Chateau Giscours 2023

JAMES SUCKLING: "This really expands in the mouth, with tight tannins that are polished and velvety. The fruit shows depth and purity. Medium to full body. Juicy center-palate. Like the ripe fruit in the center palate. The quality of the tannins in this rises to a new level. The tannins pull you through the wine. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and the rest merlot."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 Giscours is one of the real successes of the vintage, unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and red fruits mingled with hints of undergrowth, violets and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's seamless and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids, concluding with a long, broad finish. It's a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc."

WEINWISSER: "Delikates rot- und blaubeeriges Bouquet, zartes Veilchenparfüm, frischgepflückte Heidelbeere, Heidekraut und edle Cassiswürze. Am komplexen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, anregender Rasse, und trainiertem straffen Körper, sehr präzise, tiefgründig. Im konzentrierten langanhaltenden Finale Schattenmorellensaft, Lakritze und feinmineralische Adstringenz. Besser als vergangenes Jahr!"

DECANTER: "Some clear Cabernet notes on the nose, herbal elements, blackcurrant leaf and cranberry fruit. Smells ripe and cool with gorgeous milk chocolate elements. Energy is the first thing that springs to mind. There’s power here but there’s precision and velvety tannins to this too which gives both structure and brightness. Excellent harmony, this has roundness and depth, not too lean, with crunchy and really present chalky, wet stone tannins. Cranberry and strawberry with blueberry. Still lean, it’s straight but finessed with long, lingering flavours. It’s not as soft and plush as Giscours can be, not as naturally sexy, it’s more serious, but there’s suaveness here. Excellent effort. 3.75pH. Ageing 50% new oak. 70% grand vin production."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Deep purple-hued, the 2023 Château Giscours is beautifully done and brings a rare level of opulence while staying balanced and graceful. Cassis and more blue fruits, sappy flowers, violets, and minty herbs all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness as well as ripe, polished tannins. I love its mid-palate, and it has perfectly integrated acidity and one heck of a great finish. It's going to be a classic Margaux that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following two decades. The blend is 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart tabakig, Nugat, schwarze Waldbeeren, ein Hauch von frischen Feigen, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, elegant, kandierte Veilchen, reife Pflaumen, runde Tannine, stoffig und anhaftend, gute Balance, etwas Schokolade im Abgang, gute Länge, salziger Nachhall, sehr trinkanimierend, hat gutes Potenzial."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Flowers, truffle, blackberries, black cherries, smoke, cigar box, and spice-filled aromatics open the wine. The wine offers a fresh, mineral-driven, multi-layered experience packed with layers of ripe, sweet, black cherries, and currants. The mid-palate and finish is silky, lifted, and ripe, with vibrancy, elegance, and purity from start to finish. The wine is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV, pH 3.75. Harvesting took place September 5 - October 6. Drink from 2028-2055."

VINUM: "Der Himbeerduft entlarvt Giscours, tiefgründig, Topfrucht, blumige Töne; cremiger Gaumen, seidene Gerbstoffe umhüllen die Frucht, ausbalanciert, mit beeindruckender Länge; ein sehr gelungener Giscours."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Giscours flies out of the glass with vibrant notes of blackcurrant jelly, kirsch, and black raspberries giving way to hints of lilacs, pencil lead, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is super soft and silky, with a well-knit line of soft acidity framing the bright, vibrant, and elegantly styled red and black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed. This is a very alluring Giscours! The blend is 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, yield 34 hl/ha, aging in oak barrels, 50% new."