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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.4 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 81 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by MonkeyBiz101 on 2/18/2024 & rated 91 points: Felt that this had moved towards a tertiary phase, which surprised me. Quite aged profile, and getting a bit of funk. (433 views) | | | Tasted by DizzyOneCheck on 11/17/2023 & rated 92 points: A lesson in patience, or my lack thereof, as seems to be so often the case. Pulled from the cellar to stand up a few hours before opening, then decanted for sediment. The nose gave a burst of warm fruit on open but receded quickly. Initial tastes were flat, muted, gravelly with faint fruit but overwhelmed by graphite and earth. I was concerned it may be flawed. Over the ensuing few hours each glass got progressively better. The last pour - at three hours open - was rich with florals and dark fruit, the graphite and wood well integrated, texture and mouthfeel rounded and luscious. From the bottom of the decanter, the traces seemed to whisper to me "how many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?"
Great expression of Margaux that is drinking well but needs a lengthy decant to show it's true colors. Hopefully you have more patience than I did. 91-93. (763 views) | | | Tasted by peteramartens on 9/3/2023: Dark ruby red/purple colour. Aromas of blackberry and graphite with floral notes. Dark red fruit and anise tastes. Very smooth with mild tannins. Paired well with steak and grilled potatoes/vegetables. Definitely decant due to sediment. (1042 views) | | | Tasted by merlotsmile on 4/26/2023: Comm Bx (1576 views) | | | Tasted by pavel_p on 3/30/2023 & rated 90 points: Drank over several days. Medium garnet. Oak fairly well integrated. On pnp this was somewhat light weight in the 2009 context, medium (-) good acidity but not much depth. Fairly short finish. Ok.
With (much) more air this gained more weight and creaminess but side by side with a 2010 Segla came across as a rather internationally styled Bdx blend without much Margaux typicity. Clearly preferred the Segla. (1593 views) | | | Tasted by Purple Tooth on 3/2/2023 & rated 94 points: Beautiful bouquet of violets, roasted coffee, night flowers. Very Margaux...Dark in color, the wine teeters on blue because of the heft and weight, yet its not heavy in the mouth. Really wowed me for a good 90 minutes and then, I sensed a decline starting and the wine lost balance and started a decline. I still think it is lovely, but probably at peak. Drink (1866 views) | | | Tasted by Oldmanzin on 12/28/2022 & rated 93 points: Dark fruit, limestone, bitter chocolate, pencil shavings and well integrated wood deliver an incredible example of a second tier Margaux wine. I love everything about this wine as it just enters a great drinking window. Good juice. (1483 views) | | | Tasted by MonkeyBiz101 on 11/26/2022 & rated 91 points: In its stride, drinking well. (1376 views) | | | Tasted by Nontaco on 9/29/2022 & rated 92 points: Very pleasing, complete Bordeaux to enjoy with food. (1461 views) | | | Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 3/5/2022 & rated 90 points: Académie des Cinquante Claret Tasting (Restaurant Rijsel, Amsterdam, NL): Tasted blind. Lovely warmth on the nose, light and bright palate, quite drying, cherries and berries, very tight finish, bay leaf. Marked by the heat. (3020 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 1/18/2022 & rated 92 points: Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux; Margaux (@ RW): Rustic bouquet with some stable impressions, smoke, cedar, vanilla, licorice and leather. On the palate red and dark berries, sweet spices, cedar, some pleasant sweetness, mild acidity and a good length. Beautiful wine. (2328 views) | | | Tasted by pernod on 12/25/2021 & rated 91 points: I did not wait 5 years …
Deep red, slight bricking. Black cherry, gunpowder, vanilla, oak, plum and jammy fruit nose. Black cherry, red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, oak, vanilla and pencil shavings taste. Deep fruit, mellow tannins that do retain some structure. Reasonable acidity. (2071 views) | | | Tasted by COWineLover on 12/10/2021 & rated 90 points: First bottle from a case purchased en primeur. Stored since release in a 55 degree cellar. Pnp.
Unlike other 2009’s in my cellar I found this aromatically clenched for the first two hours. Thereafter this slowly releases charcoal, cassis, briars, and lighter coffee notes. On the palate, the dusty tannins show up on the attack and accompany the chalky minerality, coffee, and charcoal wrapped blue fruits through the mid palate. The acidity remains in the back seat where the charcoal and chalk notes maintain primacy through the finish.
Overall this presented a primary oak influenced experience today. Nothing wrong with the wine, but I am unclear if the oak influence will step aside and allow secondary or tertiary development over the longer term. (2115 views) | | | Tasted by Ash in Hermosa on 11/7/2021 & rated 93 points: Very pleasant. Drinking well.
Nose - cherry stems and slight fennel.
Color - ruddy purple.
Texture - light, no legs, not syrupy.
Palette - no tannin, low acidity, cherries, almonds, rhubarb.
Bought a case en primeur back in 2010 with my mates and am glad it turned out so well. Thanks Monkeybiz101 and Samkkay. (2148 views) | | | Tasted by MonkeyBiz101 on 4/3/2021 & rated 92 points: Drinking well. (2562 views) | | | Tasted by bugles on 3/28/2021 & rated 94 points: Drinking wonderfully now. Pop and pour. Complete crowd pleaser. feminine style. (2380 views) | | | Tasted by Condrieu82 on 2/13/2021 & rated 95 points: Dark ruby. Fantastic nose of blackberries and dark plums, which are prominent on the palate as well, with black tea and very nice sandalwood. Good acidity, round tannins, long finish. Tannins firm on the end, so it can age 2-3 years more. Such a good wine - unexpectedly. Drink now! (2397 views) | | | Tasted by Tony T on 12/13/2020 & rated 92 points: Very nice and elegant wine. Drinking well already. (2613 views) | | | Tasted by jerry6 on 10/10/2020 & rated 94 points: pop and pour really has improved over the last 7 years , veey smooth last bottle so drank over 3 days vacuum sealed between drinking colour dark red almost purple fruit is still there . Just hope my 2010's are as enjoyable (2745 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Cooper on 9/18/2020 & rated 95 points: Tasted of Chateau Kirwan wines on Zoom, run by Auriol Wines, Hampshire, UK. Predominantly cabernet sauvignon. Low yields this vintage. Dark cherry colour, still looking very young. The nose is leathery, eucalyptus, and has plenty of young, ripe fruit. The palate is clearly of a young wine, bursting with ripe blackcurrant fruit, very concentrated. General Manager Philippe Delfaut said this vintage was not typical of the usual Bordeaux style and he believes that this 2009 has peaked earlier than the '09s from other chateaux. (He also said that the '10 and '15 were more typical of the usual Bordeaux style.) So, whilst this is great now, it still has the potential to last another 25-50 years. Excellent. (2405 views) | | | Tasted by ChristoBretts on 7/11/2020 & rated 94 points: Decanted and drank over two days. Medium to mostly full body. First day barnyard nose with tar, a bit of funk on the palate, fruit mostly gone, but enjoyable. Second day was a different wine, the funk was gone leaving tar and anise. Tannins in a perfect spot. Very enjoyable. (2575 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 10/29/2019 & rated 95 points: Bordeaux 2009 Grand Cru / 10-years on / tasted blind: Expressive nose with lots of cool, blue fruit, plum, blackberry. Relatively rich palate with lots of dry extract, stays fresh, plum on the finish. Modern in a good way I wrote down. Good showing. (6575 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 9/20/2019 & rated 92 points: This is really developed nicely. With a floral edge, the fresh cherries, smoke, espresso and tobacco notes are right out in front. Soft, polished, round, easy to like and easy to drink, with a bit of air, this is drinking quite well. (3929 views) | | | Tasted by pernod on 9/7/2019 & rated 89 points: Bluish red, long clear drops, clear edge. Black cherry, cedar wood, pencil shacvings, raspberry nose. Black cherry, pencil shavings, wood taste. Nice friut, decent balance, mature tannins. Will probably wait 5 years before taking the last bottle. (3048 views) | | | Tasted by MindMuse on 7/14/2019 & rated 93 points: Deep ruby with an immediately redolent nose of dark florals and blackberry, as if framed on a cedar chest. A low range of charcoal smoke emerges. Palate is rich, concentrated blackberry, raspberry, which conveys a really delicious mid palate and persists with an ever-so-slight tannic pull. Lovely with steak au poivre. (3470 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019) (3/1/2019)
(Kirwan Kirwan Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/13/2019)
(Ch Kirwan Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Century of Bordeaux: The Eights (May 2018) (5/18/2018)
(Kirwan Kirwan Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2013 (11/1/2013)
(Château Kirwan Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/17/2013)
(Ch Kirwan Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/18/2011)
(Ch Kirwan Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, June 2010, Issue #28
(Château Kirwan 3ème Cru) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Chateau Kirwan Margaux) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/31/2010)
(Ch Kirwan Margaux Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Mar/Apr 2010, Issue #26, The 2009 Bordeaux Vintage- Futures’ Glory?
(Château Kirwan) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, March 2010
(Chateau Kirwan Margaux) Subscribe to see review text. | By Panel Tasting
Decanter
(Château Kirwan, Margaux, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/21/2012)
(Château Kirwan) Dark ruby color; appealing, tart currant nose; plush, tart currant palate; needs 2 years; medium-plus finish 91+ points (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc) 91 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and Winedoctor and The World of Fine Wine and View From the Cellar and Decanter and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Kirwan Producer website - Read more about Chateau Kirwan
Map on weinlagen-infoRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Margaux Read more about Margaux and its wines As with a large part of the Bordeaux vineyards, vines first appeared in Margaux during the Gallo-Roman period.
In 1705 a text mentions Château Margaux . But we have to wait for the end of the eighteenth century and the coming of the earliest techniques in aging for the concept of wines of high quality to develop. The confirmation of this was the famous 1855 classification which recognized 21 Crus Classés in the Margaux appellation. One hundred years later, the Viticultural Federation and the Margaux appellation of controlled origin were born. The appellation, which stretches out over five communes, is actually unique in the Médoc in that it is the only one to contain all the range of wines, as rich as they are vast, from First Great Cru Classé to the Fifths, not forgetting its famous Crus Bourgeois and its Crus Artisans.
In Margaux there is a predominance of Garonne gravel on a central plateau of about 4 miles in length and one and a quarter wide. To the east-south-east, it overlooks the low lying land by the estuary. Its east side is marked by gentle, dry valleys and a succession of ridges.The layer of gravel in Margaux was spread out by a former Garonne in the early Quaternary. Rather large in size, it is mingled with shingle of average dimension and represents the finest ensemble of Günz gravel in the Haut-Médoc. It is on this ancient layer on a Tertiary terrace of limestone or clayey marl that the best Médoc crus lie. All the conditions for successful wine are present : a large amount of gravel and pebbles, poor soil which cannot retain water and deep rooted vines.
It is customary to say that Margaux wines are the "most feminine" in the Médoc, thus stressing their delicacy, suppleness and their fruity, elegant aromas. This does not affect their great propensity for aging; just the opposite, for the relatively thin terroir imparts tannins which give them long life. The other characteristic of these wines which combine an elegant vitality, subtlety and consistency, is their diversity and personality. Over and above the flavour which is their "common denominator", they present an exceptional palette of bouquets, fruity flavours which show up differently from one château to another.
Production conditions (Decree dated August 10 1954)
In order to have the right to the Margaux appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Margaux, Cantenac, Soussans, Arsac and Labarde, "excluding the land which by the nature of its soil or because of its situation, is unfit to produce wine of this appellation".
- satisfy precise production conditions: grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare).
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot
Soil: Gravel and silt plateau on a layer of limestone or silt on clay
Surface Area: 1,530 ha |
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