CHATEAU GISCOURS 3eme Grand Cru Classe, Margaux 2008 Bottle

Description

Château Giscours 2008 is a distinguished Margaux that beautifully exemplifies the elegance of the appellation. This vintage has received high accolades, including 97 points from James Suckling, who lauds its aromas of black currant, dried blueberry, and black truffle, alongside firm, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity. Wine Enthusiast awarded it 94 points, highlighting its powerful, dense structure, showcasing the classic qualities of a grand Margaux. Vinous rated it 91 points, noting lively blackberry and cedar notes with a touch of minerality. The Wine Advocate also awarded it 91 points, praising its balance and purity. With a drinking window from 2018 to 2030, this wine offers an exceptional experience, perfect for immediate enjoyment or further ageing.

*****

JAMES SUCKLING 97 points
Black currant, dried-blueberry, oyster-shell, black-olive, black truffle, and bitter-chocolate aromas. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Savory and mineral layers interplay with the black fruit. Powerful and chewy yet very polished and beautiful.. Try from 2024.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 94 points
A dense wine, powerful while also elegant. It shows all the best character of a grand Margaux, with fine tannins as well as dense structure. It will age well. — Roger Voss

VINOUS 91points
Drinking window: 2018 - 2040
The 2008 Giscours is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Compared to the 1998 and 1988, this has much more fruit and vitality on the nose: blackberry, bilberry, cedar and just a faint tang of marmalade. I like the delineation and vibrancy here. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, good fruit concentration and fine backbone. There is a little grit embedded in the texture, slightly chalky perhaps, but I like the energy conveyed by this Giscours and it feels minerally and long towards the finish. Very fine. (Tasted at the château and at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual vertical tasting.) - Neal Martin. Tasting date: February 2018

THE WINE ADVOCATE 91 points
Drink Date: 2015 - 2030
Tasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2008 Château Giscours is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot picked between September 30 and October 1. The bouquet is very well defined with ebullient red berry fruit mixed with orange peel and cedar aromas. There is something that distantly echoes a Côte de Beaune! Perhaps the purity on offer here? The palate is very well balanced with a keen line of acidity, very fine tannins and ample freshness. I loved this Giscours from barrel and it is now living up to my expectations. The terroir shines through on this wine - true Margaux. This is an excellent wine from winemaker Alexandre Van Beek. Tasted June 2015. - Neal Martin

DECANTER 91 points
Tasted by: Jane Anson
(at BI, London, 01 Jan 2018)
Drinking Window: 2018 - 2030
A generous, well-rounded Margaux, expansive through the mid-palate but finishing a little short. Again, this shows that 2008 is a good - but not great - vintage, and really one where the full pleasure of drinking is to be taken now and over the next decade. The tannins are beautifully soft, and the cassis and tobacco flavours are still vibrant, floating upwards without being spiky.

JANCIS ROBINSON 17.5 points
Lovely red fruit on the nose, with lots of floral elegance – a good, classic Margaux with a lovely rhubarb and beetroot aroma giving complexity. Lovely stage of development on the palate – would delight any bordeaux fan, I'm sure. (RH)

-----

ABOUT CHATEAU GISCOURS
Château Giscours, a 3ème Grand Cru Classé from the 1855 classification, is a historic Margaux estate where heritage and modernity converge to produce wines of poise and longevity. Set within expansive parkland on the gravelly rises typical of Margaux, the property benefits from excellent drainage and a temperate, maritime influenced climate that favours Cabernet Sauvignon while allowing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to contribute complexity and aromatic breadth. The vineyards are managed parcel by parcel, with attention to rootstock, vine age and soil variation, yields are controlled to ensure concentration and clarity of expression, and sustainable practices underpin both vineyard health and fruit quality.

In the winery, traditional savoir faire is combined with contemporary precision. Grapes are subject to meticulous sorting before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where careful maceration regimes extract balanced tannin and flavour. After fermentation, élevage takes place in French oak, a proportion of which is new each vintage to provide structure and subtle spice without overwhelming varietal purity. The estate’s historic cellars and restored château set the scene for winemaking that respects lineage while embracing technological improvements aimed at consistency and finesse.

The Grand Vin of Giscours typically displays Margaux’s signature perfume, lifted floral notes, red and black berry fruit and delicate spice, framed by a supple refined tannic structure that allows the wine to evolve gracefully over years. Secondary cuvées and occasional single parcel selections offer earlier approachability while reflecting the estate’s stylistic emphasis on elegance and balance. Over recent decades, investment in vine replanting, clonal selection and sorting facilities has sharpened the estate’s quality profile, reinforcing its reputation among the Médoc’s established names.

Beyond the bottle, Château Giscours presents a cultivated estate experience, its parkland, historic architecture and cellars speak to continuity and stewardship. Attentive to terroir, respectful of tradition and committed to measured innovation, Giscours continues to articulate Margaux’s refined character, producing wines that marry aromatic finesse with the structural depth and ageing potential expected of a classified growth.