Chateau Kirwan

Chateau Kirwan was previously owned by Renard de la Salle, a Bordeaux nobleman, in the 18^th century. The estate was sold in 1710 to Sir John Collingwood, a merchant who established a working vineyard. His daughter subsequently married Mark Kirwan, an Irishman, and the estate took on a new name that lasted till today.

Mark established a very good reputation for the estate, and was frequently visited by Thomas Jefferson, the French ambassador later turned US president. In 1789 the estate was seized in the French Revolution, but he later regained the property under Napoleon, expanding to incorporate the nearby Ganet property.

Mark died on the estate in 1815, and by 1855 the estate was classified a third growth, and came into the hands of Camille Godard, who later became Mayor of Bordeaux. At the turn of the century it was sold to the negociant firm Schroder & Schyler at auction.

The two World Wars and the depression, followed after the phylloxera and oidium, had a significant impact on the estate. Only by 1950 did it show the first signs of turnaround, led by the next generation of the Schyler family, Jean-Henri, who replanted the land with vines, and introduced chateau-bottling. Selling through the negociant business in Europe, he also sought the US market.

In 1991 the service of Michel Rolland were engaged, with significant improvement in the quality, but some lamented that it started to lose the Margaux typicity, with the modern style of more extraction and new oak. With financial success came new investment, with the restoration of the chateau and a new barrel cellar.

Now the property is managed by Yann, Natalie and Sophie Schyler. The vineyards lie on the Cantenac plateau, adjacent to Prieure-Lichine and Desmirail, with sandy soil dominated by gravel. The average vine age is 27 years, with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.

Each year the vines see green harvest, and the grapes are sorted before fermentation in temperature controlled, stainless steel vats. The grand vin is Chateau Kirwan which accounts for 65% of the harvest, seeing up to 18 months in oak, which is one third new, before blending and bottling. The production is about 16,000 cases, and since 1993 there is a second wine Les Charmes de Kirwan of 4000 cases.

I have recently tasted the 2004 vintage and below is my tasting note:

Appearance

Bright and clear, the wine is of deep intensity ruby color, and legs.

Nose
Clean, with medium intensity aromas of black fruit such as blackberry, blackcurrant and plum, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of cocoa, maturity notes of tobacco, pungent spice of licorice, MLF notes of cream. The wine is developing.

Palate

Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium (+) tannin, ripe and velvety in texture. Medium in alcohol, it has medium (+) body with medium intensity flavors of black fruit such as blackcurrant and blackberry, oak notes of cedar, pungent spice of licorice, kernel notes of cocoa. The wine has a medium finish.

Conclusion

Good quality Margaux with a reasonably concentrated nose showing fair complexity, the wine has an elegant structure, with ripe and smooth tannin accompanying the palate of fair intensity, and the finish is of fair length. A typical grand cru classe Margaux, the wine is ready to drink now and can further develop for another 2-3 years.