LA SIRENE DE GISCOURS 2nd Wine of Chateau Giscours, Margaux 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
La Sirène de Giscours 2023 opens with immediate charm: ripe red and black cherry, fresh raspberry and bramble, lifted by pressed violet and rose petal, with graphite and cedar beneath. Gentle aeration brings crushed bay, dried herb and a hint of tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, it has a smooth start, bright acidity and fine, well-judged tannins that provide shape without weight. Pure red-berry and blackcurrant fruit is threaded with black olive and a faint liquorice note; the mid-palate unfurls cinnamon and clove spice, dark-chocolate hints and a chalky mineral seam that lends drive. Oak is discreet and supportive. Polished and silky in texture, it finishes long with savoury and floral echoes. Drink now or cellar 5–8 years. Top scores: Vinous 92–94; Decanter 93; James Suckling 93–94.

ABOUT THIS WINE
La Sirene de Giscours, second wine of Château Giscours, Margaux 2023 opens with immediate charm, a supple and refined expression that captures Margaux perfume and approachable freshness in a warm vintage. The bouquet offers ripe red and black cherry, fresh raspberry and bramble, lifted by pressed violet and rose petal, while a subtle graphite note and cedar add a savoury undercurrent. With gentle aeration, notes of crushed bay, dried herb and a hint of tobacco leaf appear, broadening the aromatic profile and adding complexity without weight.

On the palate the 2023 is medium bodied, with a smooth, inviting entry, bright natural acidity and well judged, fine tannins that give structure and shape. Primary fruit is pure and vivid, red berry and blackcurrant flavours threaded with a touch of black olive and a faint liquorice note. The mid palate builds with layered nuance, showing a gentle spice of cinnamon and clove, a dark chocolate suggestion and a chalky mineral seam that lends drive and focus to the architecture. Oak influence is discreet and supportive, providing lightly toasted cedar and vanilla spice that enhance the fruit rather than dominate it.

Texture is polished and silky, balancing lift and grip, the wine carrying through to a long finish where savoury and floral threads linger. There is an approachable generosity to the mid palate, yet a nervy mineral backbone keeps the style precise and poised. Secondary notes of leather and dried mushroom emerge with time in the glass, hinting at the wine s capacity to develop further complexity.

Drink now for immediate pleasure, ideally decanted, or cellar for five to eight years to allow tertiary layers to integrate. Serve at 16 to 18°C with roast duck, mild game, grilled lamb or cheese boards that feature aged Comté or gouda. La Sirene de Giscours 2023 is a graceful Margaux second wine, generous, refined and versatile, offering immediate charm and honest terroir character.

THE WINE ADVOCATE (89-91) points
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2023 La Sirène de Giscours opens in the glass with aromas of wild berries, baking chocolate, spice and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate that's suave and seamless, with good depth at the core of sweet, powdery structuring tannins. It's a strong effort.

JAMES SUCKLING **** 93-94 points
18 Apr, 2024 – A bright red with blackcurrant, crushed-stone and sandalwood aromas and flavors. Medium body, fine tannins and a juicy finish. Fine at the end. Juicy and fluid in the center-palate, in a good way. A blend of 64% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 12% petit verdot.

DECANTER 93 points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at Bordeaux, 10 Apr 2024) Part of Best Margaux 2023 wines tasted en primeur
Drinking Window: 2027 - 2040
Lovely floral elements on the nose. Raspberries, red cherries and some plum notes with touches of rose. Smooth and supple, a good energy and movement. Nice brightness with stoniness, graphite and liquorice. Juicy, high acidity with crunchy and crisp fruit. I love the balance of acidity and tannins, really smooth with a hint of grip. Well worked, not massively complex but really well made with such charm and easy-drinking appeal. Great precision too. Clearly finessed. 3.76ph. No Cabernet Franc in the blend this year. 26% second wine.

VINOUS 92-94 points
Drinking window: 2027 - 2043
The 2023 La Sirène de Giscours is, quite frankly, a sensational second wine. Dark, resonant and imposing, the 2023 dazzles from start to finish. Here, too, I am so impressed by the wine's balance and richness. Black cherry, lavender, sweet spice and mocha build in the glass, leading to an explosive finish supported by big tannins. - Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: April 2024

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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.