| 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 2017 Giscours is the result of an especially stringent selection, the most dramatic at the property going back to 1995. Medium in body, with terrific freshness and energy, the 2017 shows very well today. Dark red cherry, red plum, spice, licorice, tobacco and savory herbs all grace the glassy, understated Giscours. I can't wait to see how the 2017 ages given its vibrancy and terrific sense of harmony. Drink 2025-2037.
The 2017 Giscours has an open and expressive bouquet with crushed strawberry and raspberry fruit, melted tar, tobacco and light floral tones. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins and well judged acidity. This is a classically styled Giscours, off-dry, a little reserved at first with a moderate spiciness coming through on the finish. It feels pinched at the moment and requires four to six years in bottle. 2023-2040.
A firm and silky red with dark-berry, cherry and mineral aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a driven finish. Very dialed-in.
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. Drink 2020-2031.
An accomplished, enjoyable Giscours. The fruit character is less generous than 2015 and 2016, but it still has presence and charm. Damson, bilberry, charcoal and slate are cradled by fine tannins that point to well-controlled extraction. There's no dip through the mid-palate, and the overall structure is juicy and elegant rather than exuberant. A juicy frame that will age well.
Drinking Window 2025 - 2038
Deep crimson. Perfumed with cassis freshness, straightforward and a sense of small-berried fruit. Even some red fruit and a touch of vanilla. Really quite discreet. Finesse in the tannins, a delicacy that belies its persistence on the finish and just enough fruit at the core for harmony. Needs more time than some, I think.
Drink 2025-2037
Frost at Giscours affected mainly vines used for the 2nd label but overall production is down by 20%. The final blend of the grand vin is 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Crunchy red and black fruits are bolstered on the nose by notes of toasted new oak which is integrated and subtle. The palate is fresh and vibrant, bright from the acidity of the vintage without seeming tart. The fruit is cool and compact, lively and floral. Midweight and fresh, this should be an approachable wine, though it perhaps lacks the power of recent vintages.
The nose is fragrant with bramble freshness the palate sweeter quite fleshy in the middle ripe black fruits. Fresh fruits show at the back light lacking a little concentration and richness with some ripe black cherry coming through on the finish. Drink 2025 - 2038.
Hard and very blunt, this is a dry wine with little juiciness and rather a sour, dull finish. The oak is too boggy and this strips any fruit from the core. Disappointing.
Subtle aromas of ripe fruit with plums and hints of clove and stone. Complex. Medium to full body with a fine line of tannins running through the mid-palate. Fresh and creamy texture. A blend of 71% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Drink after 2021.
The 2017 Giscours, picked 15 September to 5 October, is matured in 50% new oak with around 5 or 6% of vin de presse. It has a perfumed bouquet with black fruit, a touch of oyster shell and iris, very pure and quite sensual in style. It does not make an immediate impact but rather grows on you. The palate is medium-bodied, the mouthfeel supple, smooth and harmonious with fine-grain tannin, perhaps just missing a little structure towards the conservative, straight-laced finish. That suggests it will be an approachable Giscours compared to the 2015 and 2016, but one with breeding and class. Tasted on three occasions. Drink 2021 - 2040.
Blended of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Giscours is scented of crushed black currants, blackberry tart and black raspberries with touches of Indian spices, Sichuan pepper and violets plus a waft of chocolate box. Medium-bodied with wonderful freshness defining the palate and elevating the red and black fruits, it finishes with a nice ripe, grainy texture paving the way.
In 2017, the lower parts of Giscours were hit by frost. Consequently, yields are down by about 40%. Harvest was a relatively long one here - starting on September 14 (Merlot) and finishing on October 5 (last of the Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon). The final blend was made in early March.
