Château Kirwan 2021, Margaux 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux

Château Kirwan is the grand vin of this historic Third Growth estate in Cantenac, classified in 1855 and owned by the Schÿler family since 1925. The grapes come from around 37 hectares of deep gravel soils, picked by hand into small crates, sorted twice and vinified plot by plot. The blend is led by Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and the wine is aged for 18 to 21 months in French oak barrels, roughly a third to 40% new.

In the glass, Château Kirwan Margaux shows the perfumed, elegant side of the appellation. Expect ripe cassis and black cherry on the nose, lifted by violet and floral notes, with hints of cedar and gentle spice from the oak. The palate is full bodied yet refined, with polished, fine-grained tannins and a long, fresh finish.

This is a classic match for roast rack of lamb, beef Wellington, venison or a well-hung rib of beef, and it works nicely with hard cheeses such as aged Comté. Serve at 16–18°C and decant for an hour or so when young. Château Kirwan has the structure to age gracefully: it drinks well from around eight years after the vintage and good years will keep for 15–20 years or more.

Château Kirwan sits in the village of Cantenac, within the Margaux appellation, and was ranked a Third Growth (3ème Cru Classé) in the 1855 Classification. The estate carries an Irish name: Mark Kirwan, from Galway, married into the family of the English wine shipper Sir John Collingwood in the 18th century, built the château and gave the property his name. Thomas Jefferson visited in 1787. Since 1925 Kirwan has belonged to the Schÿler family, who still run it today. The vineyard covers about 37 hectares of deep gravel on one of the high points of Cantenac, hand harvested and vinified plot by plot. Under consultant Eric Boissenot the style has moved towards finesse, freshness and purity of fruit.