Chateau Kirwan 2010 Margaux Bordeaux Wine Review (3rd Growth)

Описание: Chateau Kirwan is one of fourteen 3rd growth wines in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification System.

In 1710, the vineyard was bought by Sir John Collingwood. His daughter married Mark Kirwan after their marriage, the property was named after the Kirwans.

Mark Kirwan passed away in 1815 and the estate was passed to Camille Godard, the future Mayor of Bordeaux. In 1882 Godard gifted Chateau Kirwan to the city of Bordeaux. However, the city did not want to manage a vineyard so in 1902, they signed an agreement with the negociant company, Schyler, and Schroder to produce the wine and manage the estate. In 1907, the city of Bordeaux sold Chateau Kirwan to another negociant, Georges Guestier, who eventually sold the vineyard to Schroder and Schyler in 1925. Schroder and Schyler continue to own and manage Chateau Kirwan.

Chateau Kirwan is a 40 hectare vineyard planted to 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. I believe the winery intends to increase the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and decrease the amount of Cabernet Franc over time. Chateau Kirwan is essentially the same size as it was at the time of the 1855 Classification of the Medoc.

The terroir of Chateau Kirwan is gravel, sand, and limestone soils. The terroir of Chateau Kirwan is located on one of the highest points in the Margaux appellation with their peak elevation being in the Cantenac sector that reaches 21 meters at its high point. On average, the vines are close to 30 years of age but some old vines are closer to 60 years of age. The vineyard can be divided into 46 separate parcels.

In 2016 Chateau Kirwan completed a renovation of its wine-making facilities. they replaced their old stainless steel vats with 37 new, cement, tulip-shaped vats that vary in size from 40 to 50 hectoliters that allow for a parcel by parcel vinification. At Chateau Kirwan, they prefer co-inoculation in the fermentation process, which means that both the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place at the same time in vats. The wine is aged in an average of 40% new, French oak barrels for between 18 to 20 months, depending on the character of the vintage before bottling

For the 2010 vintage, the blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. About 14,500 cases of wine is produced each year.

For more information about the winery, please see their website at https://www.chateau-kirwan.com/en/vin...