Wine Advisor
Kirwan 2005
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright, deep red. Expressive, full-blown aromas of currant, coffee and mocha. Sweet, round and ripe, with sexy flavors of ripe berries and licorice. Quite full for Margaux, and finishing with sweet tannins and lovely lingering fruit.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good full ruby-red. Primary aromas of blackberry, violet, mint and licorice. Sweet and densely packed, with good mineral firmness to the chewy black fruit flavors. No shortage of flavor or breadth here. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins, with ripe acids carrying the wine's fruit. This is more harmonious than it appeared to be from barrel a year ago. Enologist Michel Rolland was responsible for putting together the 2005 blend but ended his relationship with Kirwan prior to the 2006 harvest.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(a blend of 56% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 10% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc) Bright medium ruby. Aroma of crushed blueberry. Dense but not overly sweet; in fact, this seems rather heavily extracted and dry. Is there enough sweetness of black fruit flavor to support the substantial chewy tannins? Today this seems gritty on the back end.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A third-growth, this intense, powerful and concentrated wine should play to its strengths in a vintage such as 2005, with its enormous tannin and density. This is one of the more backward of the 2005s, quite masculine, tannic and bold, with a deep ruby/purple color, lots of spice, a touch of wood and new oak as well as a medium to full-bodied, rather backward, tannic mouthfeel. It’s all there, and the wine certainly has plenty of concentration, but it needs another 3-5 years of cellaring. It should drink well for at least a quarter of a century.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Although significantly more closed than it was a year ago, the 2005 Kirwan is unquestionably the most impressive offering this estate has produced in over one-hundred years. The dense purple color is accompanied by aromas of graphite, black currant jam, espresso roast, truffles, asphalt, and subtle toasty oak. Full-bodied, powerful, and backward, with high tannin, good acidity, and a superb finish, this Medoc should only be purchased by patient connoisseurs. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A very sweet blueberry and cassis nose with a lot of new oak dominating the aromatics. A very sleek, supple texture on the palate with black cherry and cassis fruit. Very focused and opulent, again not a wine for classicists, yet it is balanced and crisp on the finish. Very fine. Tasted April 2006.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Here we go again! This extraordinary wine is the greatest Kirwan made since some of the estate’s historic offerings of the mid-1800s. An inky/black/purple color accompanies a gorgeous perfume of incense, creme de cassis, licorice, and subtle wood. It boasts thrilling levels of richness, full body, layers of concentration, high glycerin as well as tannin, and a fabulous 60-second finish. This compelling effort possesses 50 or more years of aging potential. Kudos to Sophie Schyler, the charming proprietress who gave such a graceful performance while under attack in the disingenuous movie Mondovino. The 2005 Kirwan will be at its finest between 2014-2050+.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
I remember tasting a number of Kirwans from the 19th century that had held up surprisingly well for over 100 years. While the 2005 will probably not last that long, it may be one of the finest wines this estate has made in the last fifty years. This brilliant, full-bodied, powerful, broodingly backward Margaux exhibits a dense purple hue along with notes of charcoal, licorice, blackberries, and graphite. Exceptionally concentrated, possessing high tannin, zesty acidity, and a 45-second finish, it should be purchased only by patient connoisseurs. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at Southwold. This has a ripe, blackcurrant wine gum scented nose with a touch of prune and creme de cassis. It just lacks a little definition. The palate is rather coarse and disjointed, dryness in the middle with an austere, dusty finish. Perplexing as this showed so well in barrel. Tasted January 2009.
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.
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