Why this vintage
- 96/100 from Wine Enthusiastand 6 other scores above 90/100.
- The 2015 vintage in MargauxA hot summer tempered by August rains gave expansive wines, with rounded tannins and generous fruit.
Critic scores
- Wine Enthusiast96
- Vinous94
- James Suckling93
- Jeb Dunnuck93
- Decanter92
- Wine Spectator92
- Wine Advocate90
The 2015 vintage in Margaux
Vintage benchmark: 93/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)
Vintage character: A hot summer tempered by August rains gave expansive wines, with rounded tannins and generous fruit.
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
A deep, dark colour immediately sets the tone for the vintage. One expects great concentration. This is confirmed by the rich, complex nose, mingling black fruit and spices such as sweet pepper, cinnamon and vanilla. On the palate, the attack is fresh and broad at the same time. An impression of volume continues into the mid-palate as velvety tannins develop progressively, giving body to the wine without ever being aggressive. Everything is balance. A few notes of cocoa and coffee round out the broad aromatic palette, right through to the finish, which stretches out at length, supported by extremely ripe tannins. While some will be tempted to drink it young, so charming is it to the palate, I recommend waiting a few years, as all the ingredients are there for a long and promising ageing.
Blend of the 2015 vintage
- 50 % Cabernet-sauvignon
- 35 % Merlot
- 10 % Cabernet franc
- 5 % Petit verdot
Shares for this vintage, as recorded on the 2015 technical sheet. The vineyard itself is planted with 47 % cabernet sauvignon, 34 % merlot, 10 % cabernet franc, 8 % petit verdot, 1 % carménère — a vintage blend departs from the area under vine as the year dictates.
Figures from the 2015 sheet
- 13.5 % vol.Alcohol
- 51 hl/haYield
Winemaking
Picking into small 6 kg crates, transfer of the grapes by gravity into 37 tanks (for 37 ha). Concrete was the material chosen for these tulip-shaped tanks, which allow for very gentle, precise vinifications, in perfect keeping with our plot-by-plot selection.
Ageing
18 months in barrel, 50% of which new.
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.
An offer on Château Kirwan 2015
Availability, allocations and terms: the Compagnie Médocaine will reply promptly. The estate and vintage are already filled in in the message.
Texts and documents 2015
The texts below copy in one click for your product sheets, catalogues and social channels. The printable sheet condenses the whole page onto a single A4 page.
Visuals
This wine’s visuals are grouped in the media library. High-definition packshots, labels, back labels and lifestyle photos are reserved for clients and partners, on the Compagnie Médocaine’s VinCod media library.
Sheet checked on September 21, 2026. Technical data: the estate’s VinCod sheets. Critic scores: sources cited above, with their date. Vintage benchmarks and character: Compagnie Médocaine’s own editorial read. Soils and relief, where shown: the Compagnie Médocaine’s parcel survey and the Mapbox/IGN terrain model.