Château Giscours 2012 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Well-developed aromas with a touch of red bell pepper and spice, fresh, original, elegant, fairly long and fatter than average.

About the domain :

This huge 300-hectare estate (80 hectares of which are farmed) in Labarde has had a turbulent history, due to a series of delicate family successions. The vines have remained in the Tari family since 1952, but the wine is made by a talented team under the direction of Alexander van Beek, inspired by the courage of the recently deceased Eric Albada Jelgersma. As the estate's farmer, he restored it to its former glory. Because of its terroir, this cru produces a particularly colorful, full-bodied Margaux that can be laid down for a very long time, with a character quite different from the crus of the northern part of the appellation. When successful, it can rival Château Palmer, but prices remain more reasonable than its rival.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Discreet on the nose, the 2012 de Giscours opens up on aeration with elegant, nascent aromas of red fruits, enhanced by spicy and vanilla notes. On the palate, it evolves with suppleness and roundness, without lacking body, carried by silky tannins and well-integrated oak. The finish, long and fruity, leaves the memory of an airy margaux, built on finesse rather than strength.

About the domain :

Giscours is one of the largest domains in the Médoc (100 ha), commanded by a monumental château built by the banking family of the Counts de Pescatore to welcome Empress Eugenie to her Biarritz resort. Very representative of the Médoc Grand Cru in terms of its buildings, Giscours is also representative in terms of its beautiful terroir of deep gravel and great homogeneity. This third-growth Margaux classé also owns parcels in the Haut-Médoc appellation for two labels: Ch. Duthil and Haut-Médoc de Giscours.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

Black fruit and spice on the nose, perfectly blended and elegant. Unctuous for the vintage, almost suave on the palate, with fine balance and an elegant, fruity aromatic framework (blackcurrant, blackberry). Long, persistent finish with velvety tannins.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the domain :

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

About the domain :

The vineyard, farmed by the Dutch Albada Jelgersma family, is run by the talented Alexander Van Beek. Let's leave aside the legal wrangling between the Tari family, who own the land, and the farmers, and focus on the wines. Giscours benefits from a first-rate terroir, and many older vintages bear witness to this. Like many other vineyards, it went through a period of decline in the 90s and 2000s. A major restructuring of the vineyard has enabled the cru to move forward again, and the latest vintages are returning to its full, intense style.