Château Kirwan 2004

The 2004 vintage in Margaux

Vintage benchmark: 88/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: High yields and a dry September gave a classic, unexaggerated vintage, straightforward, now at its peak.

Overall reading of the year’s season across Margaux. An estate can depart from it sharply, in frost or hail years, where two neighbours did not make the same vintage. What this particular wine actually gave is on its technical sheet and in the scores above.

Tasting

The 2004 shows a fine, deep violet colour. The nose opens on notes of blackberry, spice and tobacco. This is followed by a good attack, with a tight weave and a silky structure. It develops endlessly on the palate and surprises with its persistent fruitiness and freshness on the finish.

Blend of the 2004 vintage

Figures from the 2004 sheet

• 13 % vol.Alcohol
• 49 hl/haYield
• 27 yrsVine age
• 90,000 bottlesProduction

Winemaking

The grand vin of Château Kirwan benefits from an average of 40% new oak. Ageing in barrel will last 20 months. That is long... but short compared with the decades the wine needs to improve in bottle. The 'levée de colle' racking, carried out 'to the fine point' by candlelight, is one of the traditional interventions essential to the wine's evolution.

Ageing

In Allier oak barrels for 16 months, 15% of which in new barrels

Terroir

With 40 ha of vines and 46 separate parcels, Kirwan continues to develop the rich potential of its terroir, adapting viticulture to the soil and the climate. Situated on the gravel rise of Cantenac, bordering the river born of a thousand-year erosion, this terroir reveals and expresses its geological capital. Recently confirmed by a soil study aimed at better understanding the composition of the soils, the role of the gravels is essential: by aiding drainage and warming, it encourages the roots to explore deep down. The clay captures water and preserves its freshness, playing a key moderating role during severe droughts or heatwaves.