Château Giscours Margaux 2016 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

This vast 300-hectare estate (80 hectares of which are under cultivation), located in Labarde, has had a turbulent history due to complicated family successions. The vineyards have remained in the Tari family since 1952, but the wine is crafted by a talented team under the direction of Alexander van Beek, inspired by the courage of the late Éric Albada Jelgersma. As the estate’s manager, he had restored it to its rightful level. Due to its terroir, this wine produces a particularly colorful and full-bodied Margaux with exceptional aging potential, possessing a character quite distinct from the wines of the appellation’s northern section. When at its best, it can rival Château Palmer, yet its prices remain more reasonable than those of its rival.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

With beautiful, brilliant highlights, the deep ruby color inspires confidence. Though somewhat reserved at first, the bouquet opens up nicely with aeration, revealing the grapes’ maturity. Full-bodied, rich, and round, the palate is supported by firm yet refined tannins and perfectly integrated oak. A serious, intense Margaux, built for long-term aging. 2023–2030

About the estate:

Giscours is one of the largest estates in the Médoc (100 hectares), dominated by a monumental château built by the Counts of Pescatore—a family of bankers—to host Empress Eugénie when she visited her summer residence in Biarritz. Highly representative of a Médoc grand cru through its architecture, Giscours is equally so through its beautiful terroir of deep gravel, characterized by great homogeneity. This third-growth Margaux estate also owns plots in the Haut-Médoc appellation for two labels: Ch. Duthil and the Haut-Médoc de Giscours.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

With a deep garnet-purple color, the 2016 Giscours offers aromas of blackcurrant, chocolate, earth, tar, pepper, and hoisin sauce, with floral notes and a rich, full-bodied character. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, firm, and grainy, with a solid core and a long finish.

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2016 Giscours is a serious, full-bodied, and well-ripened wine. A well-structured Margaux with smooth tannins.

About the estate:

The estate, leased by the Dutch Albada Jelgersma family, is managed by the talented Alexander Van Beek. Let’s set aside the legal disputes between the Tari family, the landowners, and the leaseholders, and focus on the wines. Giscours benefits from a first-rate terroir, as evidenced by many older vintages. Like many others, it went through a brief slump in the 1990s and 2000s. A major restructuring of the vineyard allowed the estate to bounce back, and recent vintages have returned to its full-bodied, intense style.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This estate, spanning nearly 200 acres, is located south of the Margaux appellation. The wine is another standout in a series of superb vintages. It is rich, yet its structure and finely textured fruit give it elegance and aging potential. Enjoy this wine starting in 2026.

James Suckling

About the wine:

It has attractive, vibrant aromas of ripe red plums and licorice, with notes of cedar, flowers, and red berries, as well as a stony edge. A very fragrant, Cabernet-driven nose. The palate is elegant and graceful, with a chic and charming style, well-balanced and featuring a subtle tannic structure that sustains the long, fresh finish. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot. Try from 2023.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

Intense red fruit, floral notes. Full-bodied, rich, and fresh on the palate, with soft tannins and a long finish; a smooth, silky wine. A real success.

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

Deep, intense, beautiful, and youthful in color. The nose is highly aromatic, delicate, fruity, complex, and even noble. Delicate on the palate at first, with a nuanced mid-palate and refined tannic texture, the wine tightens and becomes more elegant on the finish, offering a fine-grained texture and sophisticated aromas reminiscent of red and white fruits. Very good length. A style all its own—and so beautiful!