Giscours 2019

The 2019 Giscours has certainly calmed down since its bravura performance from barrel, now more streamlined and focused, albeit retaining that black and blue fruit interlaced with pressed violet. The harmonious palate is very finely tuned and beautifully structured, with a touch of salinity. This is one of the more precise Giscours in recent years, perhaps partly due to consultant Thomas Duclos, who began working with the estate in 2018 (he was actually born nearby). This reminds me of some of the classic Giscours such as the 1966 or the 1970. It may even merit a higher score with bottle age.

Score: 95

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2060 01 February 2022

The 2019 Giscours is ripe and extrovert on the nose with exuberant black cherries, blueberry and crushed violets bursting from the glass. This is very seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with a tang of seaweed infusing the black fruit on the entry, segueing into more tarry notes toward the well structured finish. This articulates a sense of completeness that I appreciate. The persistency is impressive. This is a superb, potentially long-term Giscours that may well end up at the top of my banded score.

Score: 94 - 96

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2060 01 June 2020

Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, the 2019 Château Giscours is another stunning 2019. Deep purple, with a fresh yet concentrated style on the palate, it has lots of red, black, and blue fruits as well as notes of sandalwood, flowery incense, and graphite. It's not massive, by any means, yet is flawlessly balanced and has integrated acidity, followed by a great finish. It's very much in the more precise, pretty, elegant style of this vintage yet still packs plenty of mid-palate depth. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 25 years or so.

Score: 93 - 95

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2025-2050 06 November 2020

The 2019 Giscours is every bit as compelling today as it was from barrel. Dark and sumptuous in feel, Giscours shows off its notable dimension and breadth. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, menthol and licorice intensify as this gorgeous, beautifully layered Margaux builds with time in the glass. The 2019 is a big wine, but not quite as exuberant as the 2018. Tasted two times

Score: 96

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2049 01 February 2022

Quite simply, Giscours is magnificent in 2019, and also one of the rising stars of Margaux today. Pliant, supple and creamy, the 2019 races out of the glass with striking dimension. Ripe red cherry, red plum, blood orange, spice and new leather all flesh out in a radiant, finessed Giscours that hits all the right notes. The 2019 is fabulous - that's all there is to it. Tasted two times.My tasting with General Manager Alexander Van Beek and Estate Manager Lorenzo Pasquini was one of the highlights of several weeks of the Zoom calls all of us will remember from this very particular campaign. According to Van Beek and Pasquini, 2019 was one of the longest harvests on record. The Merlot was picked early, to preserve freshness, while the Cabernet needed several additional weeks to achieve full physiological ripeness. Cuvaisons were long, 35 days on average, but pumpovers were stopped earlier in order to avoid overextraction. This new approach, along with the input of super-talented consulting oenologist Thomas Duclos, yielded two superb 2019s that continue Giscours' ascendency in Margaux and Bordeaux.

Score: 94 - 96

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux 01 June 2020

This is a serious Giscours, with medium intensity violet-edged ruby colour. High aromatics on the nose with cumin and cloves, followed by black cherry and cassis fruits that do a good job of filling the palate, and a cooling menthol finish as the tannins close in. Enjoyable overall, succulent yet with precision. Harvest lasted for an entire month, from September 11 to October 12, the longest ever at the estate and a reflection of more precise plot-by-plot work, with vines separated according to age and terroir. Thomas Duclos is consultant here as of the 2019 vintage. A yield of 44hl/ha.

Score: 94

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2028-2044 25 May 2020