Château Kirwan 2007

The 2007 vintage in Margaux

Vintage benchmark: 83/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: A cool, wet summer demanded strict selection: light, delicious wines, to be drunk young.

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 2007 has today become more complex, mingling notes of sweet spice with fruit aromas. The palate is all delicacy and suppleness, resting on a flawless balance built around velvety tannins that stretch pleasantly across the palate, without any harshness. The finish is fresh, aromatic and smooth. In the end, this demanding vintage rewards the efforts made throughout the year, delivering a wine full of charm and balance, the way Bordeaux can make them. Bottled since July 2009, this Château Kirwan 2007 will delight lovers of elegant, balanced Margaux.

Blend of the 2007 vintage

Figures from the 2007 sheet

• 13 % vol.Alcohol
• 41 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.