Catalog

The 2021 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (September 2024): 94/100 “The château has evolved the style of its wines, seeking finesse and balance. The 2021 is in this vein, poised, fluid and delicate. It remains crisp and the finish is sapid. Already very pleasant.”

Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 95/100 “The 2021 Giscours is not as showy as some recent vintages, but all the ingredients are there. Aromatic, deep and layered, with tremendous balance, the 2021 has so much to offer. Rose petal, mint, spice, orange peel and dried herbs are some of the notes that build. The 2021 is a wine of exquisite precision-bright and driving, with notable tension. It is seriously impressive at this stage”.

See the technical sheet

The 2020 vintage in the press:

Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024): 93/100

Vinous (N.Martin - January 2024): 94/100 “The 2020 Giscours has impressive fruit concentration on the nose—black cherries, cassis and touches of violet—but it is tightly coiled at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy opening, supple weight and ample depth toward the finish, maintaining a sense of refinement. There's just a prickle of white pepper on the aftertaste. This is a gifted Margaux that will require a few years' cellaring.”

La Revue du Vin de France (November 2023): 95/100 “We perceive a change of style at Giscours with this vintage. More al dente Cabernets that bring freshness and elegance, rather than power and concentration. The wine is very fine, juicy and loose, but with length.”

See the data sheet

The 2018 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (September 2021): 95/100 “The wine imposes its power initially, then finishes with velvety tannins.”

Vinous (N. Martin - December 2021): 94/100 "The 2018 Giscours was tasted alongside the 2019 for comparaison. This is more extravagant on the nose, delivering slightly more red fruit, black pepper and touches of graphite. This has opened since I last tasted it. The palate is medium-bodied with bold tannins, very smooth and more sensual than the 2019, and more flamboyant, though perhaps without the same precision. Still, this is very fine."

See the data sheet

The 2016 vintage in the press:

J-M Quarin (January 2021): 94/100 “Delicate on entry, meticulous in the middle, with a refined tannic texture, the wine both tightens and embellishes on the finish, offering fine grain and sophisticated aromas reminiscent of red and white fruits. Very good length. A style apart and so beautiful."

See the data sheet

The 2012 vintage in the press:

Vinous (A. Galloni - July 2015): 92/100 "The 2012 Giscours offers up a profile of savory herbs, smoke, tobacco, licorice, dried rose petal, all backed up by beams of tannin that will ensure the 2012 will drink well for another decade plus. The Giscours is a bit wild and unrestrained, as it so often is, but the 2012 is very nicely balanced throughout, with lovely persistence and plenty of harmony."

See the data sheet

See the data sheet

The 2008 vintage in the press:

Vinous (N. Martin - February 2018): 91/100 "Compared to the 1998 and 1988, the 2008 Giscours has much more fruit and vitality on the nose: blackberry, bilberry, cedar and just a faint tang of marmelade. I like the delineation and vibrancy here. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, good fruit concentration and fine backbone. There is a little grit embedded in the texture, slightly chalky perhaps, but I like the energy conveyed by this Giscours and it feels minerally and long towards the finish. Very Fine."

See the technical sheet

The 2022 vintage in the press:

Vinous (A. Galloni - January 2025): 92/100 "The 2022 Cantenac Brown offers up copious dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, new leather and cloves. A wine of palpable volume and heft, the Cantenac Brown is a very big Margaux endowed with broad shoulders and plenty of volume. The tannins are large-scaled and imposing. I find the 2022 a bit tough in its overall feel, as it was en primeur. It will be interesting to see how it ages."

J.M Quarin (February 2025): 94/100 "Dark, purple, slightly evolved colour. Very aromatic nose, with very ripe fruit. More complex and vanilla-like when the glass is shaken.Melt-in-the-mouth from the start, more graceful than ever, with a meticulous unfolding, the wine takes on tannic relief on the finish, with a slightly lively touch." 

The 2021 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 95/100 “The 2021 is very successful here, with a graceful wine, with delicate, velvety tannins. It nevertheless has a lovely spring in the mouth, with clean, intense, flavorful fruit. A promising ensemble."

Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 94/100 “The 2021 Cantenac Brown is superb. Rich and flashy, with tons of persistence, the 2021 is a new wine of notable depth. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and mocha are all amplified. Readers will find a Cantenac Brown endewod with notable textural richness. Estate Manager Jose Sanfins opted to bleed the musts, and that resulted in an unusually opulent wine for the year-very much in line with the house style. The 2021 is drop-dead gorgeous”.

See the data sheet

The 2018 vintage in the press:

Vinous (N. Martin - June 2021): 94/100 "The 2018 Cantenac Brown, which I had recently tasted as part of my horizontal, here replicates that performance. Verypure on the nose, perhaps a little more opulence than the previous bottle, this is beautifully defined with subtle tobacco scents percolating through the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, harmonious and extra supple with great tension towards the finish. This is quintessential Margaux and a superb wine from winemaker José Sanfins."

See the data sheet

The 2016 vintage in the press:

J-M Quarin (May 2019): 94/100 “Minutious on the attack, then rich in the middle palate, very fruity, full and tasty, the wine evolves complete and noble towards a long, sappy and fresh finish. Superb”.

Vinous (N. Martin - June 2021): 95/100 "The 2016 Cantenac Brown seems to have grown aromatically since I last tasted it a few months ago. More complex than I remember, this offers a cornucopia of scents: Blackberry, briary, cedar and a lovely mintiness that recalls Palmer. The palate is silky smooth with great depth and delineation, satin-like, multi-layered, precocious black fruit laced with black pepper, tea leaves and cloves, all fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bon vin!"

See the technical sheet

The 2022 vintage in the press :

Vinous (N. Martin - January 2025): 93/100 "The 2022 Malescot Saint Exupéry has a delineated bouquet featuring crisp and airy blackberry, raspberry and light iris flower scents. It's quite Burgundian in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a gentle grip and slightly darker fruit than at primeur. Like the nose, it's mineral-driven with a dash of spice toward the finish. There is an endearing purity about this Margaux, and it should drink well for 15 to 20 years. This is very fine."

See the technical sheet

The 2021 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 95/100 “The 2021 is obviously a little softer, but it's not lacking in assets; the nose is open, floral, and the palate unfolds with great elegance. It offers a lovely suave tannin finish”.

Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 94/100 “The 2021 Malescot St. Exupéry is beautiful-a wine that isn't trying to be too much in this challenging vintage. Floral aromatics and silky tannins give this mid-weight edition of Malescot quite a bit of charm. All the elements are so nicely balanced. Crushed Flowers, dark red/purplish fruit, mint, spice and a dash of orange peel linger. This is nicely done.”

The 2018 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (November 2020): 96/100 “The nose imposes the wine's beautiful fullness, with notes of black fruits. This signature is repeated on the palate. The wine is fat, generous, but also civilized in the definition of its tannins. Very promising."

Vinous (A. Galloni - March 2021): 95/100 "The 2018 Malescot St. Exupéry is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel. Powerful and incisive, the 2018 is a driving, potent Margaux that dazzles from the first taste. Iron, smoke, new leather, licorice, pressed rose petal and cedar all open in the glass, conveying tremendous nuance and a ton of character."

The 2016 vintage in the press:

Vinous (N. Martin - September 2022): 95/100 "The 2016 Malescot St. Exupéry is fabulous. Powerful and explosive on the palate, the 2016 offers serious intensity, but it also appears to be holding back quite a bit of its potential. Moreover, what impresses me most is that in 2016, intensity is delivered more with finesse than with the brutish power that is such a signature of Malescot. Deep and resonant, but also remarkably polished, the 2016 Malescot is a winner. Hints of iron, smoke, cedar, tobacco and scorched earth add nuance, but it is the wine's sense of poise that is most remarkable. I loved it."

The 2015 vintage in the press:

Vinous (N. Martin - September 2022): 92/100 "The 2015 Malescot St. Exupéry has an elegant bouquet showcasing primarily red berry fruit (wild strawberry and raspberry), pencil shavings and light forest floor scents. Yhe palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, finely-tuned acidity, a little more black fruit than the nose and a granular texture. It gently builds in the glass and is harmonious, slightly Saint-Julien in style, towards the finish that displays a touch of black pepper. Very Fine."

See the technical sheet

The 2022 vintage in the press:

Vinous (A. Galloni - January 2025): 96/100 "The 2022 Durfort-Vivens is a heady, explosive wine. Ample and creamy, the 2022 is seriously impressive. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, a bit more Merlot than normal. That seems to have filled out the mid-palate, adding a level of juiciness that is quite complementary to the wine's underlying structure. Inky dark fruit, new leather, menthol, licorice and lavender build into a finish that is both opulent and virile. Ageing was 16 months, 70% in new oak and 30% in amphora."

The 2021 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 94/100 “The great 2021 wine is heavily marked by Cabernet Sauvignon (97%). It is therefore logically rather straight and taut, but with plenty of breed and definition, with notes of red fruit, licorice and spices.”

Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 95/100 “The Durfort-Vivens 2021 was magnificent, rich, dynamic and super-expressive. Above all, the 2021 is perfectly balanced. Black fruit, lavender, licorice, leather and clove burst from the glass. Today the 2021 is an infant. It needs time to shed some of its considerable tannin and for the acids to soften, although that might not ever fully happen.”

The 2019 vintage in the press:

Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024): 99/100

Vinous (N. Martin - September 2021): 93/100 “The 2019 Durfort-Vivens was matured in two-thirds new oak barrels and one-third in amphore. Plush on the nose with blueberry and violet scents, this is Margaux in style though much tighter than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine delineation and poise. It's pretty delineated towards the finish that shows more mineralité than previous vintages. There is an appealing linearity here, a trait that Gonzague Lurton seeks in this wines. Excellent.”

The 2016 vintage in the press:

Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2018): 93/100 "The 2016 Durfort-Vivens is gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure play off the natural intensity of the year beautifully. Blackberry, grilled herbs, licorice, leather and crème de cassis are all vividly sketched in this layered, expressive Margaux. Readers should expect a dark, exotic Margaux that stands a bit apart from the norm for the appellation."

The 2022 vintage in the press:

Vinous (A. Galloni - January 2025): 94/100 "The 2022 d'Issan is a potent, tightly wound wine. Gravel, incense, leather, licorice and plum fill out the layers. This deep, virile Margaux is in no mood to show its cards today. I expect it to be very slow to mature. There's a lot wine here. Powerful tannins dominate, wich is unuasual considering that Issan is often more charming at the outset. The 2022 needs time."

J.M Quarin (February 2025): 96/100 "Deep, intense, dark colour. Very aromatic nose, fine, with pure, ripe and subtle fruit. A touch of toast. Delicate on the entry, particularly aromatic in the middle, with a classy touch and a melting body, the wine advances gently towards a remarkable, complex and deep last third of the palate that grips the mouth with the multiplication of flavours and caresses it. It's incredible!"

The 2020 vintage in the press:

La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 96/100 “The 2020 is obviously more concentrated and profound, but also endowed with undeniable charm, with a very fine quality of tannins.”

Vinous (N.Martin - January 2024): 93/100 “The 2020 Château d'Issan has a gorgeous, perfumed, floral bouquet with mainly red berry fruit, rose petal and hints of violet. The palate is medium-bodied, very focused and linear, with fine tannins. It perhaps needs a little more density toward the finish. There is a little bitterness on the aftertaste, yet that just lends tension and nerve. Lovely. ”

La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2024): 96/100 “Very classic and very well structured, with admirable volume and all the elegance one expects from a Margaux”.

See the data sheet

The 2016 vintage in the press:

J-M Quarin (March 2020): 93/100 “Delicate and mellow on entry, delightful in the middle, finely pulpy and aromatic, the wine glides through the finish savory and long, on fine-grained tannicity.”

Vinous (N. Martin - January 2020): 94/100 "The 2016 d'Issan has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, violets, rose petal and light undergrowth aromas, displaying fine lift and great intensity. The medium-bodied palate offers fine-grained tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and vibrant, with a very harmonious, elegant and persistent finish. Excellent."

See the data sheet

The 2015 vintage in the press:

J-M Quarin (September 2023): 95/100 “Beautiful dark red, intense. Very aromatic nose, fine, fruity, pure, ripe. Minutious on the entry, particularly tasty in the middle, with a graceful bearing, the wine melts on the palate, juicy, fat, long and even deep. Bravo!”

Vinous (N. Martin - March 2021): 94/100 "The 2015 Château d'Issan has an intense bouquet, even more than the 2010 when juxtaposed side-by-side, with multilayered black fruit, bilberry and light marine scents and hints of wild heather that I did not notice three years ago. The palate is beautifully balanced with very supple, lithe tannins. There is more red fruit compared to the 2010, with a little more sapidity. In fact, I suspect on this showing that the d'Issan may ultimately edge ahead. This is very elegant and harmonious with an almost pixelated finish."

See the data sheet

The 2016 vintage in the press:

J-M Quarin (September 2023): 96/100 “Dark color, medium intensity and slightly evolved. Very aromatic, fruity and creamy on the nose. Soft on the palate, tasty in the middle, with class in the touch, the wine melts on the palate, deep, delicate, taut and tender at the same time. Great aromatic persistence, with a fine grain. Superb!"

Vinous (N. Martin - December 2018): 96/100 "The 2016 Brane-Cantenac has been on a roll of late, under the watchful eye of Henri Lurton. This latest bottled vintage is superb. The divine, pure blackberry and bilberry bouquet develops touches of graphite in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, silky-smooth texture and a superb bead of acidity. This is not a powerful Brane-Cantenac, and it is perhaps less austere than I suspected en primeur, but it should drink beautifully over the next three decades. If you have a penchant for traditional claret, it really doesn't come better than this."

See the data sheet

The 2014 vintage in the press:

Vinous (N. Martin - February 2024): 94/100 “The 2014 Brane-Cantenac has a frank, opulent bouquet of bright black fruits, with hints of meat juice, mint and potpourri. This is one of the most complex aromas in the Margaux cuvée. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, slightly spicy with a hint of black pepper. It develops on the palate, culminating in a structured, impressive finish. This wine should age well in bottle, it's splendid and one of the best values of this vintage.”

See the data sheet

Re-tasted 10 years later by the Revue du Vin de France and rated 18/20 "very seductive, with an intense palate, still marked by fresh fruit flavours".

See the data sheet

The 2010 vintage in the press:

Vinous (N. Martin - February 2020): 93/100 "The 2010 Brane-Cantenac is consistent with previous notes, although I observed an accentuated bell pepper scent on the nose. The palate is very well balanced, typically "classic" in style with quite rigid tannins indicating that this needs a few more years in bottle."

J-M Quarin (September 2023): 95/100 “Dark, intense, purple color, beautiful and slightly evolved. Nose very aromatic, fine, with pure, ripe fruit, evolving complex and noble with shaking of the glass. A touch of toast. Full-bodied on the palate, particularly aromatic in the middle, with a classy touch, the wine grows on the finish, fine, long, tender and tasty. Nevertheless, it retains a slightly lively touch (Cabernet franc?) ”

See the data sheet