Château Kirwan 2023

Critic scores

• James Suckling94
• Vinous94
• Jeb Dunnuck94
• Decanter94
• Wine Spectator91

The 2023 vintage in Margaux

Vintage benchmark: 91/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: July mildew followed by a hot September demanded strict selection: fleshy, aromatic wines, more approachable than 2022.

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

With a fine, intense ruby colour, the wine shows a lovely nose of red fruit such as cherry, but also of flowers such as rose or peony. Liquorice is also well present. On the palate, one appreciates the juicy character, the roundness, the volume and the softness of the tannins. To the initial aromas can be added spices such as sweet pepper and cinnamon. The whole is well supported and lifted by a healthy acidity that gives length. This Château Kirwan 2023 will give pleasure to lovers of balance and elegance, and even to the impatient.

Blend of the 2023 vintage

Figures from the 2023 sheet

• 13 % vol.Alcohol
• 50 hl/haYield

Winemaking

With such ripeness, vinification operations were minimal and simple; no need for pump-overs, the R'pulse being more than enough to manage extraction. The wines went into barrel very early, from mid-October 2023, and were blended at the first racking, at the end of January 2024. After 21 months of ageing, we bottled at the end of June 2025.

Ageing

21 months (50% 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.