Giscours

Château Giscours 2016 has all the qualities of a great Margaux. 2016 has been a year with beautiful weather conditions for the elaboration of a Great Wine : a mild spring, ideal for the development of the vines, and a dry summer with moderate temperatures. During harvest, each fruit has been picked at its best. Château Giscours 2016 is a wine full of elegance, well balanced and presents two qualities we particularly love at Giscours : aromatic brilliance and finesse of the tannins.

Wine Advocate 93: 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.

James Suckling 97: Herbs, olives, currants, fine spices and touches of bergamot and tobacco on the nose. On the palate it’s juicy and fine-veined, with a medium body, very fine tannins and a super-long, filigreed finish. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot. Such balance. Great now, but this will benefit from further aging. For those who love classic left-bank finesse and precision, this is the vintage to buy. Drink or hold.

Vinous 95: The 2016 Giscours is built around 81% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a wonderful bouquet with pure blackberry, crushed violet and mineral scents, with exquisite delineation and poise. The palate is framed by fine tannins and a perfect line of acidity. Slightly grainy in texture, it boasts gentle grip, yet there is real intensity and focus here. The 2016 is only just beginning to open and should be cellared for several years.

Decanter 94: Concentrated autumnal fruit offers a hawthorny bramble of blackberry and bilberry. Big-framed, muscular tannins are joined by plenty of acidity - it's very clearly built to last and confident in its ability to reward those with patience. Matured in 50% new oak. Axel Marchal and Valerie Lavigne consult.

Wine Enthusiast 96: This nearly 200-acre estate lies in the south of the Margaux appellation. The wine is another great success in a series of superb years. It is rich but the structure and finely textured fruit give it style and longevity. Drink the wine from 2026.

Wine Advocate 94+: The 2021 Giscours has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries and licorice mingled with hints of violet and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and suave, it's seamless and enveloping, with good depth at the core, beautifully polished tannins and a long, perfumed finish. This is one of the real successes of the vintage. As readers may remember, it's a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.

James Suckling 94: Outstanding for the vintage, this wine has true precision and beauty. Medium body, with flavors of currant and chocolate as well as some sandalwood and spice. Nicely balanced. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 3% petit verdot. Drink or hold.

Vinous 95: The 2021 Giscours is not quite as showy as some recent vintages, but all the ingredients are there. Aromatic, deep and layered, with tremendous balance, the 2021 has so much to offer. Rose petal, mint, spice, orange peel and dried herbs are some of the notes that build. The 2021 is a wine of exquisite precision—bright and driving, with notable tension. It is seriously impressive at this stage.

Wine Enthusiast 96: Dark spice aromas are here, along with rich tannins and structure, just hinting at the wood aging. The wine, from the south of the appellation, has a rich effect, while also having the Margaux elegance. It is beautifully finished.