First mentioned in 1330, the third growth Giscours was confiscated during the French revolution and has had a number of owners before being revived by the Tari family in the 1970s. Purchased by the Dutch businessman, Eric Albada Jelgersma in 1995, and, under Alexander van Beek, who arrived in the same year, this third growth estate has never looked back. With over 130,000 vines being replanted (with more Cabernet and less Merlot), the final blend is usually around 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot and is at the more structured and powerful end of the Margaux spectrum.
The 2015 Giscours is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. That is in stark comparison to older vintages, for example the 2000 Giscours that was 50/50 Cabernet and Merlot. This vintage is matured in 50% new oak. Winemaker Alexandre Van Beek told me that the 2015 "...reflects the true terroir at Giscours that created the great wines of the 1960s and 1970s." That is something to live up to with fresh memories of the 1961 in my brain. The bouquet is very intense and almost "untamed" at first, but it calms down in the glass, revealing attractive scents of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and graphite. This is a Giscours determined to make a good impression...and it does. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very pure, a little spicier than recent vintages, adorned with a gentle crescendo in the mouth towards a really quite fantastic, tensile, complex and compelling finish. Having tasted the 1961 and 1970 Giscours just a few months ago, I wager that the 2015 will be the best since the 1961. Time to fall back in love with this great Margaux property. 94-96 points, Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com
The 2015 Giscours is terrific. In fact, this may be one of the very best recent vintages I have tasted here. Ample and quite broad in its first impression, the 2015 possesses magnificent depth from start to finish. Even with all of its intensity, the 2015 retains striking freshness and delineation. Succulent dark cherry, plum, blood orange and sweet spice notes all flesh out in the glass. Creamy, silky tannins add to the wine's considerable appeal. The purity of the fruit here is striking. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, with no Cabernet Franc this year. The 2015 is a terrific Giscours. 91-94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
"Plenty of violets and dark berries on offer here. This has a striking sense of purity as well as an energetic, regal palate. The structure is impressively groomed with effortless depth and length. A standout wine. Try from 2022." 96 Points, James Suckling
On Bordeaux’s Left Bank, near the southern end of the Haut-Médoc, lies Margaux, one of the most celebrated villages in the world of wine. Margaux is home to Château Margaux, the revered first-growth property, as well as 20 more Grand Cru Classé estates ranked in the 1855 classification of Bordeaux. The acclaimed wine of Margaux benefits from the diverse soil types in the appellation.
In general, Margaux has a very thin layer of topsoil, and the very best vineyards, above the Gironde River, have gravelly soils that encourage deep root growth and allow for good drainage. Because of the variations in soil, Margaux wines can range from delicately flavoured to highly concentrated, from medium- to full-bodied. Yet all Margaux wines share a fragrant bouquet, silky texture and remarkable balance. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates in the wines of Margaux, as it does throughout the Left Bank, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc used in small percentages for blending. Because of their excellent aging potential, the best Margaux wines are prized by collectors.
