Wine Advisor
Kirwan 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Opaque inky purple. Aromas of blueberry, sweet plum and chocolate pudding are complicated by hints of wet earth and animal fur. Enters sweet and ripe, but shows very good grip and inner-palate energy to its black fruit and herbal flavors. This ultimately suave and smooth wine finishes with supple, broad tannins and sneaky length. Only a few years ago, I found Kirwan's wines to be rather boring-too similar to many others and hardly reflective of its favored Margaux terroir But recent vintages have been better and more interesting, and this is a now an estate to follow. The devotion of owner Sophie Schyler to her estate shows.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2009 Kirwan showed extremely well, mocking my previous lukewarm reaction. It has an attractive cedar and graphite infused bouquet, plenty of black fruit with touches of wild mint developing with aeration. This coalesces nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine thread of acidity, gentle grip with hints of black pepper and cedar towards the nicely framed and persistent finish. Classy. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright red-ruby. Wild meaty nose lifted by a floral element. Sweet, fine-grained and fairly generous in the mouth, with plenty of baby fat to its dark fruit flavors. But ultimately a wine of moderate richness and concentration. The persistent but slightly dry-edged finish shows a sweet/sour quality.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A big, powerful Margaux that should age for 20+ years, this inky purple-colored wine exhibits notes of spring flowers intermixed with blackberries, raspberries and cassis. Some lead pencil shavings and toasty oak are also present in this powerful yet at the same time very pure, textured, full-throttle Kirwan. It needs about 5-7 years of cellaring and will be among the longest-lived wines of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Margaux UGC. The Kirwan evinces promise on the nose with sweet black cherry fruit, briary, cedar and a touch of graphite. Quite rounded and with great purity. The palate is full-bodied, more sinewy than other Margaux wines, but it does not compromise on balance, that tannins masculine and a little austere, but counterpoising the exuberant fruit nicely. Good grip on the finish: this is an excellent Kirwan. Tasted March 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This inky/purple-hued Margaux reveals aromas and flavors of blackberries, cassis, espresso roast, graphite, and new oak. Full-bodied, layered, and rich as well as elegant and precise, it needs 5-6 years of cellaring, and should last for 25-30+ years. It is a very strong effort from Kirwan. (Tasted two times.)
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Kirwan 2009 is more reserved on the nose, tightly coiled black fruits, a touch of woodland, mint and sous-bois, but gaining intensity on the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, perhaps slightly over-extracted tannins, but imbued with a pleasant, sorbet-like freshness on the finish. Good length her but less generous than other Margaux at this early stage. Tasted October 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. Like other Margaux Grand Vins - the Kirwan is at a "problematic" stage at the moment. It has a wonderful bouquet with very fine fruit concentration: black plum, iodine and violets. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It is fleshy in the mouth, perhaps lacking a little substance, but is clean and correct on the slightly reduced finish. I think once the reduction goes, it will be a much better Margaux wine. Tasted January 2013.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is a wine that seduces you, with its crushed blackberries and hints of dark chocolate that follow through to a full body and ultra-fine tannins with a tangy, fresh finish. Solid as a rock. Best ever from here. Try in 2019.
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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