Giscours 2016

Margaux, Third Growth

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Tasting Notes
The 2016 Giscours has a very pure, refined bouquet featuring lifted blackberry, cassis and light violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, well-judged acidity and finely integrated oak toward the precise finish. This is what a finely crafted Margaux looks like, and I suspect it will get even better with bottle age. Score: 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2050 01 August 2020
The 2016 Giscours comes off the back of the superlative 2015, not an easy wine to follow. It clearly boasts more horsepower on the nose compared the de Tertre, presenting layers of blackberry, cedar and crushed violet aromas that leap from the glass. The medium-bodied palate is crisp and focused, with grainy tannin and a pencil-box-infused finish. Winemaker Alexandre van Beek has retained the density this Margaux showed out of barrel, to offer a classy wine that will benefit from several years in bottle. Score: 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2050 01 January 2019
The 2016 Giscours is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, the highest percentage of Cabernet in recent years, picked between 26 September and 20 October. It was cropped at 45 hectoliters per hectare with 13.2% alcohol, which is a little less than in 2015. Naturally that dominant proportion of Cabernet drives the aromatics with blackberry, cedar and graphite aromas. The palate is very well structured, more masculine than the 2015 and maybe without quite the same level of precision, but there is great density and length to this Giscours. I found that improved in the glass, gaining more energy from the ether. It is an impressive follow-up to last year's Giscours. Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022-2055 28 April 2017
The 2016 Giscours is complex, aromatically intense and beguiling, with myriad layers of flavors that unfold with time in the glass. Black cherry, sage, leather, smoke and menthol add plenty of intrigue, but above all else, it is the wine's balance and sense of harmony that make the deepest impression. Under the leadership of Alexander Van Beek and his team, Giscours has been on a roll over the last few years. The 2016 is another fine vintage. Score: 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2041 01 January 2019
The 2016 Giscours is fabulous. In fact, the 2016 may be one of the best recent vintages of this wine I have tasted. Dense, powerful and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 possesses superb depth and intensity in all of its dimensions. The fruit is creamy and textured, while the flavors are remarkably precise throughout. Hints of smoke, licorice, tobacco and incense lead into the potent but well-judged finish. Score: 91 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 25 April 2017
Giscours has been hitting it out of the park for a number of vintages now, and we are squarely back in this territory for the 2016. Firm tannins, among the biggest in the appellation, but not overdone because of a vibrant, flexible quality to these essential elements of structure. The sheer volume of bilberry and cassis fruits on the full, dark palate show that clearly the anthocyanin and IPT counts are right up there. This is complex, layered and well held together. Score: 94 Decanter, - Maturity: 2027-2050 20 April 2017
Silky texture, with lively pure red and black fruit. Generous feel with supple ripe tannins in balance. Lots of interest and appeal. Score: 92 - 94 Albany Vintners, - 19 April 2017
Glowing purple. Concentrated and sappy - real energy here. Glossy and fresh. Really exuberant. Perhaps not one of the most earnestly fashioned for the very long term but a real crowd-pleaser. Score: 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2040 17 April 2017
Bay, savory and iron notes lead off in this energetic wine. Lots of juicy cherry and plum fruit forms the core. Singed alder accents line the finish. There's lots going on here, but this pulls together nicely in the end. Well done. Score: 92 - 95 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 10 April 2017
This is extremely long and linear with a powerful and refined texture of superfine tannins. Full-bodied, yet so tight and polished. The finish is very, very impressive. Snaps at the end. Better than the 2015? Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 24 March 2017

Tasting Notes

The 2016 Giscours has a very pure, refined bouquet featuring lifted blackberry, cassis and light violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, well-judged acidity and finely integrated oak toward the precise finish. This is what a finely crafted Margaux looks like, and I suspect it will get even better with bottle age.

Score: 94

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2050 01 August 2020

The 2016 Giscours comes off the back of the superlative 2015, not an easy wine to follow. It clearly boasts more horsepower on the nose compared the de Tertre, presenting layers of blackberry, cedar and crushed violet aromas that leap from the glass. The medium-bodied palate is crisp and focused, with grainy tannin and a pencil-box-infused finish. Winemaker Alexandre van Beek has retained the density this Margaux showed out of barrel, to offer a classy wine that will benefit from several years in bottle.

Score: 94

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2050 01 January 2019

The 2016 Giscours is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, the highest percentage of Cabernet in recent years, picked between 26 September and 20 October. It was cropped at 45 hectoliters per hectare with 13.2% alcohol, which is a little less than in 2015. Naturally that dominant proportion of Cabernet drives the aromatics with blackberry, cedar and graphite aromas. The palate is very well structured, more masculine than the 2015 and maybe without quite the same level of precision, but there is great density and length to this Giscours. I found that improved in the glass, gaining more energy from the ether. It is an impressive follow-up to last year's Giscours.

Score: 93 - 95

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022-2055 28 April 2017

The 2016 Giscours is complex, aromatically intense and beguiling, with myriad layers of flavors that unfold with time in the glass. Black cherry, sage, leather, smoke and menthol add plenty of intrigue, but above all else, it is the wine's balance and sense of harmony that make the deepest impression. Under the leadership of Alexander Van Beek and his team, Giscours has been on a roll over the last few years. The 2016 is another fine vintage.

Score: 94

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2041 01 January 2019

The 2016 Giscours is fabulous. In fact, the 2016 may be one of the best recent vintages of this wine I have tasted. Dense, powerful and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 possesses superb depth and intensity in all of its dimensions. The fruit is creamy and textured, while the flavors are remarkably precise throughout. Hints of smoke, licorice, tobacco and incense lead into the potent but well-judged finish.

Score: 91 - 94

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 25 April 2017

Giscours has been hitting it out of the park for a number of vintages now, and we are squarely back in this territory for the 2016. Firm tannins, among the biggest in the appellation, but not overdone because of a vibrant, flexible quality to these essential elements of structure. The sheer volume of bilberry and cassis fruits on the full, dark palate show that clearly the anthocyanin and IPT counts are right up there. This is complex, layered and well held together.

Score: 94

Decanter, - Maturity: 2027-2050 20 April 2017

Silky texture, with lively pure red and black fruit. Generous feel with supple ripe tannins in balance. Lots of interest and appeal.

Score: 92 - 94

Albany Vintners, - 19 April 2017

Glowing purple. Concentrated and sappy - real energy here. Glossy and fresh. Really exuberant. Perhaps not one of the most earnestly fashioned for the very long term but a real crowd-pleaser.

Score: 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2040 17 April 2017

Bay, savory and iron notes lead off in this energetic wine. Lots of juicy cherry and plum fruit forms the core. Singed alder accents line the finish. There's lots going on here, but this pulls together nicely in the end. Well done.

Score: 92 - 95

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 10 April 2017

This is extremely long and linear with a powerful and refined texture of superfine tannins. Full-bodied, yet so tight and polished. The finish is very, very impressive. Snaps at the end. Better than the 2015?

Score: 96 - 97

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 24 March 2017

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