Chateau Giscours is a large wine estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux. it was rated as a third growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.

Giscours has a long, rich history which can be traced back to the 14th century. The real beginning came in 1552 when Pierre de Lhomme, a wealthy Bordeaux draper, bought a nobleman’s house called “Guyscoutz”. He proceeded to turn it into a vast estate and planted the first vines.

It was in the 19th century that the estate gained much of its finery and reputation, with transformation of the chateau into a neoclassical palace, the modernization of production facilities, and the construction of large buildings. In 1995, the property was acquired by Dutch businessman Eric Albada Jelgersma.

The Giscours vineyard has 102 hectares, planted with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot on gravel and sand. A 63-hectare plot, adjacent to Giscours but outside the Margaux boundary, is bottled as Le Haut Medoc de Giscours.

The first label of Chateau Giscours has great finesse and elegance. The aging potential of this great wine is between 8 and 20 years or even more for the most exceptional vintages.

The 2020 Giscours is a Bordeaux blend produced by Giscours, hailing from the esteemed Margaux sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This red wine, sealed with a cork, contains 13.5% alcohol and emphasizes the finest qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

James Suckling awarded the 2020 Giscours a score of 96, praising its “fascinating aromas of blueberries, crushed stone, and blackcurrants.” He described it as “full-bodied with juicy tannins that are creamy and intense,” noting its “muscular” nature and recommending it be enjoyed after 2025 for its long aging potential.

William Kelley, writing for Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, echoed the high praise with a score of 95. Kelley remarked on its “deep aromas of blackberries, cassis, pencil shavings, rose petals and sweet, loamy soil.” He found the wine “ample and fleshy, with a layered and seamless mid-palate, excellent concentration and powdery structuring tannins.”

Decanter’s review, also scoring the wine at 95, highlighted its “wonderful aromatic expression” and “fragrant with wild flowers and dark bramble fruits as well as sandalwood.” The wine is described as “rich and round on the palate, really so juicy and succulent,” with a “combination of liquorice, slate, pencil lead and blackcurrants and black cherries.”

Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider was equally impressed, giving it a score of 96. He noted the wine’s “intense display of flowers, with additional nuances of tobacco leaf, earth, currants, black cherries, spice, and cigar box.” Leve emphasized its “silky, vibrant, sensuous and long” nature, with “layers of ripe, sweet, vibrant red and black fruits.”

Jeb Dunnuck rated the wine at 94, noting its “gorgeous perfume of pure cassis, graphite, and flowers.” He appreciated its “medium to full-bodied” profile with “ample tannins, a layered, concentrated mid-palate, remarkable purity, and one heck of a great finish.”

Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss awarded the wine a near-perfect score of 98, describing it as “perfumed, ripe and juicy,” and “packed with fruit and tannins with a generous aftertaste.”

Wine Spectator’s review, which scored the wine at 92, described it as “ripe but fresh and sleek in feel, with black cherry and blackberry puree notes gliding through, infused with sandalwood, bay leaf and black tea accents.”

Vinous reviewer Antonio Galloni gave the wine a score of 96, noting its “succulent dark cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, menthol and mocha,” and describing it as “both flamboyant and serious.”

Finally, Jane Anson, who scored the wine at 95, highlighted its “deep plum in colour, lilting acidities, some angular tannins” and “beautifully bitter dark chocolate” alongside “bilberry and blackberry fruits.”

Overall, the 2020 Giscours is a well-regarded Bordeaux blend, praised for its aromatic complexity, rich texture, and aging potential.