Château Kirwan

Encountering Chateau Kirwan is initially a visual experience. Its vineyard overlooks the Margaux appellation area from the plateau of Cantenac. Its lines stretch off into the distance behind the chateau until all the eye can see is an endless 37-hectare (91-acre) expanse of gravel and clay.

The new cellar is a work of art conceived by Kinga and Anatoly Stolnikoff that contrasts pairings and disparities. Its monumental entrance features a sculpted steel arabesque entitled “Noah’s vine”. It leads to a modern, breathtakingly vast nave-like hall that towers above and joins the original buildings, housing the vathouse and cellars.

As you gradually get used to the soaring dimensions, you cannot fail to notice the strikingly horizontal lines of barrels and the contrastingly vertical metal pillars, which like trees, reach up and support the roof panels of this pagan temple, built to celebrate the craft of winemaking. In the vathouse, the thirty-seven tulip-shaped receptacles, made of lustreless concrete and designed to meet the requirements of each vineyard parcel, display fascinating sobriety. Their sensuous curves invite the eye to ogle.

The central purpose that determines everything at Château Kirwan, is of course making wine. Having benefited from a year of care and attention in the vineyard, every vintage is a revelation ranging between impatience and hope.

Kirwan also has its distinctive two-hectare (5-acre) park, which is a mosaic of colour and tell-tale odours. Designed in the 19th century by Camille Godard it is bordered by the waterways connecting to its pond and fine perimeter railings. It generates a range of subtle, yet familiar smells. The soft notes of citrus from the mandarin trees at the entrance and the smell of freshly cut grass prepare the way for the headier odours of white lily and lavender.

Visitors can enjoy a tour of Château Kirwan which will introduce them to the world of a family that has been involved in Bordeaux wine production and trade for eight generations. It is a genuinely warm, private world, but also very prestigious, being a Third Classed Growth of Margaux. The tour includes a presentation of the terroir and vineyard operations, the history of the estate and family, explanation of the different steps in winemaking and ageing and a helicopter visit of the vineyard is available by reservation only.

Because a tasting with commentary is a great way to understand the volume and complexity of work involved in producing Château Kirwan wines, several wine tasting options are available. After your session, you can also buy a bottle or two in the boutique.