2000 Château Kirwan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (3/24/2024)
Popped and poured at cellar temp. Very lovely dark purple color with just a hint of lightening at the rim. Violets, truffles and a bit of cigar on an intoxicating nose. Palate does not quite match the intensity of the nose - nice elegant structure, some black fruit and acid, but seems a bit closed down or quite restrained. Going to throw it in the decanter to see if it opens up by dinner time.
Decanting definitely helped. Showing some lovely fruit and floral notes
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Interesting note and development. Kirwan is a property I just don’t “get”, nor does my palate.
Not sure why.
I’m surprised Kris - it’s usually a pretty solid Margaux, and a real over achiever in off vintages - I have 4-5 different vintages from the last 20 years and really haven’t had a bad Kirwan. During the 70s when most of the Margaux estates were major under achievers, Kirwan was on top of their game back then as well.
A 2012 couple weeks ago was surprisingly good -
I don’t know either…stopped buying after 2005 vintage. It just comes off as ‘flat’ to me lacking layers or complexity in Malescot, Brane Cantenac, Cantenac Brown, or d’Issan. Same with Prieure Lichine, just lacks character.