2008 Kirwan
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Tasting notes
Dark fruit aromatics, blackberry leaf, liqourice and violet flowers, this maintains a fresh grip through the palate, tannins musclar and a little austere but this is ready to drink after a few hours in a carafe. Perfect for sharing around a table, with liliting acidity that makes it a great food wine. At this point they switched to blending after three months ageing in barrel, and introduced co-innoculation in the cellar, both techniques favoured by consultant Eric Boissenot, but still using the former cellar, meaning larger vats than today. Harvest began October 1, and this was the first year where harvesting took place according to soil types. 45% new oak for ageing, 30hl/h yield.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 2008 Kirwan has a clean and fresh bouquet with lifted, quite pure blackberry, raspberry and violet aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, crisp and fresh tannin, vivid blackberry and bilberry fruit with a subtle salinity that creeps up on the finish, leaving you with just the right amount of dryness to beg another sip. This Kirwan appears to have stepped up a gear in recent years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 10-Year On tasting.
Tasted blind. Blackish crimson. Sweet and rather tired on the nose. Thick and aggressive. Not very Margaux-like – a bit of a pastiche style! Meat extract on the finish. (JR)
Dark crimson. Very fresh and racy. Good ripe stuff. Lively. Hard and a bit tart on the end. (JR)
About the producer
Philippe Delfaut has been integral to the transformation of Ch. Kirwan, taking an estate known for its lavish, Michel-Rolland style and bringing more classicism – with increased precision in the vineyard and winery.