Giscours 2009

Giscours is the flagship of Labarde. While firmly grounded on a Third Growth, where does Giscours stand? As the owner said, Giscours is a 'null autre', meaning second to none. But is it an indictment of consumer sovereignty? One cannot say they are good and believe they are good! However, a Labarde shall always need time. Its tannins are firm and austere. It is always a masculine Margaux that absolution needs time to resolve the strong characters.

After 14 years, we are convinced that this bottle of Giscours 2009 may be good enough. The aromatics have retained a reasonable degree of freshness, nuanced and complex. It offers, on the palate, is full-bodied with grainy yet tamed tannins, deep broody dark and red berried/currant fruits, touches of cocoa and a hint of cracked black pepper, leather and a tone of dark chocolate, reflecting the growing season as well as the terroir. Formed from a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot using 50% new oak from seven suppliers, it is still lactic in the finish. Smooth, there is no flabbiness marking the finish, and it offers decent length. Drink it over the next 5-6 years. So it is a wine to savour now.

Scores are high. The tastings and scores are also consistent, such as

RP95 The finest Giscours in my professional career (I said the same thing from barrel), this dense purple wine has a lovely nose of burning embers, charcoal, creme de cassis, new saddle leather and damp, forest floor notes. It is full-bodied, with sweet, well-integrated tannins and a multi-dimensional, almost skyscraper-like mid-palate and finish. With its low acidity and remarkable substance and depth, this gorgeous wine should age beautifully for 20-30 years. Edited.

JS95 Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and flowers. Very beautiful. The entire body, with a solid core of fruit and firm tannins. It is balanced and refined. This bottle is ultra-refined. Best wine from here since 1970. One of the great values of the vintage. Best after 2018. Edited.