2011 Château Giscours

The 2011 Giscours is a really lovely wine. Beautifully defined on the nose, it's very harmonious with red and black fruit, blood orange and graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and a keen line of acidity, still a little Pauillac-like in character with that graphite/pencil lead finish. This is a very well-crafted wine that transcends the vintage. I actually prefer this to the 2010.

Dark ruby colour, silky texture to the tannins, pomegranate and cassis coupled with orange bitter rind, aniseed, cocoa bean, with grip and length. bitter chocoolate. This is a brilliant 2011, one of the best in the appellation, one to look out for. Harvest September 8 to October 1, 50% new oak for ageing. Denis Dubourdieu consultant, Didier Forêt technical director.

The 2011 Giscours is tighter on the nose that its peers and demanded more coaxing, blackberry and melted tar, graphite and hints of blood orange. Good complexity. The palate is taut and fresh, well defined with crisp, edgy tannins, graphite and tobacco towards the finish that has a Pauillac-like character. This is drinking well, better than two or three years ago, and should give a decade’s worth of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.