Château Giscours 1996

Tasting notes and serving tips for Château Giscours 1996

Tasting

Color
The color displays a deep, intense ruby hue, reflecting the vintage’s fine maturity.

Nose
The bouquet reveals an aromatic complexity marked by notes of black fruits, notably blackberry and blackcurrant. These are joined by earthy nuances of tobacco and damp earth, with hints of forest floor. Gentle spice aromas, a subtle floral note, and a touch of graphite complete this rich, profound aromatic palette.

Palate
The attack reveals a silky, seamless texture. The palate expresses aromas of bright red plum, lifted by touches of fine herbs and truffle. The tannic structure stands out for its remarkable finesse and aromatic precision. Medium-bodied, this wine offers a harmonious balance that carries through to a lingering finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Château Giscours 1996 pairs beautifully with refined red meats such as Beef Rossini, an entrecôte, or herb-roasted leg of lamb. It also elevates regional dishes such as duck breast, duck confit, and Bordelaise-style cep mushrooms. Aged cheeses and mushrooms also make excellent pairings.

Serving and cellaring

Decanting for 1 to 2 hours is recommended before tasting Château Giscours 1996 to allow the aromas to fully open up. Serve at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. This wine is currently at its peak and can be enjoyed through around 2026.

A Grand Cru Classé from Margaux with remarkable aromatic complexity

The estate

Built in 1825 by Marc Promis, who erected its iconic neoclassical palace, the Château Giscours is among the Troisièmes Grands Crus Classés of the Margaux appellation. The Albada-Jelgersma family, which has managed the estate since 1995, became its sole owner in December 2023. The Bordeaux estate spans 400 hectares. Under the direction of Alexander Van Beek since 2018, Château Giscours stands out for its innovative practices, notably agropastoralism.

The vineyard

The Château Giscours vineyard covers 80 hectares in the heart of the Margaux appellation, in the commune of Labarde. The vines grow on Garonne gravels and glacial sands, an exceptional terroir well suited to expressing great wines. The vineyard shows a fine diversity of vine ages, with 15% between 4 and 10 years old, 50% between 10 and 25 years old, and 33% over 25 years old.

The vintage

1996 is a very good vintage for Bordeaux. The climatic conditions made it possible to achieve beautifully ripe grapes, giving rise to balanced wines with excellent aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The Château Giscours 1996 harvest was carried out by hand. Vinification took place in concrete and stainless-steel tanks with temperature control. Aging lasted 15 months in fine-grain, medium-toast French oak barrels, 50% of which were new. Rackings by candlelight were performed every three months. The wine was fined with egg whites before bottling, which took place in June.

Grape varieties

The blend of Château Giscours 1996 is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.