Château Kirwan unveils its first white wine: Blanc de Kirwan 2023

After more than two centuries devoted to crafting great reds in Margaux, Château Kirwan opens a new chapter with the release of its very first white wine: Blanc de Kirwan 2023. This 100% Chardonnay, produced from a one-hectare plot planted in 2021 in the heart of the Médoc, marks a bold yet thoughtful evolution for the estate, classified Grand Cru in 1855.

A long-held passion turned into reality

At Château Kirwan, the idea of a white wine is far from new. For years, the estate’s meals have begun with great Bourgogne whites, a cherished ritual for Philippe Delfaut, Managing Director, whose admiration for the finesse and tension of Chardonnay from Bourgogne inspired this project. From that passion came the ambition to craft, on Margaux soil, a white wine that embodies Médoc elegance infused with Burgundian savoir-faire. The first harvest took place on 22 August 2023, under weather conditions perfectly suited to preserving freshness and aromatic maturity.

“Burgundian-inspired” winemaking

For this inaugural vintage, the Kirwan team sought the expertise of Audrey Braccini, then winemaker at Domaine J.A. Ferret in Pouilly-Fuissé. Fermentation took place in Cadus barrels, 20% new and 80% previously used for Bourgogne Chardonnay. A partial malolactic fermentation preserved the wine’s precision and vibrancy, while twelve months of ageing on lees with bâtonnage added depth and texture. The finishing touch came with four months in Tava terracotta amphorae, enhancing purity and minerality. Bottling took place in January 2025.

A refined and confidential white

At tasting, Blanc de Kirwan 2023 reveals a pale yellow hue with green highlights. The nose is fine and expressive, offering notes of white flowers, pear and citrus, enhanced by subtle brioché and buttery undertones. On the palate, tension, roundness, richness, energy and volume come together in perfect harmony, supported by a precise acidity and a long, lingering finish.
Produced in very limited quantities (between 2,000 and 3,000 bottles depending on the vintage), this first white wine from Kirwan is conceived as a confidential cuvée, crafted for enthusiasts of the estate and the Margaux terroir, as well as for those seeking a renewed, contemporary expression of Bordeaux whites.