Margaux Wines

wines

Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2002 Château Giscours is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot picked between October 1 and 15. There remains that almost Pomerol-like personality on the nose, quite perfumed and floral with sage and burnt toast scents tincturing the dark berry fruit. With continued aeration, there is a just a hint of rooibos. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite ferrous in the mouth and lightly spiced. It does not deliver the same precision as the 2001, although there is decent length here. It does not offer great length, but for the vintage, this should be considered a modest success. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 91 RP-NMI like the mineral and blackberry aromas in this wine. Medium- to full-bodied, with a fresh acidity and tannin structure. This is solid and tight. Needs bottle age. Best after 2008. 23,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

91–93 A rounded, soft-tannined ripe wine, which shows traces of black currant jelly as well as good acidity. It is attractive, layering sweetness with good, ripe fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A smooth, delicious wine. The fruit flavors go right through this ripe, complex wine, leaving the tannins and wood as supporting acts. As with so many 2004s, the aftertaste is fresh, with great acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA big, smoky, tapenade, plum, black currant, and spring flower-scented nose is followed by a medium to full-bodied, textured, layered wine with sweet tannin, low acidity, and impressive concentration as well as depth. This is a gorgeous, hedonistic yet complex Margaux to drink now and over the next 12-14 years.Robert Parker | 91 RPThis is very fresh and firm with really beautiful chocolate, walnut and berry character on the nose and palate. Full body with chewy yet polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Subtle and fine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSA solid red, with blackberry, plum and light cedar aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing aftertaste. All together here. Best after 2008. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This is a beautiful Giscours with tension and finesse. It’s full-bodied and shows plenty of berry and spice character, not to mention a long, silky-textured finish. It seduces you with each sip. Why wait?James Suckling | 95 JSThis chateau gets better and better. The wine has power, but it is harnessed by the intense fruits, the blackberry flavors, the density and the wood. With the power, though, comes elegance, resulting in a wine that is ready to develop over many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a powerful wine with good ageing potential. The nose is ripe and creamy with plenty of dark fruit and spice complexity. The palate is rich, full and gourmand with Cabernet-cassis notes coming through. There’s a big tannic frame that shows the more masculine side of this Margaux. The finesse may be missing but there’s a lot of wine here. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2005 Giscours captures all the natural radiance of the year in its stylish, racy personality. Sweet tannins wrap around a core of sweet red berry fruit, kirsch, rose petal, mint, spice and blood orange. Soft, curvy and sensual, Giscours is a winner in 2005. It doesn’t quite offer the grandeur of the very finest Left Bank 2005s, but it has plenty of that richness.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDisplays blackberry, cherry and hints of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and solid. This is structured and chewy. Needs time. Best after 2013. 20,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2005 Château Giscours is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot picked between September 22 and October 6. Conspicuously deep in color, both the aromatics and palate replicate the strong performance from earlier this year. The bouquet offers very fine intensity with blackberry and cedar, here a tinge of cassis that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannin. It is very well balanced and almost Saint Julien in style. It is clearly very focused with a sustained, mineral-rich finish that (as I said before) contains real energy. This is an excellent Giscours that will age nicely over the next 20-25 years. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

A dense wine, powerful while also elegant. It shows all the best character of a grand Margaux, with fine tannins as well as dense structure. It will age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA generous, well-rounded Margaux, expansive through the mid-palate but finishing a little short. Again, this shows that 2008 is a good - but not great - vintage, and really one where the full pleasure of drinking is to be taken now and over the next decade. The tannins are beautifully soft, and the cassis and tobacco flavours are still vibrant, floating upwards without being spiky. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 91 DECTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2008 Château Giscours is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot picked between September 30 and October 1. The bouquet is very well defined with ebullient red berry fruit mixed with orange peel and cedar aromas. There is something that distantly echoes a Côte de Beaune! Perhaps the purity on offer here? The palate is very well balanced with a keen line of acidity, very fine tannins and ample freshness. I loved this Giscours from barrel and it is now living up to my expectations. The terroir shines through on this wine - true Margaux. This is an excellent wine from winemaker Alexandre Van Beek. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 91 RP-NMThe 2008 Giscours is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Compared to the 1998 and 1988, this has much more fruit and vitality on the nose: blackberry, bilberry, cedar and just a faint tang of marmalade. I like the delineation and vibrancy here. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, good fruit concentration and fine backbone. There is a little grit embedded in the texture, slightly chalky perhaps, but I like the energy conveyed by this Giscours and it feels minerally and long towards the finish. Very fine. (Tasted at the château and at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual vertical tasting).Vinous Media | 91 VM

Well defined, intense black fruits on the nose are a little reserved, but I like the depth to the fruit on the palate. There's definitely a lot to like here, with the generous liquorice and chocolate you often find in Giscours along with firm, brambly black fruit flavours and the elegant freshness of the vintage. It's nearly ready to drink, generous in feel if not hugely full-throttle compared to the 2009 and 2010. I would suggest leaving those two vintages for another few years and instead look at this, with a good carafing first. 3% Petit Verdot makes up the blend.Decanter | 94 DECPower and ripeness walk hand-in-hand with this major player. The wine is opulent and extracted with flavors of rich blackberry fruits, but shows a firmness in tannins and dense texture. Drink from 2018 and it's sure to be a great success.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is so beautiful now. It's full-bodied with tight and compressed tannins and fruit. Long and intentional. Savory and juicy finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSOffers a solid core of violet, plum, red licorice, currant paste and sanguine notes that fill out steadily through the fleshy finish. A mesquite hint lurks in the background and should emerge more with cellaring, as there's ample stuffing in reserve here. Best from 2016 through 2027.Wine Spectator | 91 WSTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2011 Château Giscours is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, picked between September 8 and October 1. It offers more fruit intensity than the 2012 and I find more Margaux florality here. It would benefit from more delineation, but there is decent delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin on the entry, red cherry and raspberry fruit intermingling with cedar and tobacco notes. It feels a little conservative on the finish and needs more finesse, but it is a commendable contribution to the vintage. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90 RP-NM

Blueberries, tar and licorice on the nose. Full-bodied, solid and dense. Velvety tannins. Long finish. Down on this! Needs at least two or three years to soften.James Suckling | 95 JSStill dry and concentrated and with swathes of rich tannins, the wine is dark and dense. The undertow of ripe black fruit is impressive. It obviously has considerable aging potential, Drink this serious wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2014 Giscours has a slightly muddled bouquet with tertiary/woodland scents infusing the broody black fruit, austere but attractive. With aeration it seems to find its groove and develop more clarity and detail. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, supple and focused. There is lovely balance and poise to this Giscours, with a tensile and precise finish that lingers long in the mouth. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2014 Giscours has come on leaps and bounds since I tasted it twice in barrel. It is clearly more sophisticated and complex than the du Tertre on the nose. For a start, there is more fruit concentration with red cherries, raspberry and blackcurrant laced with cedar and graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, pure red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit with a precise finish that the property never used to be able to offer. This is a lovely Margaux that should drink well for 20 years.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMThis shows a caressing feel from the start, with alluring black tea and incense notes weaving around lightly macerated plum, blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. A floral accent gilds the finish. Pretty wine. Best from 2018 through 2028. 23,335 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSElegant, crunchy black fruits on the nose and florality and ripeness on the palate. Typical classy Giscours with seductive charm and elegant tannins. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 90 DEC

A rich, exotic wine, the 2015 Cantenac Brown is simply stunning. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice and leather all flesh out in this ample, voluptuous Margaux. A rush of super-ripe dark cherry, plum, violet, lavender and sweet French oak builds as this plush, explosive wine shows off its bold personality. The 2015 is quite concentrated and extracted in style, and yet all the elements are wonderfully fused together. I would give the 2015 at least a few years to assimilate some of its new oak.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGPlump fruit, rich raspberry puree and cassis flavours, layered through with chocolate and grilled cedar. This was the same score as I gave it when tasting in barrel in October 2017. Things have closed down a little since then, as this is heading into its dumb phase, but it’s clearly extremely well structured and all the elements are in place for a long future. So wait to open, but this is a complex, nuanced Cantenac. 51% of production in the 1st wine, 60% new oak. Harvest September 17 to October 8. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful dusty tannins permeate this ripe wine. It has a smooth and rich texture, with bright blackberry flavors and a refreshing, vibrant close.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis brims with voluble plum cake, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors, embedded with brambly structure while keeping a polished feel overall. Alluring black tea, roasted alder and licorice details line the finish. You’ll want to jump on this one. Best from 2022 through 2035. 9,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSReaders who need more proof that Margaux was the place to be in 2015 just need to taste the 2015 Château Cantenac Brown. Based on roughly 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot it offers an extraordinary nose of crème de cassis, caramelized cherries, flowers, and spices. This medium to full-bodied effort has plenty of tannins, as well as toasty oak, yet is perfectly balanced and has a great mix of both freshness and richness. It’s a tour de force that will be drinkable in 4-5 years and last for 25-30 years!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe blueberries, blackberries and fresh violets come through nicely on the nose. Full body with round, juicy tannins. Hints of vanilla. Lots of ripe fruit. A little tight now. Try after 2022. Reviewed in Hong Kong Chinese Wine Tasting July 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Cantenac Brown is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of cherry cola, cassis and warm plums with touches of spice box and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate sports a lot of oak, with very firm and chewy tannins and a woody finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

This firm wine shows the tannic side of the vintage. Those tannins are dusty, enriched with black-currant fruits and a dense backdrop. The wine is concentrated and elegant, very ageworthy and not likely to be ready before 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEPlenty 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.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 Giscours has a beautiful, clean, pure bouquet of generous ripe black cherry, raspberry and crushed violet aromas that could only come from Margaux. The medium-bodied palate is quite dense but wonderfully poised, offering sappy red fruit and very fine tannin and delivering impressive detail on the bay leaf and tea leaf finish. Alexandre van Beek oversaw one of the best Giscours in recent years. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMDeep, plush fruit which is hard to push through at first - it resists rather than giving way. There are layers of muscular fruit on the palate with some gorgeous touches of tobacco and charcoal. This is one to age - and to double-decant if you’re thinking about opening it up in the next decade. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Giscours opens with expressive cassis, blackberry and red currants on the nose with touches of cedar chest, roses and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied with a good core of muscular fruit and firm, grainy tannins, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPPolished and rounded in feel, with a solid core of plum and blackberry compote flavors, lined with light hints of charcoal, tobacco and violet. Nice perfumy tobacco and warm tar notes show on the finish. Very well-integrated, making this approachable now, but there’s no rush. Best from 2020 through 2035. 23,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This rich wine is full of fruit and structured with layers of tannin. It’s also stylish and elegant, with a suave texture that is already attractive. Black fruits mix with the structure to give a wine that will age well. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2015 Kirwan is positively stellar. Deep, fleshy and incredibly inviting, the 2015 will drink well right out of the gate. The balance of aromatics, fruit and structure is compelling. Plum, blackberry, chocolate, licorice and spice fill out the wine’s creamy, supple frame. Readers should expect bold, fleshy style.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2015 Château Kirwan showed beautifully and is just another data point pointing to Margaux being the star of the Médoc. It boasts a deep ruby/plum color as well as thrilling notes of black raspberries, toasted bread, Asian spices and lead pencil. With subtle background oak, a ripe, opulent texture, sweet tannin, and notable purity and elegance, give bottle 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy through 2035+.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA sleek wine with plenty of tannins, but they are already so well integrated that this has a very elegant personality. The long finish is rather mineral and very pure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSLeans toward the old-school side, with singed cedar and alder notes, perfumy black tea and mulled spice aromas and a core of gently steeped plum and black currant fruit, all carried by lightly dusty tannins through the finish. Balanced, charming and certain to age gracefully. Best from 2020 through 2032. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe nose has a frankness of expression, with cinnamon spice, cedar and an enjoyable, seductive swirl of ruby and blackberry fruits. Animated on the attack, it is full of pleasure and should be ready just a touch earlier than some others in the appellation - think eight rather than 10 to 12 years. There is complexity here, and a sense of freshness that runs through the structure. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 Kirwan has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed red currants, black cherries and black plums with wafts of tilled soil, fallen leaves and bark. The medium-bodied mouth offers nice intensity with soft, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2016 Cantenac Brown seems to have grown aromatically since I last tasted it a few months ago. More complex than I remember, this offers a cornucopia of scents: blackberry, briary, cedar and a lovely mintiness that recalls Palmer. The palate is silky smooth with great depth and delineation, satin-like, multi-layered, precocious black fruit laced with black pepper, tea leaves and cloves, all fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bon vin! Tasted at the Cantenac Brown vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2016 Cantenac Brown comes from a Margaux estate that has upped its game in recent years. It has an intense bouquet with floral aromas filtering through the black cherries, cassis and boysenberry notes, in an odd way almost Saint-Emilion in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. Silky smooth with very well-judged acidity, there is a sorbet-like freshness imbued into this Margaux and it just glides across the palate towards the quite sensual finish. This is certainly equal to the impressive 2015 Cantenac Brown.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92-94 RP-NMThere is a good chance that this wine has closed down, but aromas nonetheless include subtle notes of violet, black cherry and cassis, presaging a palate of tannic finesse with density. The long finish has tonicity and lift. A few more years patience in the cellar will reward you. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECThis has a very delicious and attractive nose offering ample dark berries and plums with cocoa and freshly cut bracken. The palate has a smooth, fan-like array of fine but sturdy tannins that carry very fresh and upbeat into the finish. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSRichly structured, this dense wine has solid tannins that balance with the black fruits. It is a complex wine, poised and confident while not losing sight of the Margaux elegance. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEQuite dark in profile, with steeped boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry compote flavors forming a core that is coiled up with bramble, singed mesquite and anise notes. Lots of juicy energy through the finish, with a mouthwatering streak of graphite. Rock-solid. Best from 2023 through 2037. 9,333 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 93 WSA solid step up and a brilliant Margaux, the 2016 Cantenac Brown checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot raised in 60% new French oak. Black cherries, currants, smoke tobacco, graphite, and hints of earth all emerge from this beautifully layered, medium-bodied, and concentrated 2016 that shines for its purity and precision, while still offering beautiful depth of fruit. Give it 3-4 years and enjoy this fabulous effort over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JD

The brightness and precision already comes through on the nose with floral, blackcurrant character. Full-bodied and very tight and creamy with polished tannins that last for minutes. Warm and intense. Needs four to five years to show all it has, yet already a beauty.James Suckling | 96 JS(Château d’Issan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) Tasted over two days, and although the attack is supple, with fruit and light notes of espresso, the palate is somewhat low key in its expression of red and black fruit with overtones of spice. One notices high toned acidity, and I suspect that the wine has entered a youthful, ’closed-in’ phase. What cannot be denied: fine grained tannin and impressive length on a finish marked by freshness and tonicity. Don’t touch before 2025 at least, however. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 95 DECThis wine has an austere structure, with firm tannins. The fruit comes through slowly, revealing an attractive black-currant flavor and ample acidity. This will be a very fine wine with time; try after 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2016 D’Issan is blended of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot, aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it has vibrant black cherries and blackcurrants notes with chocolate mint, beef drippings, black olives and cigar box. Medium-bodied with a well-sustained, intensely flavored mid-palate, it has a rock-solid, grainy frame and long savory finish. 10,500 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 d’Issan has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, violets, rose petal and light undergrowth aromas, displaying fine lift and great intensity. The medium-bodied palate offers fine-grained tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and vibrant, with a very harmonious, elegant and persistent finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMI loved the 2016 Château d’Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It’s a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that’s very much in the style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDLight pepper and savory hints lead off in this bouncy, juicy version, with bright cassis and bitter cherry fruit forming the core. Shows a light mineral edge on the finish.Wine Spectator | 88-91 WS

The 2016 Ferriere is an accomplished Margaux for the vintage. It has a feminine, refined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and light rose petal aromas, just a hint of vanilla from the new oak that is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, quite juicy tannin. This is very harmonious with fine tannin, impressive depth and a sense of mineralité that is in tune with this vintage. I thought that the 2015 Ferriere was excellent, but this is another step up. Bravo, Clare Villars Lurton!Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92-94 RP-NMTangy and fruity with spice and berry character. Full body, chewy tannins and a tight finish. This will fill out nicely in barrel. From biodynamic grapes.James Suckling | 93-94 JSNow run biodynamically, this estate is managed by Claire Villars-Lurton. This wine’s bright fruit is crisp and full of acidity. The structure underlines the fruitiness, bringing some weight to the wine. It needs time, so drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2016 Ferrière is a dense, full-bodied wine that is going to need at least a few years in bottle to shed some of its tannins. Old vines imbue the 2016 with a palpable sense of power and resonance that comes through in the wine’s dark, somber personality. The tannins are equally imposing though, so patience is essential. Blackberry, smoke and gravel are some of the notes that build as the 2016 starts to open in the glass.Antonio Galloni | 93+ AGPoised but subdued notes of blackberry, bilberry and hawthorn lead into a palate that settles in the glass. You can feel the tannins build up fairly swiftly, and they come in on the mid-palate to provide some welcome framing for the fruit. Bottled in September, only a month before this tasting, which will have an impact of course, but it still seems just a touch below the 2015. Currently undergoing biodynamic conversion. Matured in 40% new oak. Eric Boissenot consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 91 DEC

This has attractive, glossy, ripe red-plum and licorice aromas with cedar, flowers and red berries, as well as a stony edge. A very fragrant, cabernet-driven nose. The palate has elegance and grace with sleek and charming, balanced style and a discreet tannin structure that holds the finish long and fresh. A blend of 81 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 19 per cent merlot. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThis 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 Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Giscours is complex, aromatically intense and beguiling, with myriad layers of flavors that unfold with time in the glass. Black cherry, sage, leather, smoke and menthol add plenty of intrigue, but above all else, it is the wine’s balance and sense of harmony that make the deepest impression. Under the leadership of Alexander Van Beek and his team, Giscours has been on a roll over the last few years. The 2016 is another fine vintage.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGConcentrated 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. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.Decanter | 94 DECDeep 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Château Giscours is fabulous stuff, offering a beautiful, complex (and classic Margaux) perfume of smoke tobacco, black currants, truffly earth, and spring flowers. Finesse-driven, medium-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it has ultra-fine tannins and no hard edges, and is already drinking beautifully. Nevertheless, it’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-25 years or more. The blend of the 2016 is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot and it’s well worth a case purchase.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis is on the darker side of the ledger, with well-melded black currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit, infused with brambly energy and allied to a graphite spine on the anise-tinged finish. Features a light woodsy echo at the very end, but there’s plenty of flesh here. Best from 2022 through 2032. 34,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This big, rich wine offers dense tannins as well as sumptuous black fruits. Fruit and acidity come together to create a wine with both richness and juicy black-plum flavors. Drink this powerful wine from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEAlmost more like a Pauillac in its expression of graphite and cassis, along with blackberry. The powerful, yet refined and racy tannins are a good sign for longer term ageing and although one can enjoy this today, it would be better to keep in your cellar for another three to five years for it to become more supple. Long finish. (Drink between 2026-2045)Decanter | 94 DECThere’s fragrant charm here with purple flowers and a swathe of ripe, juicy dark berries. This has a firmish overall feel with sturdy tannins, driving ripe and fresh, red and dark berries long. The oak is very nicely played.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 Kirwan has an attractive, well-defined bouquet of blackberry, crushed violet and light crushed stone aromas that gently unfurls in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a lightly spiced, peppery finish. I absolutely love this Margaux, and it should age with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Kirwan is scented of red plums, cassis, redcurrants, earth and cigar box. The palate is medium-bodied, lean, chewy and lively with an earthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPBright damson plum, bitter cherry and rose petal notes lead the way in this fresh and focused version, with light rooibos tea and mineral accents underlining the silky, elegant finish. Sneaky long too. Best from 2021 through 2031. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 9,167 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WSOne of the more finesse-driven examples of this cuvée that I can remember, the 2016 Château Kirwan offers up a medium ruby color to go with notes of smoke tobacco, gravelly minerality, graphite, and sweet cassis fruit. Medium-bodied, elegant and supple, if not a touch lean, it’s not a blockbuster but has outstanding purity and notable elegance. Drink it over the coming 15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The 2018 Cantenac Brown is fabulous. Dark rich and expansive, the 2018 wraps around the palate with stunning depth. Dark red/black fruit, iron, cedar, chocolate, dried herbs and a whole range of earthy notes are pushed forward as this ample Margaux shows off its considerable allure. The 2018 is a big, rich wine. Give it at least a few years to fully come together.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGRipe black fruits shine through this balanced wine, showing strongly against a backdrop of rich, generous tannins. This estate is one to watch as it achieves the form the vineyard deserves. Expect this wine to be ready to drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEShows a touch of dark earth out front, with a mix of smoldering tobacco, espresso crema and singed alder notes before the core of warmed plum and blackberry reduction flavors finally starts to unwind. Just a touch burly for a Margaux, but certainly lots to like here and ample range and length. Time will likely add that last bit of refinement. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis has a lot of elegance even though it is a powerful wine; there is a lovely lifting freshness through the palate along with ripples of blackberry and damson fruit. Just a touch of heat on the finish that dampens things down. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DECRich and polished aromas of blueberry, lavender, dark chocolate, hazelnut and sweet tobacco. It’s full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins. Creamy layers of ripe fruit and wood. Long and caressing. Lovely ripe fruit in the center palate. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Cantenac Brown has a medium to deep garnet-purple color, wafting gently out of the glass with fragrant scents of redcurrant jelly, Morello cherries, plum preserves and fresh blackcurrants, plus suggestions of red roses, cedar chest and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate (13.5% declared alcohol) has a sturdy frame of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the delicately styled red and black fruit flavors, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPA classic, elegant Margaux based on roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot (I don’t know the exact blend), the 2018 Château Cantenac Brown offers up a pretty perfume of red and black currants, sandalwood, dried flowers, and cedar pencil. It’s not the most powerful or concentrated wine in the vintage, yet it has fine tannins as well as a wonderfully balanced, classical style. I suspect it will benefit from just short-term cellaring and keep for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

The 2018 D’Issan is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aging in 50% new and 50% second year barrels for an estimated 18 months. With 13.97% alcohol and a deep garnet-purple color, it features baked berries, warm cherries and cassis with spice box and fragrant earth plus tea hints. Medium to full-bodied, it has a great core of muscular fruit with firm, fine-grained tannins, with nice freshness, finishing layered with mineral notions.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPAromas of blackberry, plum, cocoa, iodine, clove and graphite. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Tightly wound and mineral at the moment, with dusty gravel and graphite notes, yet with focus and precision. Such balance and harmony for the vintage. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe top wine, the 2018 Château D’Issan is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It offers a beautiful, singular bouquet of blackcurrants, new leather, smoked tobacco, scorched earth, and camphor. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, seamless Margaux with wonderful tannins, beautifully integrated acidity, and just a flawlessly balanced, elegant, layered style that’s going to evolve for 20-25 years. It’s one classy 2018 that has loads to love.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDWell-balanced, fleshed out by redcurrant, raspberry and black cherry fruits. There is tannic build-up, gently layering but adding up to quite the wall at this stage, suggesting a long life ahead, and beautifully judged cigar smoke edging through the finish. Good stuff from Issan, and a wine I have tasted both at en primeur and during ageing in barrel. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2018 d’Issan is a potent, backward wine that is going to need a number of years to come into its own. Dark and brooding, with serious intensity, the 2018 shows off real depth in its blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, spice, smoke and leather flavors. The tannins are imposing today, but, then again, everything about the 2018 feels large in scale. I can’t wait to see how the 2018 ages.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

Black currant, dried-blueberry, oyster-shell, black-olive, black truffle, and bitter-chocolate aromas. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Savory and mineral layers interplay with the black fruit. Powerful and chewy yet very polished and beautiful.. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSAlways a significant wine, this latest release with powerful while also stylish black fruits fits into a well-regarded tradition. The density and broad fruitiness of the wine make fine foils for each other. It is firmly structured and set for aging. Drink this wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEVery expressive, with violet and lilac notes followed by creamed plum and mulled blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. Subtle anise, juniper and sanguine notes thread the very long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2018 Giscours was tasted alongside the 2019 for comparison. This is more extravagant on the nose, delivering slightly more red fruit, black pepper and touches of graphite. This has opened since I last tasted it. The palate is medium-bodied with bold tannins, very smooth and more sensual than the 2019, and more flamboyant, though perhaps without the same precision. Still, this is very fine.Vinous Media | 94 AGLots of ripe black cherry and cassis fruits as well as graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth notes emerge from the 2018 Château Giscours, a medium-bodied Margaux that has a fresh, focused texture, plenty of underlying structure, and the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage. This beautiful Margaux builds nicely with time in the glass, and while it plays in the more elegant side of the spectrum, it has terrific mid-palate depth, stunning balance, and outstanding length. I think the 2019 might ultimately surpass it, but it’s certainly in the same ballpark as the 2016. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBrushed damson, fine but firm tannins, lots of dark deep fruits and powerful oak that slightly detracts from appellation typicity. This is confident and good-quality but needs a lot of time in bottle. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Giscours delivers expressive notions of baked raspberries, Black Forest cake and sautéed herbs with a core of crème de cassis, pencil lead, fertile loam and fallen leaves. Full-bodied, taut and muscular in the mouth with earth-laced baked black fruits, it has a firm, chewy texture and refreshing herbal sparks on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

This is a generous, full-bodied wine. Touches of vanilla indicate the wood aging but that will go as the elegant structure and black fruits come to the fore. The wine’s future is assured, promising impressive drinking from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis drapes wonderfully, with its range of warmed cassis, plum reduction and blackberry preserve flavors displaying a cashmere feel while warmed anise, alder, juniper and bay details peek in throughout. Rich yet defined finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBlueberry, blackberry, black tea, dark chocolate and walnut on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Silky and richly flavored. Always shows finesse. Lots of character at the finish, from wet earth and mushroom to currant and berry. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSOne of the few wines I wasn’t able to taste from barrel, the 2018 Château Kirwan is certainly an outstanding wine now from bottle. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as beautiful notes of crème de cassis and earthy currant fruits, it’s medium to full-bodied and has a kiss of background oak, plenty of spicy, floral nuances, and a great finish. It’s another terrific 2018 with solid up-front appeal yet the balance, structure, and class to evolve for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Kirwan comes barreling out of the glass with notes of cedar chest, cloves and stewed plums, followed by notions of cassis, dried Provence herbs and tobacco leaf with a waft of dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating, juicy black fruits with a plush texture and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2018 Kirwan has really come together nicely in élevage. Powerful and yet impeccably balanced, the 2018 has a ton to offer. Ripe red berry fruit, iron, dried herbs, mocha, licorice and espresso build with time in the glass. I would open the 2018 in advance if possible. This is very nicely done. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGEnjoyable, with touch of reduction on the first note but backed up as it clears by coffee, mocha and damson. A contemporary look with confidence and polish. Needs time in the glass and certainly in the bottle to soften, but there is real potential here. A glossy Margaux. 13% Petit Verdot completes the blend. A yield of 25hl/ha, with 65% new oak. Bottled February 2020. (Drink between 2025-2042)Decanter | 92 DEC

A rock star Margaux that should be snatched up by readers, the 2018 Château Marquis D’Alesme reveals a dense purple hue as well as ripe, sexy notes of blackcurrants, spicy oak, tobacco leaf, earth, and cedar. Deep, full-bodied, and gorgeously concentrated, it has velvety tannins, a layered, mouthcoating texture, and a great finish. It’s a baby, but wow, what a wine. Hide bottle for 5-7 years if you can (you’ll be forgiven for opening a bottle early) and it’s going to evolve for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2018 Marquis d’Alesme Becker is from the lieu-dit Les Terrasses de Margaux. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, and it has 14.5% alcohol. It was aged for 18 months in 65% new and 35% two-year-old barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling to unlock notes of ripe blackcurrants, wild blueberries and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of violets, star anise, underbrush and Sichuan pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy, featuring loads of red and black fruit preserves layers and a finely grained texture, finishing long and mineral tinged.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPGorgeous mouthfeel right from the first sip, with a velvety, fine-grained texture that lets the range of dark plum, black currant and blackberry fruit flavors splay out without losing focus, while mouthwatering black tea, alder and mineral notes wait gracefully in reserve, showing just a hint, for now, of what they can do on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 6,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is a wonderful wine with dark berries, wet earth and dark tea. Full body, firm and striking tannins and a long, flavorful finish.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2018 Marquis d’Alesme is a very silky, elegant wine. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, dried flowers and mint are laced throughout this wonderfully nuanced Margaux. Bright red berry fruit, mid-weight structure and silky tannins add to an impression of total finesse. The 2018 is so impressive, even in the early going.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThis is the third vintage using Marquis d’Alesme’s handsome new cellar, which has contributed to a marked change in the wines since the 2015 vintage. The 2018 has expansive floral aromas and very pure, seductive raspberry fruit flavours and a creamy texture. All the fruit goes into the grand vin here, as the property is quite small, with only 15 hectares of vines. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 5% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which come from very old vines planted on the appellation’s limestone plateau. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045.Decanter | 94 DEC

97–95. Barrel Sample. Now under new ownership, but with the same winemaking team, this estate has produced a wine with great concentration. The tannins are generous in feel, showing a dense, dry core that sits well with the powerful black currant fruits. It has great long-term potential. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis has subtle aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries with hints of just-picked violets, light vanilla, licorice and crushed stones. Forest-floor notes, too. Medium to full body, layers of firm tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Delicious crushed berries on the palate. Compact with a firm finish. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2019 Cantenac Brown is a brilliant wine from José Sanfins and his team. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of wild berries, licorice, loamy soil, burning embers and violets, it’s medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with terrific concentration, beautifully refined tannins and a seamless, elegant profile. Given its quality, this remains somewhat under the radar and is well worth a special effort to seek out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2019 Cantenac Brown is flashy and opulent, while also conveying the slightly cooler nature of the year vis-à-vis the 2018. A big, heady Margaux, Cantenac Brown is endowed with tremendous pedigree and class. Expressive savory accents round out the potent brooding finish. The 2019 has a ton to offer. It’s a fine effort by the team lead by José Sanfins. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni | 94 AGGood expression on the nose full of bramble fruit aromas. Nicely framed, this has an initial ripe, jammy sweetness - raspberries and strawberries but also touches of dark black fruit and liquorice. Quite a suave style, concentrated but polished. I get the cooling effects, liquorice and mint at the end. Overall, lovely power and drive. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECShows the hallmarks of the vintage, with steeped plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit paste flavors that are broad and lush, while singed wood, violet and anise notes filter in. Features underlying freshness, with finely beaded acidity providing support. A step ahead. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2035. 9,583 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2019 Château Cantenac Brown is terrific, surpassing the 2018. Lots of ripe black and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, leather, and crushed stone notes define the bouquet, and it’s a rich, medium to full-bodied, juicy wine that has the fresher, lively style of the vintage yet still brings beautiful fruit. It doesn’t have the tannin quality of the top wines in the appellation, but as I wrote after tasting it from barrel, it’s one sexy Margaux. Give it just a few years and enjoy over the following 20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

Cassis, mulberries, tobacco, cedary oak, and violet notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Desmirail, another beautiful, medium to full-bodied, balanced, just seamless beauty. Based on 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, it can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBlack fruit, chocolate, cedar, walnut, graphite and sweet spices on the nose. Medium body with fine, sleek tannins. Elegant and structured with a dark core of fruit on the center-palate and a flavorful finish. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSBramble hedgerow on the nose, smooth texture but with tannins that grip and take hold but are filled with chewy, lively juice. They really do cover the entire mouth but they’re vibrant and succulent and just very playful expanding outwards, filling the mouth with no harshness. It’s on the extravagant opulent end of the spectrum but with energy at the same time. I really enjoy it. One to drink now and just enjoy for it’s boldness and brightness. Drinking Window 2023 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Desmirail has improved on the nose of well-defined blackberry, raspberry and crushed rose petal scents, elegant and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crisp line of acidity. Taut and quite linear toward the persistent finish, which will need 3–5 years to fully assimilate the oak. This Desmirail should give up to 20 years of drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2019 Desmirail opens in the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis, sweet soil tones and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it’s a charming, polished wine, with a fleshy core of fruit, refined tannins and lively balancing acids. This elegant, beautifully made wine has turned out very well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Fresh currants and raspberries pop out of the glass, together with oranges and cedar. Such purity of fruit in the nose. Full-bodied, yet so refined and vertical. It goes deep and long with tight, compressed tannins that are pure and exciting. Really tight and focused. Precise. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSStylish nose, feels polished and poised. A svelte style with satiny tannins and such depth of flavour - intense but nuanced with perfumed edges and red and black cherry flavours. You feel the sculpting of the fruit, there are layers of flavour and with good support round the edges and softly chewy tannins. Such a long finish too, really goes on and on. I love it, you get the power without doubt but it’s very neatly packaged right now with a smoothness and clarity that’s impressive. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 d’Issan is a beautifully complex wine. The aromatics alone are beguiling, but that is just the beginning. Readers will find a powerful, layered Issan that is going to need at least a few years to start shedding some of its formidable tannin. Hints of dried rose petal, mint, blood orange, spice and star anise give the 2019 its gorgeous, beautifully lifted personality. Give this a few years, and watch what happens.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGPure cassis, graphite, violets, damp earth, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2019 Château D’Issan, a richer, medium to full-bodied, powerful Margaux. It develops a gorgeous sense of minerality with time in the glass, has plenty of mid-palate oomph, integrated oak, and just terrific overall balance. It’s a stunning success in the vintage in Margaux, which was one of the more challenging in the vintage. This will round into form with just 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. Bravo.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 D’Issan is showing well from bottle, offering up aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with violets, orange rind and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a seamless, elegant profile, it’s a charming, perfumed wine that will offer a broad drinking window. The blend is dominated by an atypically high proportion (70%) of Cabernet Sauvignon. The heart of Issan is its walled "Clos" to the rear of the picturesque moated château, which is complemented by more recently acquired holdings situated on the same gravel terrace.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP