Château Giscours has constantly reinvented itself to survive the centuries.
Pierre de Lhomme, Marc Promis, Jean-Pierre Pescatore, Edouard Cruse, Nicolas Tari and now the Albada Jelgersma family – all ambitious and visionary estate owners who were passionate about pulling together the estate’s land and giving this vineyard, named a Third Grand Cru Classé in 1855, a reputation for excellence.
Dry and meagre gravel hilltops with slight variations give Giscours wines their structure and elegance.
This exceptional terroir suits our vines, which offer up the best of themselves under the influence of the oceanic climate.
On these arid, eroded soils formed of alluvial deposits, Garonne gravel transported from the Pyrenees during the Quaternary period, topography formed in the shape of what are known in the Médoc as ‘croupes gravelleuses’, or gravel hilltops. They allow excess water to drain off and enable Cabernet Sauvignon, the primary grape variety, to express itself to the full.
Giscours has three major hills, and blending these together is what gives Giscours wines their power and complexity:
Grand Poujeau & Petit Poujeau
To the west of the estate, reaching up 21 metres, Grand Poujeau is made up almost entirely of peyrosols. Brought here by the Garonne and the Dordogne, this beautiful gravel – of remarkable size – forms warm soils that are particularly well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon and enable high levels of ripeness.
Bel Air
This 12-metre hilltop has a high proportion of brunisols (gravelly sand to sandy gravel), considered to be a cooler terroir that likes hot and dry years.
The Giscours plateau, known as Cantelaude
At 17 metres, this is a clever combination of the two previous terroirs, providing fullness and depth to Merlot but also beautiful complexity to Cabernet Sauvignon.
On its hilltops, the vines’ root systems reach down up to ten or so metres, drawing the water they need in dry periods from subsurface layers of the soil. The grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot are therefore protected from extremes of climate.
La Sirene Giscours is the 2nd wine of the greatly acclaimed 3rd Grand Cru Classe Margaux estate Chateau Giscours.
La Sirène de Giscours, a name that radiates elegance and delicacy. Our second wine, from our vines in the Margaux appellation, reflects high-precision work and remains true to the philosophy that guides production of our Grand Cru Classé.
Just like Château Giscours, the second wine is thought about and designed in the vineyard from the spring onwards by the technical team. This process then continues in the winery to ensure that the wine’s full identity and elegance is revealed.
La Sirène de Giscours is an accessible, elegant wine with a range of aromas marked by fruit, beautiful freshness on the palate, and silky tannins that melt into a creamy texture. With its delicate Margaux touches, it can be drunk young but will also age very well.
La Sirène de Giscours 2011 is a wine full of elegance and finesse.
2011 started with a warm spring with low precipitations, followed by a warm and dry summer which led to an early vegetative period.
Nevertheless, the grapes have continued their maturation process in great conditions, thanks to rainfalls at the end of the summer.
Award:
89 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
VIVINO 4.1
