2018 | Château Kirwan | Les Charmes

Currant, blackberry, graphite and walnut on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Cool, sleek finish.

Reviews:

• Decanter: A touch of reduction on the first nose. This is powerful and knitted-down, but has a whoosh of blackcurrant coulis, menthol, eucalyptus and black pepper. Enjoyable and opens attractively in the glass.

• James Suckling: Currant, blackberry, graphite and walnut on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Cool, sleek finish. Try from 2023.

Producer Information

Château Kirwan is a producer located in Margaux, in the southern Médoc, some 30km (18 miles) north of Bordeaux town center. The estate was classified as a Third Growth in the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines. The château is named after Mark Kirwan, an Irishman, who acquired the property from Englishman John Collingwood in 1760 after marrying Collingwood's daughter. He built the château and put his name on the label to make it easier for merchants to identify and sell his wines. Thomas Jefferson, a lover of Bordeaux, wrote about Château Kirwan (he refered to it as "Quirouen" in his writings) in 1787, and listed it in his second tier of wines. This was, however, before 1855, when it was officially classified as a third growth. Despite losing the château in the French Revolution – and reclaiming it under Napoleon – the Kirwans sold the winery in 1827. It was acquired by the Godard family acquired Kirwan in the latter part of the 19th Century and expanded the holding. Current owners – the Schÿler family, who came to Bordeaux in the 18th Century to establish a wine merchant business – bought the property in 1926. Château Kirwan is situated on 40 hectares (100 acres) of the Cantenac Plateau on the Garonne River. In fact, the property sits on something of a rise 20 meters (60 feet) higher than the rest of the plateau at its highest point. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety grown here, thriving on the gravelly soils of the area, while Merlot enjoys more clay-based soils on another part of the property. Some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are grown as well. Château Kirwan believes in minimally invasive techniques in the wine cellar, calling winemakers "wine helpers" instead. The wine is aged for 20 months in 40 percent new French oak, allowing the quality of the fruit and soil structure to shine. Often described as elegant, silky, and firmly structured, it is considered a classic example of Margaux. In addition to the grand vin, the estate also make a second wine called Les Charmes de Kirwan.

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