Château Giscours Margaux 2019 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

This immense 300-hectare estate (80 hectares of which are cultivated), located in Labarde, has had a turbulent history due to delicate family succession issues. The vineyards have belonged to the Tari family since 1952, but the wine is produced by a talented team led by Alexander van Beek, inspired by the courage of the recently deceased Éric Albada Jelgersma. As the estate's farmer, he had restored it to its true status. Due to its terroir, this cru produces a particularly colorful and full-bodied Margaux with excellent aging potential and a character quite different from the crus in the northern part of the appellation. When successful, it can rival Château Palmer, but the prices remain more reasonable than those of its rival.

Decanter

About wine:

Superb floral aromas, so fragrant and lovely, bursting from the glass, with an incredibly vibrant pink/purple color. On the palate, the flavors are excellent, the fruit is bright and vibrant, the terroir comes through beautifully, and the tannins are supple and smooth. The warmth of the vintage is evident in the density and depth of the slightly spicy red and black fruits, but also in the juicy and bright acidity that supports the fruit and maintains freshness. Full of elegance, precision, and confidence—all the elements are in harmony with consistency and persistence. A wonderful wine. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. 2025–2039

Guide Hachette des vins

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 welcome Empress Eugénie when she visited her holiday resort in Biarritz. Giscours is highly representative of Médoc grand cru wines, not only in terms of its buildings, but also its beautiful terroir of deep gravel soils, which are extremely consistent. This Margaux third growth also owns plots in the Haut-Médoc appellation for two labels: Ch. Duthil and Haut-Médoc de Giscours.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

Giscours 2019 has developed beautifully in the bottle, releasing aromas of sweet berries, cherries, hot embers, lilacs, and violets, framed by a subtle hint of new oak. Full-bodied, layered, and concentrated, it is polished and fragrant, with a velvety, consistent profile and lively acidity. It finishes with a long, resonant finish. Alexandre Van Beek and his team are taking this estate to heights it hasn't reached since the 1970s, and it is another of the great deals of the 2019 en primeur campaign.

About the estate:

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

About the estate:

The estate, leased by the Dutch Albada Jelgersma family, is managed by the talented Alexander Van Beek. Let's leave aside the legal disputes between the Tari family, who own the land, and the operators, and focus on the wines. Giscours benefits from a first-class terroir, as evidenced by many older vintages. Like many others, it went through a slight slump in the 1990s and 2000s. However, a major restructuring of the vineyard has enabled the estate to move forward, and the latest vintages have returned to its full and intense style.

Vinous

About wine:

Giscours 2019 is just as impressive today as it was in the barrel. Dark and sumptuous to the touch, Giscours shows its remarkable dimension and breadth. The succulent flavors of black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, menthol, and licorice intensify as this magnificent layered Margaux develops in the glass. This 2019 is a great wine, but not quite as exuberant as the 2018. Tasted twice. 2029–2049

James Suckling

About wine:

A mature, layered red wine with lots of blackcurrant and chocolate character, as well as a hint of nuts and cocoa powder. Crushed stones too. It is full and layered with round tannins and a juicy, opulent texture. Crushed velvet that turns to silk. Very fresh and long. There's a lot going on here. Give it 3 to 4 years to blossom. But it will age beautifully in the years to come. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Try after 2026.

Terre de Vins

About wine:

A very delicate nose with beautiful sweetness and freshness. The attack confirms this freshness. The 65% Cabernet Sauvignon gives this wine its power and smoothness. The finish is very long, a lesson in balance. A very great 2019.

Yves Beck

About wine:

The bouquet of Giscours is very refined. It slowly reveals itself through aromas of red berries, licorice, and garrigue. On the palate, the wine stands out for its finesse, density, and freshness. It has character and liveliness. The tannins are tight but fine-grained. They provide support with unexpected power that is uplifting rather than overwhelming. Such length. Good fruit return on the finish. A wine that will require time. I have rarely tasted a Giscours with such vigor, length, and perspective. It is far from having said its last word, and I think it will surprise many as it evolves. 2027-2049

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About wine:

Freshness and purity are the hallmarks of this wine. The intensity of the aroma, with its notes of violets, lilacs, and roses, as well as tobacco leaves, black and red fruits, damp earth, spices, and smoke, immediately catches the attention. But I love the silky texture on the palate with all its depth and richness, the purity of the fruit, the liveliness and the length. This is the best vintage produced in the long history of Château Giscours. It will age effortlessly for 2 to 3 decades. Drink from 2026 to 2055.