Chateau Giscours 2020

Fascinating aromas of blueberries, crushed stone, and blackcurrants. Very aromatic. Full-bodied with juicy tannins that are creamy and intense. Slightly bitter, burnt citrus character. This is very muscular with velvety tannins. Needs time to soften. Try after 2025 but will age a long time.

• Nom du critique: James Suckling
• Date de l'avis: avril 2021

This estate is now enjoying its finest run since its glory days in the 1970s, and the 2020 Giscours is excellent. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of blackberries, cassis, pencil shavings, rose petals and sweet, loamy soil, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a layered and seamless mid-palate, excellent concentration and powdery structuring tannins.

• Fenêtre de dégustation: 2027 - 2055
• Nom du critique: William Kelley
• Date de l'avis: avril 2023

This is an excellent Giscours, extremely precise, well drawn and seductive. There is both concentration and spice, and a vivid sappy feel to the raspberry and bilberry fruits, all drawn out through the palate as the slate texture kicks in. Plenty of things to keep track on here, not least that this is now the only estate in Margaux owned by the Albada family, as they have sold du Tertre. The focus is now entirely on Giscours, and I would expect to see a concerted effort to raise the visibility of the property. Changes include Thomas Duclos as consultant since 2019, and vineyard choices such as intra-plot harvesting, meaning going in waves through the plots picking individual vines when they are at full ripeness. Plus, Jerome Poisson is the new technical director (a French Canadian, who worked in Napa, Italy, Chile, Cognac and Alsace), replacing Lorenzo Pasquini. 50% new oak for ageing. A yield of 35hl/ha.

• Fenêtre de dégustation: 2028 - 2044
• Nom du critique: Jane Anson
• Date de l'avis: mai 2021

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Giscours is based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Merlot that spent 17 months in 50% new French oak. It has a gorgeous perfume of pure cassis, graphite, and flowers that gives way to a medium to full-bodied Margaux possessing ample tannins, a layered, concentrated mid-palate, remarkable purity, and one heck of a great finish. It’s another beautiful Margaux in the vintage that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for at least two decades.

• Nom du critique: Jeb Dunnuck
• Date de l'avis: mai 2021

The 2020 Giscours has a fresh and vibrant bouquet with blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and iris flower scents. As I remarked from barrel, there is a conspicuous gap between the Grand Vin and Deuxième Vin this year. The palate is smooth on the entry, quite sapid with hints of black olive infusing the black fruit. Harmonious, the 50% new oak neatly folded in, especially on the seductive finish. Interestingly, a decanted bottle had a bit more austerity on the finish than the one just poured.

• Fenêtre de dégustation: 2026 - 2050
• Nom du critique: Neal Martin
• Date de l'avis: février 2023