the grainy finish tapers away too quickly.
Type:
Red
Country:
France
Region:
Bordeaux
Appellation:
Margaux
Producer:
Château Giscours
Grapes/Blend:
Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Serving temp:
16° - 18° C
ABV:
14%
Pairing Sugesstions:
Lamb, Beef, Venison, Duck, Game Birds, Charcuterie and Cured Meats

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Behind the bottle

Château Giscours

Château Giscours

Château Giscours, a prestigious wine estate nestled in the heart of Margaux, has a rich and intriguing history, spanning over six centuries. With an unwavering commitment to quality,...

Château Giscours, a prestigious wine estate nestled in the heart of Margaux, has a rich and intriguing history, spanning over six centuries. With an unwavering commitment to quality, Giscours has established itself as a prominent producer of exceptional wines, rooted in tradition and showcasing the unique terroir of Bordeaux's Left Bank. This esteemed wine producer is renowned for its distinctive style, characterised by elegance, complexity, and longevity.

The origins of Château Giscours can be traced back to the 14th century when it was first documented as a fortified castle. However, it was not until the 16th century that the estate began to cultivate vines, under the guidance of Pierre de Lhomme, a wealthy Bordeaux draper. By the 19th century, Giscours had established itself as a leading Bordeaux wine producer, achieving Third Growth status in the esteemed 1855 Classification of the Médoc.

Throughout its storied history, Château Giscours has witnessed a series of ownership changes, each contributing to the estate's evolution and growth. Most notably, in 1952, the château was acquired by the visionary Nicolas Tari, who was instrumental in reviving Giscours' reputation after a period of decline. Today, the estate is under the stewardship of the Albada Jelgersma family, who continue to build upon its esteemed legacy.

Situated in the appellation of Margaux, Château Giscours boasts a diverse terroir, encompassing gravelly hilltops, limestone plateaus, and clay-limestone soils. The estate's 222 acres (90 hectares) of vineyards are meticulously managed, with a focus on sustainable viticulture practices to ensure the health of the vines and the preservation of the environment. The vineyard is predominantly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller parcels dedicated to Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Château Giscours' winemaking philosophy emphasises minimal intervention, allowing the unique characteristics of each vintage to shine through. The grapes are carefully hand-harvested and rigorously sorted before being transported to the winery. Here, they undergo fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, followed by malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. The estate's wines are then aged in French oak barrels, with a portion of new oak used each year to impart subtle notes of toast and spice.

Château Giscours produces two distinctive wines: the Grand Vin, Château Giscours, and its second wine, La Sirène de Giscours. The Grand Vin is a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This exquisite wine is celebrated for its opulent fruit flavours, velvety tannins, and remarkable ageing potential. La Sirène de Giscours, crafted from the estate's younger vines, offers a more approachable and fruit-forward style, with a charming elegance characteristic of the Margaux appellation.

In addition to its outstanding wines, Château Giscours is committed to preserving its rich heritage and promoting the culture of wine. The estate offers a variety of bespoke experiences, including guided tours, tastings, and gastronomic events, providing visitors with an opportunity to delve into the world of fine wine and the history of this remarkable château.

In summary, Château Giscours stands as a testament to the dedication, passion, and expertise of its proprietors, who have cultivated an exceptional wine estate that continues to enchant wine enthusiasts across the globe. With a storied past and a bright future, Château Giscours remains a beacon of excellence within the hallowed terroir of Bordeaux's

Château Giscours
Bordeaux - Onshore Cellars

Bordeaux

Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90...
Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90 percent of production volume) are the dry, medium- and full-bodied red Bordeaux Blends that established its reputation.

The finest (and most expensive) of these are the wines from the great châteaux of the Haut-Médoc and the Right Bank appellations Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The former is focused (at the top level) on Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter pair on on Merlot.

The legendary reds are complemented by high-quality white wines based on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These range from dry whites to challenge the best from the Burgundy region (Pessac-Léognan is particularly renowned) to the sweet, botrytized nectars of Sauternes.
Explore Bordeaux
Margaux

Margaux

Margaux is a wine appellation located in the Bordeaux region of France. It is known for producing some of the finest red wines in the world, with a...

Margaux is a wine appellation located in the Bordeaux region of France. It is known for producing some of the finest red wines in the world, with a history dating back to the 12th century.

The style of production in Margaux is traditional, with a focus on producing wines that are elegant, refined, and complex. The grapes grown in this region are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, with Cabernet Sauvignon being the dominant grape variety.

The wines produced in Margaux are typically medium to full-bodied, with a deep ruby color and aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, and cedar. They are known for their silky tannins, balanced acidity, and long, complex finish. The best wines from Margaux can age for decades, developing even more complexity and depth over time.

One of the most famous estates in Margaux is Château Margaux, which has been producing wine since the 16th century. Their wines are known for their elegance, finesse, and balance, with a focus on expressing the unique terroir of the Margaux appellation.

Another notable estate in Margaux is Château Palmer, which produces wines that are rich, powerful, and complex. Their wines are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, with a focus on expressing the unique characteristics of each grape variety.

Overall, Margaux is a wine appellation that is steeped in history and tradition, with a focus on producing wines that are elegant, refined, and complex. The wines from this region are some of the finest in the world, and are highly sought after by wine enthusiasts and collectors alike.

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