Chateau Giscours 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 2014

Blueberries, tar and licorice on the nose. Full-bodied, solid and dense. Velvety tannins. Long finish. Down on this! Needs at least two or three years to soften.

The 2014 Giscours has a slightly muddled bouquet with tertiary/woodland scents infusing the broody black fruit, austere but attractive. With aeration it seems to find its groove and develop more clarity and detail. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, supple and focused. There is lovely balance and poise to this Giscours, with a tensile and precise finish that lingers long in the mouth. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Expressive floral notes, bright red stone fruit and silky tannins all give the 2014 Giscours considerably more finesse than when I last tasted it. Delicate, nuanced and medium in body, this classy Margaux shows quite a bit of polish and overall nuance. It will be interesting to see how the 2014 evolves and, specifically, if some of the wilder notes that are typical of this wine will emerge over time.