Description
Chateau Giscours Margaux 3eme Grand Cru Classe 2015
Chateau Giscours is a 3ème Grand Cru Classé located in France, Bordeaux, Margaux, one of the representative Left Bank estates of the Margaux appellation. The 2015 vintage is widely regarded as an outstanding year in Margaux and Bordeaux; this wine typically shows cassis, red fruits, violet, cedar, tobacco leaf, spice and hints of chocolate and coffee, with medium‑to‑full body and firm but integrating tannins — elegant and deep.
Vinification & Style
Chateau Giscours is produced in France, Bordeaux, Margaux, under AOC Margaux, and is classified as 3ème Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 classification. The 2015 blend is typically Cabernet Sauvignon‑dominant with Merlot and, depending on the parcel, small amounts of Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc; published figures vary between roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and around 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, reflecting different lots or sources. The wine is matured in French oak for about 15–18 months, around half new barrels, giving cedar, toast, vanilla and spice while retaining Margaux’s signature floral notes, silkiness and fine line.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep ruby‑garnet, intense and bright, reflecting the ripeness and concentration of 2015.
Nose: Clear blackcurrant, blackberry, red fruits and cherry, with violet, rose petals, cedar, pencil lead, tobacco leaf, spice and hints of cocoa and coffee — a rich, complex nose with Margaux’s characteristic floral elegance.
Palate: Medium‑to‑full body, with fresh black and red fruit, and ripe but still firm tannins; acidity keeps the fruit, wood and spice in balance. Mid‑palate reveals cedar, tobacco, black pepper, chocolate and a touch of coffee, giving a rich, lush impression but with Margaux’s typical finesse.
Finish: Long, with black fruit, floral notes, cedar and spice, and tannins still present but beginning to soften; further bottle age will round it out further.
Reviews & Accolades
- James Suckling: 93 — “lots of plum and peach flavors but still fresh and lively. Medium‑to‑full body with ripe, rounded tannins and a saline note. Very drinkable now but worth waiting two to three years.”
- The Wine Cellar Insider (Jeff Leve): 87 — “medium‑bodied, bright cherry and earthy character — a wine that leans toward early‑drinking elegance and suppleness.”
- RP (Wine Advocate): 94+ (Lisa Perrotti‑Brown MW, 2018/2) — “Deep 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.”
- Vinous: 95 (Antonio Galloni) — “Deep, powerful and virile in style… purity to the aromas and flavors…”
- Wine Spectator: 93 — “Polished and rounded… solid core of plum and blackberry compote…”
- Wine Enthusiast: 97 (Cellar Selection) — “This firm wine shows the tannic side of the vintage.”
- Decanter (Jane Anson): 95 — “Deep, plush fruit…”
- La Revue du Vin de France: 95 (17.5/20, Coup de Coeur) — “Highly expressive Giscours, bright mouthfeel and depth, a major success for the property.”
- Other trade and retail notes often compare the estate and second‑wine profiles, describing aromas of ripe plum, chocolate and red/black berries, a juicy, fine‑textured palate with delicate tannins and a light toasty, spicy finish; the consensus is that the 2015 Giscours is approachable now yet ageworthy, with most professional scores clustering in the high‑80s to low‑90s.
Serving & Pairing
Decanting: 1–2 hours recommended at this stage.
Serving temperature: 16–18°C.
Food pairing (HK‑friendly)
- Red meats: Charcoal‑grilled rib‑eye, sirloin steak, black‑pepper beef, braised beef short ribs, grilled lamb chops.
- Chinese: Roast goose, soy‑sauce chicken, soy‑braised short ribs, oxtail stew, slow‑braised beef brisket.
- Cheese / charcuterie: Comté, mature Cheddar, Gruyère, cured ham, salami.
Special Info: The 2015 vintage in Bordeaux is generally considered outstanding, and Giscours in 2015 has been described as rich, generous and elegant; some reviewers still see it as a bit of a “baby”, meaning it is drinkable now but will gain further complexity with further bottle age.
Origin: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot & Cabernet Franc
ABV: 14%
Volume: 750ml
