| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
This is a classic Margaux vineyard that is under Dutch ownership and management - along with sister property Chateau du Tertre. The 95 hectares of vines are planted with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
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. Drink Date 2029 - 2065
The 2019 Giscours has certainly calmed down since its bravura performance from barrel, now more streamlined and focused, albeit retaining that black and blue fruit interlaced with pressed violet. The harmonious palate is very finely tuned and beautifully structured, with a touch of salinity. This is one of the more precise Giscours in recent years, perhaps partly due to consultant Thomas Duclos, who began working with the estate in 2018 (he was actually born nearby). This reminds me of some of the classic Giscours such as the 1966 or the 1970. It may even merit a higher score with bottle age. Drink 2025-2060.
A ripe and layered red with lots of currant and chocolate character, as well as some walnut and cocoa powder. Crushed stones, too. It’s full and layered with round tannins and a juicy and plush texture. Crushed velvet that turns to silk. Very cool and long. Plenty going on here. Give it three to four years to come together. But will age beautifully for years to come. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% merlot. Try after 2026.
The 2019 Giscours is composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little closed to begin, opening out with coaxing to reveal notes of warm cassis, black cherry preserves, and wild blueberries, plus hints of cardamom and pencil lead with wafts of dried mint and new leather. Medium-bodied, the palate has an approachable chewiness with just enough elegantly played fruit and well-knit acidity, finishing with a quiet intensity of savory layers.
Rosebuds, smoked clove spices and violets give a classical Margaux feel on the nose, and provide an enticing opening to what is a well constructed wine, with chewy tannins and an architectural, structured feel overall. Much of the structure is hidden at this point, but no question that this is a Giscours with personality and potential for long ageing. First vintage with Thomas Duclos as consultant, harvest September 11 to October 12, with vines separated according to age and terroir. 44hl/ha yield.
Tasted blind. Proper, complex, deep-flavoured nose. Lots of tannin in the background to some pretty ambitious, dense fruit. Very long. A real 2019. (It always shows well blind!) 13.5%
Drink 2029
– 2045
The 2019 harvest at Giscours was the longest in its history, as the winery delayed picking the Cabernet to allow the skins to ripen fully. The resulting blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. The yield is 45hl/ha, close to the average here. The wine will be aged in 50% new French oak for 16-18 months. Thomas Duclos of Canon fame consulted in the winemaking here for the first time in 2019. Deep purple in the glass, with sweet red plum, cherry flossom and a hint of green spice on the nose. Layered and bright on the palate, this is compact and fresh, with lively acidity and crunchy tannins framing a core of fresh hedgerow fruit. The finish is lithe and very floral, bringing great lift and weightless intensity.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. Barrel sample.
Quite an elegant wine. Dark fruited and minerally fresh with the tannins finely honed. A touch of oak spice on attack then smooth, linear, juicy and refreshing. Certainly understated. (JL)
Drink 2026 – 2035
The 2019 Giscours is ripe and extrovert on the nose with exuberant black cherries, blueberry and crushed violets bursting from the glass. This is very seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with a tang of seaweed infusing the black fruit on the entry, segueing into more tarry notes toward the well structured finish. This articulates a sense of completeness that I appreciate. The persistency is impressive. This is a superb, potentially long-term Giscours that may well end up at the top of my banded score.
2025 - 2060
Lots of deep blue fruit with blackberries and grape skins, as well as tar and asphalt. Lead, too. It’s full-bodied, yet very tight with powerful, defined tannins, surrounded by attractive ripe fruit. Serious. Reminds me of the excellent 1975. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% merlot.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Giscours opens with notes of baked blackcurrants, plum preserves, tar and bouquet garni plus suggestions of moss-covered tree bark and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers tons of black fruit preserves flavors, supported with a slightly chewy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory. This is an impressive Giscours that seems to be holding its cards close to its chest right now—let's just see if it comes up trumps at bottling. 2025 - 2048
This is a serious Giscours, with medium intensity violet-edged ruby colour. High aromatics on the nose with cumin and cloves, followed by black cherry and cassis fruits that do a good job of filling the palate, and a cooling menthol finish as the tannins close in. Enjoyable overall, succulent yet with precision. Harvest lasted for an entire month, from September 11 to October 12, the longest ever at the estate and a reflection of more precise plot-by-plot work, with vines separated according to age and terroir. Thomas Duclos is consultant here as of the 2019 vintage. A yield of 44hl/ha. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot.
Very deep blackish crimson. Lifted aromatic nose. Then a little more earthbound and simple on the palate. Dry cedary impression on the finish. Not integrated at this stage. 13.5%
Drink 2028 – 2040
