CHÂTEAU GISCOURS
2017 3ème Cru Classé Margaux
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. Drinking range: 2021 - 2040 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)
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71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 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. Drinking range: 2025 - 2037 Rating: 16.5+ Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)
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. Rating: 90-92 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2018)
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 range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2018)
An up and coming Margaux estate, the 2017 Château Giscours offers a complex bouquet of sandalwood, damp flowers, sous bois, and spicy red fruits. It’s slightly stretched and firm on the palate, with medium-bodied richness. I’d like to see more fat and texture here, but I suspect it will put on more weight with time in barrel and bottle. It should drink nicely for a decade. Rating: 89-91 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2018)
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. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2018)
A mix of savory and mint notes lead off here, followed quickly by juicy dark plum and black cherry fruit. Light anise and iron hints show on the finish. Fairly breezy and open in feel throughout. Rating: 89-92 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)
The vineyards of Giscours are located towards the southern end of the appellation, not far from La Lagune and Cantemerle. The aromatics here are marked by chalky and gunflint notes, without much fruit showing through at the moment, save for some leafy and rather grilled, degraded notes of cherry. The palate is soft, supple, but lacking in a strong structure which I suspect reflects the vintage. There is some bitter cherry stone fruit in the middle, with a firm wrapping of bourbonesque oak, along with some tannins which do have an attractive, slightly velvety character. These hang on into the finish, which does show some grip and presence. A little loosely composed, but a good result in the context of the vintage. Rating: 89-91 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)
Château Giscours
Margaux Troisième cru 1855 Château Giscours has had many owners over the years since Pierre de Lhomme bought "Guyscoutz" in 1552 and laid out an estate and vineyards. The present château was built in 1847 by Count de Pescatore. Like many Bordelais estates, Giscours was in poor condition after World War II, but its fortunes were rescued by Nicolas Tari who bought the property in 1954 and set about restoring and enlarging Giscours. In 1995, Giscours' business activities were purchased by Eric Albada Jelgersma, the owner of near-by Château du Tertre. The 83ha of vineyard are 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The Grand Vin spends 15 to 18 months in wood (50% new). Château Giscours is home to the Bordeaux Giscours Cricket Club - the national champions!