Château Kirwan 2006

The 2006 vintage in Margaux

Vintage benchmark: 89/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: Rain at véraison followed by a dry September gave classic, balanced wines with fine freshness, without the density of 2005.

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

2006 is a demanding vintage that called on all the skill of the winegrower and winemaker. Marked by fresh aromas of red and black fruit, the nose elegantly invites you to bite into the flesh of the wine. The lively attack is quickly followed by solid but fleshy tannins that give length without taking anything away from the vintage's freshness and elegance. Comparable to 1999 for its juicy fruit and to 2002 for its vigour, this 2006 is, in the end, a very fine representation of the Margaux appellation.

Blend of the 2006 vintage

Figures from the 2006 sheet

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

Winemaking

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

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.

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.