Château Kirwan is a historic Third Growth (Troisième Cru Classé) estate in Margaux, known for producing wines that balance aromatic elegance with structured, age‑worthy depth. Founded in the 18th century and elevated by the Kirwan family’s Irish merchant roots, the estate has been shaped in recent decades by the Schröder & Schÿler family, who modernized both vineyard and cellar.
The 40‑hectare vineyard sits on classic deep gravel soils, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, which forms the backbone of the blend alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Recent investments—especially a major renovation completed in 2016—have elevated precision and consistency, giving Kirwan a reputation for polished tannins, vibrant fruit, and refined Margaux perfume.
Château Kirwan 2019 displays a pleasant garnet color. Enchanting aromas of red and black berries come out in the nose, heightened by spicy undertones. The bouquet stands out for its fresh and pure character. In the mouth, the attack is fresh, with pleasant acidity delivering a tinge of menthol. The wine gradually grows in intensity as the palate reveals the fruity aromas, the tannins and the distinctive personality fashioned through maturation. The palate is equally dynamic and soft, carried by beautiful and well matured tannins. This Château Kirwan is very elegant, a remarkable illustration of the Margaux appellation, showing a juicy and aromatic finale. A true delicacy.
Blend: 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 1% Carménère
97 Wine Enthusiasts With its new cellars, the estate is performing at top speed and this vintage keeps up the fine track record. Firm tannins and beautifully perfumed fruit are blending together to give a wine that has style as well as structured fruitiness, with all the elegance of great Margaux. Think long-term aging for this wine. Barrel Sample: 95-97
94 James Suckling Blackcurrants with bark, cedar and dried flowers coming through in the nose. Full-bodied with integrated tannins and a long, linear finish. Racy and refined. Sophisticated.
94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 Kirwan comes prancing out of the glass with beguiling scents of rose petals, Morello cherries, boysenberries and warm cassis plus nuances of pencil shavings, wild sage and lavender. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly textured with invigorating red berry and floral-laced flavors lifting the black fruits, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Impressively crafted! Range: (92-94)
93 Decanter Careful extraction of the sappy, and enjoyably structured, blackcurrant and blackberry fruits. This is a quality Kirwan that, as with last year, is a fairly serious take on the vintage within the appellation. An earthy, smoked cedar note comes out as the structure relaxes, and there is a lot to enjoy in this wine, which is certain to power through the decades. Blend completed with 6% Petit Verdot and for the first time 1% Carmanère. Barrel Sample: 93
93 Falstaff Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Fresh sweet red cherries, notes of cassis and vanilla, inviting bouquet. Juicy, freshly structured, red berry notes, fine tannins, a hint of nougat on the fresh and mineral finish, a lively food wine.
92 Wine Spectator Lets very dark plum sauce, cassis and boysenberry preserve flavors unfurl over silky tannins, with black tea and a light sanguine hint infusing the finish. What you see is what you get—and it's delicious. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère.
92 Jeb Dunnuck Redcurrants, Bing cherry, graphite, licorice, violet, and flowery incense notes all define the bouquet of the 2019 Chateau Kirwan, a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated Margaux that has a pretty, elegant, juicy style. It doesn't have the density of the top wines in the appellation, yet it's certainly nicely balanced, has supple tannins, and nicely integrated acidity, all making for a beautifully polished, elegant 2019 to drink over the coming 20 years or so.
