Wine Advisor
Kirwan 2022
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2022 Kirwan exhibits aromas of dark berries, cassis, sweet spices, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's unusually lively for the vintage, checking in at a pH of 3.55, a number that it would be impressive to attain on gravel soils in this vintage without acidification.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2022 Kirwan was transferred into barrel early in October, blended at the end of January, aged for 20 months in 50% new oak and bottled in June 2024. It has a delineated, focused bouquet, with commendable purity of fruit, blackberry and bilberry notes, a light estuarine touch (sea spray) and cedar. The oak is very well integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with granular tannins, a keen thread of acidity and a little more structured than I remember from barrel, rendering it more similar to the 2020 than the 2019. It's lively and peppery on the aftertaste, with more precision than recent vintages. This vindicates my positive review from two years ago. It is one of the finest Kirwans in recent years.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Deep, succulent fruit here with wide, velvety tannin structure. Polished and refined. Medium to full body. Structured and complex with a lingering finish.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Blackcurrants and blueberries with violet and heather aromas follow through to a medium to full body with firm and racy tannins and a linear and persistent finish. Solid and precise. Drink after 2028.
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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