Château Giscours 2025

A fabulous Giscours this year really showcasing the effort and work that's been going on at this estate. Deep and dark nose with blackcurrant leaf, dark chocolate, violets, purple flowers, a medicinal herbal element, mint and cinnamon - but so delicate and precise. Really refined aromatics. So sleek and silky with perfectly balanced tannins that give support but don't overwhelm. Amazing depth and layering here, so well balanced and executed with plenty of concentration but dark and brooding, not heavy or sunny – cool and calm but focused and determined too. Extremely Margaux without any extremes. This really represents the personality of the vintage with Bordeaux energy, tension, focus, juiciness, freshness, ripe and structured ripeness carried by acidity. 3.68pH. A yield of 30hl/ha.

Vibrant and silky on the palate, the wine delivers multiple layers of sweet, lifted black cherries, dark cocoa, refreshing mint, spice, and strawberries. There is elegance and length, with a fruit-driven, refined, energetic finish. Give it a year or two in bottle and it will be even better. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. 13% ABV, pH 3.71. Harvest took place September 18–October 11. Drink from 2030–2060. 96–98 pts

Excellent depth on the aromatics here, plenty of energy, plum and cassis bud, savoury with edge, great depths to the fruit, cocoa bean and incense adds a gourmet smile and a slow build, with oak adding structure and weight. Such good work being done at Giscours over the last few years, with director Alexander van Beek on a roll. Not easy when you've been heading up an estate for so long to make such a transformation but there is undoubtedly a sense of renewal at this estate right now, and this is one to watch. Tasted twice.

The bouquet’s intensity and freshness go hand in hand with its underlying subtlety. Nothing dominates; it is the overall harmony that leads the nose, with notes of cherry and blueberry lifted by freshness, eucalyptus nuances and hints of garrigue. What stands out is that a wine capable of combining intensity with subtlety inevitably has greatness in its sights. The silky, lively attack heralds a tonic, powerful, elegant wine in perfect balance. Its tannins provide solid support, delivering energy and precision, while the acidity sustains the freshness through to the finish. The finish draws on that energy, turning tension into a driving force that lengthens it. At times you find yourself starting to daydream—perhaps even to drift off—until a revitalising spark brings you back to reality… to experience a waking dream! A broad-shouldered, muscular, vigorous and persistent wine. A muscular marathon runner that sets off for a second lap after crossing the finish line at full speed. That is what persistence means. A disconcerting, fascinating, invigorating wine! What a character!

Deep black color. Intense, fruity, ripe, creamy nose. Precise on the attack, tasty and fresh on the mid-palate, with a dense, creamy texture, the wine tapers off a little on the finish. Medium length with a rounded feel. Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol content: 13%.

As often, but even more clearly this year, this wine reveals raspberry aromas, followed by subtle toasty notes and hints of violet blossom; the opening is almost innocuous, then it grips: the wine shows bite, an incredibly crisp fruit core and silky yet abundant tannins that wrap around the fruit. Straight, juicy, long-lasting, with outstanding balance on the finish. Very Giscours, very Margaux.