Giscours 1995

(60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon; 25.8 g/l dry extract; 12.8% alcohol): Medium-deep ruby-red. Initially inexpressive nose opens with aeration to reveal aromas of dark plum, caramel, coffee, underbrush and a whiff of leafy reduction. Sweeter and richer in the mouth than the nose suggests, offering very ripe flavors of red cherry, smoky plum, incense, bay leaf and chocolatey black pepper. The finish is clean, tactile and long but seems a little chunky and one-dimensional today; but this baby still needs plenty of patience. This is an interesting Giscours if for no other reason than its unusually large merlot component, but the Tari family, who owned Giscours back then, had purposely increased plantings of this variety and a number of vintages of the '80s and '90s contain more merlot than was usual on the Left Bank.

Score: 90

Ian D'Agata, Vinous.com 01 January 2012