[ Home > Wines > Bordeaux > Margaux > Chateau Giscours 2000 - Bordeaux Futures ]
Margaux, Bordeaux It has been a long time since Giscours has produced a wine of such majesty. An opaque blue/purple color is followed by a terrific bouquet of sweet earth intermixed with creme de cassis and smoke. Abundant quantities of ripe, concentrated fruit are well displayed in this medium to full-bodied, pure, layered, multidimensional wine. Given the fact that Giscours has not been producing wines of such pedigree for so long, this is undoubtedly a sleeper of the vintage, and well-worth latching onto as it is going to be accessible young. Moreover, given this estate's recent history, the price should be low. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2020. Rated 89-91 Robert Parker This shows lots of ripe Cabernet character, with crushed raspberry and currant, hints of plums. Full-bodied, with a thick, chewy texture and a long, berry and toasted oak finish. Best Giscours in years. Score range: 92-94 Wine Spectator The first references to Château GISCOURS go back to about 1330, in a document which refers to a fortified tower. The estate was sold for 1,000 pounds in 1552, and was already recognised as a winegrowing estate at that time. From then on, there are increasingly numerous documents referring to Château GISCOURS. Cocks and Feret, considered the "Bordeaux Bible", mentions that the wine was served to Louis XIV, who is said to have appreciated it a great deal. In 1789, the château belonged to the Saint-Simon family, from whom it was confiscated by the revolutionary government. There were many owners after this date, including Count de Pescatore, a wealthy Parisian banker, who rebuilt the château in 1847 in preparation for a visit by Empress Eugénie. The quality of Château GISCOURS' wine was acknowledged in the 1855 classification, when it was officially recognised as a 3rd growth. Because it changed hands so frequently, GISCOURS slowly slipped into decline. This period came to an end after the Second World War, when the château was purchased by Nicolas Tari. He undertook a large-scale renovation, not the least of which was the creation of an artificial lake. This helps explain GISCOURS' special micro-climate. One of M. Tari's most important tasks was to find the right ecological balance for the vines. He then completely renovated the château and brought in new viticultural and winemaking equipment. After some financial difficulty, a majority shareholding in the S.A.E du Château GISCOURS was acquired by Eric Albada Jelgersma, and his family. Francophiles going back a very long way, the family fell in love with the Médoc. Ever since they bought the château, they have regularly spent part of their time learning about how to make fine wine. Further investments were made in renovating the vineyard and restoring the buildings. There was also an increase of capital. Eric Albada Jelgersma now owns 99.9% of the S.A.E du Château GISCOURS. More information at www.chateau-giscours.fr |
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