Giscours 2023 (1.5L)

93-95 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent: “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.” 05/24

96-97 Points, James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com: "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." 04/24

96-98 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: “The 2023 Giscours is the very best wine I have ever tasted here. Giscours has been knocking on the door of Bordeaux's elite for a few years now. Two thousand twenty-three is the year in which Giscours joins the region's big boys and girls. A towering, majestic Margaux, the 2023 dazzles from start to finish. What a wine!.” 04/24

95 Points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux: "Inky, expertly constructed, fleshy blackberry, pomegranate and cassis fruits, black pepper, sage, rosemary and smoked cumin spice, with lift, nuance and momentum through the palate, clearly an excellent vintage at Giscours, although relatively low 31hl/ha yields" 04/24

94-96 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com: “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.” 05/24

94-96 Points, William Kelley, Robert Parker’s 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." 04/24

90-92 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: “The 2023 Giscours was picked between September 6 and October 6, a monthlong harvest at an average of 31hL/ha, lower than usual due to the loss of Merlot. This has a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (71%). No sulfites were added until fermentation, and the élevage includes 50% new oak. This sample was taken from a foudre that represents a combination of barrels; I tasted it three times thereafter. It has a classically styled bouquet, less open and concentrated than the 2022, but well-defined with graphite-tinged blackfruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a bright entry, a crisp line of acidity and fresh black fruit, with a noticeable marine/briny influence that guides the finish. This is not a powerful Giscours and doesn't quite have the persistence of the previous vintage, but I admire its linearity and classicism." 04/24