Wine Advisor
Kirwan 2002
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This is a masculine, powerful 2002 with abundant quantities of damp earth intertwined with jammy black fruits, licorice, smoke, and toasty wood. A saturated dense purple color is followed by a medium-bodied, solidly built wine with plenty of muscle and depth. Although not an archetypical, finesse-styled Margaux, there is plenty going on. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
pleasurable wine, if not an intellectual wine" I wrote before bottling. Then in May 2005. This is much more restrained on the nose than Giscours. Burnt wood, a touch of cranberry. Moderate intensity. The palate is quite linear, never really takes off but it is harmonious, clean, with good definition and acidity. Just lacking a little finesse on the finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Farr’s 2002 Bordeaux tasting. A dark horse this one! Touches of roasted coffee beans on the nose. Moderate definition but it gains intensity and clarity with time, developing some secondary scorched, earthy notes. The palate is well balanced, fresh and chewy with macerated black cherries, melted tar, graphite and turning peppery towards the lingering finish. Good length. Very fine. Tasted October 2009.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A relatively masculine-styled effort, with some noticeably hard and elevated tannin, this deep ruby/purple-colored 2002 exhibits notes of forest floor, black currant, vanilla, and incense. Firmly structured, tannic, and muscular, it requires 3-4 years of cellaring, and should keep for up to two decades.
About the Producer
Kirin Castle's vineyards are located on the Cantenac Heights and cover an area of 37 hectares. Due to the diverse terroir, the winery divides it into 35 parks, in order to adapt to local conditions and fully exploit the potential of each piece of land. Among them, the soil of the Cabinet Ouest is stratified clay, and the Merlot produced here is round and plump; the Mois de juin is distributed with gravel soil, which is conducive to Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Sauvignon) ) ripening and giving it velvety tannins; while another, Canon, also on gravel soils, is located at the highest altitude and is mainly planted with Petit Verdot. The complicated vineyard work of wire racking, tying vines, thinning branches and leaves and grape picking is done manually. After the ripe grapes are picked, they are screened layer by layer before being transported to the winemaking workshop, where they undergo the same meticulous fermentation process. The fermented wine will be aged in French oak barrels with a proportion of about 50% new barrels for about 20 months. During this period, traditional egg white clarification and pouring are required before bottling. It is thanks to the understanding and respect of the vineyard, coupled with the meticulous brewing process, that the excellent quality of Kirin wine was born. In addition, the winery's winemaking consultant is Eric Boissenot, an influential winemaker who will guide the winery's winemaking together with the winery's general manager and technical director. At present, the wines launched by Kirin Castle mainly include the original wine—Chateau Kirwan, Margaux, France and the second wine, Charmes de Kirwan, Margaux, France. Kirin Castle red wine is made from grapes from the best plots of the Kirin Castle vineyard, the fruit picking and two screening are done by hand. Rich and concentrated on the palate, it perfectly expresses the extraordinary terroir of Kirin Castle. The second brand of Château Kirin is made from grapes from young plots in the vineyard. Its fruity taste is outstanding, the mouthfeel is supple, suitable for drinking in the morning.
1982(2)1995(1)1998(2)2000(3)2001(1)
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