Giscours - Margaux 2020

Vinous

94-94

byNeal Martinthe2/28/2025

The 2020 Giscours has impressive fruit concentration on the nose—black cherries, cassis and touches of violet—but it is tightly coiled at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy opening, supple weight and ample depth toward the finish, maintaining a sense of refinement. There's just a prickle of white pepper on the aftertaste. This is a gifted Margaux that will require a few years' cellaring. It's a benchmark Giscours. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Wine Advocate

95

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

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.

Wine Spectator

92

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

Ripe but fresh and sleek in feel, with black cherry and blackberry puree notes gliding through, infused with sandalwood, bay leaf and black tea accents. This has a pleasant dark earth tint to the finish, though the fruit still holds sway. Nicely done. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2035.

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

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.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

Richly colored, the wine kicks off with an intense display of flowers, with additional nuances of tobacco leaf, earth, currants, black cherries, spice and cigar box. The wine is silky, vibrant, sensuous and long with layers of ripe, sweet, vibrant red and black fruits that build in intensity. There is a beautiful purity to the fruit and symmetry on the palate, with a sexy endnote. Drink from 2026-2055.

Alexandre Ma

95

byAlexandre Mathe3/15/2023

Wines Critic

94

byRaffaele Vecchionethe3/10/2023

Very elegant and refined it is not afraid to show muscle and tension. The notes of plums, wild violet and hyacinth blend well with nuances of gardenias, magnolias and elderflowers. Full bodied, great quality soft tannins and a really graceful finale, most appreciated. Better from 2024.

Vinous

96

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Giscours is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel. Succulent dark cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, menthol and mocha fill out the layers nicely. There's a good bit of Merlot in this year, which lends quite a bit of mid-palate juiciness and textural depth, but there is also plenty of supporting structure underneath. The 2020 is both flamboyant and serious, a pretty appealing combination, I have to say. Tasted two times.

Vinous

94

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

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.

Jamessuckling.com

96

byJames Sucklingthe1/16/2023

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.

Yvesbeck.wine

97

byYves Beckthe1/3/2023

Je ne me suis jamais caché de mon profond attachement à Giscours, le vin que j'ai partagé lors du
premier repas partagé au restaurant avec la femme qui allait devenir mon épouse. Et puis je me
remémore le brillant 1964, ou le 1966 sans compter le 2000 ou le 2005. Et puis il y a le 2020, qui ne
fait que rappeler que Giscours peut être très grand… et pas seulement en superficie ! D’entrée le
2020 se distingue par sa fraîcheur et par des nuances florales. Ainsi, il révèle des parfums d’iris
tandis que des notes de cassis apparaissent après aération. Très belle densité en bouche où le vin
ne brille pas que de sa précision, mais également de sa profondeur. Les tannins, très compacts,
confèrent une sacrée énergie, communément avec une structure acide juteuse et saline. Un
Giscours énergétique, puissant, abouti et persistant. Tout prend forme, tout fusionne. La puissance
et l’amertume sont des atouts essentiels pour ce vin qui offre de bien belles perspectives et qui
place Giscours là où il le mérite : tout devant ! 2027-2047

TASTED

92

byAndreas Larssonthe7/6/2021

Pure nose offering fresh red currant, plum, some herbal notes and discreet oak. Rather full palate, classically built with in a medium bodied, fresh style with a fine tannic backbone, discreet oak and good length, understated and age worthy style.

Vinous

93-95

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Giscours is surprisingly juicy and forward, with lovely mid-palate richness from the Merlot that comprises 44% of the blend. Inky dark fruit, new leather, spice, menthol and dried herbs all meld together effortlessly. In 2020 Giscours is a real charmer. I imagine it will drink well with minimal cellaring. Harvest started on September 8 for the Merlot and finished with the last of the Cabernets on October 3, which is a good week ahead of schedule. Yields are down about 25% from the 2019, mostly because of heat and dry weather during the summer. New oak is 50%.

Jeb DUNNUCK

93-95

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

One of the most seamless Margaux in the vintage, the 2020 Château Giscours checks in as 56% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Merlot, brought up in 50% new French oak. Offering a wonderful, rich, powerful style that's classic Giscours, it has lots of cassis and darker currant fruits as well as notes of dried flowers, sandalwood, licorice, and earth. The tannin quality is spot on, which is rare in Margaux in 2020, and it has medium to full body, a great mid-palate, and a silky, layered mouthfeel. It's a beautiful Margaux.

Tastingbook.com

95

byMarkus Del Monegothe5/28/2021

A new era of Giscours in the glass. Intense purple colour with violet hue and black core. Excellent nose with distinct fresh fruit, blackcurrants, ripe elderberries, blackberries, hints of oriental spices in the background. Well balanced with elegant oak and dicreet toasting aroma. On the palate extremely juicy and refined with velvety and precise tannins, wonderful freshness, fresh dark berries and fine hints of dark chocolate and oriental spices. A wine with exciting tension, elegance and persistence in great precision.   

Vinous

93-95

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

The 2020 Giscours was picked from September 21 to October 2. The huge difference in quality between the Grand Vin and Deuxième Vin is apparent on the nose of crystal-clear black fruit intermixed with raspberry, crushed stone and light crushed violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, taut and crisp, and quite tensile, leading to a classically styled, sapid finish. This is a classy Giscours with plenty of breeding.

Decanter.com

95

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

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.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95-97

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Deeply colored, the nose kicks off with an intensive display of flowers, truffle, cigar box, cedar, red and black currants, lead pencil and savory herbs. Full-bodied, silky, sensuous, rich and vibrant, the layers of black, red and blue velvety, spicy fruits hit everything just right. There is a beautiful purity to the fruit and symmetry on the palate. The sexy finish goes on and on as it lingers and expands. The wine blends 56% Cabernet Sauvignon with 44% Merlot, 13.5% ABV. Picking took place September 8, October 2. Yields were only 36 hectoliters per hectare. 95-97

Wine Advocate

92-94

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot, the 2020 Giscours reveals a deep garnet-purple color and compelling notes of crushed redcurrants, plum preserves and Morello cherries, leading to hints of lavender, wild sage, damp soil and black truffles with a touch of licorice. The medium-bodied palate bursts with vibrant red and black fruits and lots of savory accents, supported by soft, very well managed tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

Anthocyanes

97-99

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Un bouquet d'une profondeur remarquable avec de la fraicheur mais surtout des notes de cassis, de myrtille, de réglisse, de Zan, de fleurs et d'épices nobles. Quel nez remarquable de précision ! En bouche, c'est charnu, frais, juteux et rond avec des notes de fruits noirs "al dente" et une allonge remarquable. Cerise bigarreau et tanins d'un grain cristallin. Quelle netteté dans le toucher de bouche ! Voici un très grand Giscours qui fera date dans cette propriété qui s'avance sereinement vers une esthétique magnifique. Un millésime qui sied particulièrement à cette propriété où les équipes font un travail formidable. Bravo !

Falstaff

93-95

byPeter Moserthe5/10/2021

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Attraktive dunkle Herzkirschen, ein Hauch von roten Waldbeeren unterlegt, etwas Nougat, tabakige Würze. Saftig, frisch und elegant, ein Hauch von Pflaumen und Fei- gen, reife Tannine, angenehmer Nougatnachhall, mineralischer Abgang, sehr gutes Zukunftspotenzial.

My Bettane + Desseauve

95

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/25/2021

Aromas of crushed berries, dried flowers and spices with undertones of ink and iron. Full-bodied with wonderful, fine tannins that are totally embedded in the structure. Endless length and such refinement. Rather ethereal. Another winner from Giscours.