Château Giscours — Hotel in Lesparre-Médoc

Château Giscours was our second wine tasting of the day on the Left Bank, and it was a fantastic visit. The estate's grounds are extensive, encompassing over 400 hectares, though only about half of that area is dedicated to vines. The rest of the property supports the château's farm, which will eventually supply the hotel and restaurant currently under construction in the original château.

Our guide, Michael Sanders, was both entertaining and knowledgeable, having worked at the winery for over a decade. Some highlights of the tour included their gravity-fed processing system and the circa 1950s cement containers used in their winemaking process. These mid-century tanks are slated for replacement with updated cement containers once the restaurant and hotel renovations are complete. However, if you visit before the upgrades are finished, this glimpse into winemaking history is well worth seeing.

Michael guided us through a vertical tasting of two Grand Cru Classé wines and an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine. The wines were excellent, showcasing classic Left Bank hallmarks with a surprising brightness for their age. The tasting highlighted the depth and balance characteristic of this region’s wines.

As an added surprise, Michael revealed another talent—he’s a practicing magician! We weren’t aware of it beforehand, but Château Giscours offers a magic-based wine-tasting experience led by Michael. While we didn’t book this unique option, Michael treated us to several magic tricks since it was a quiet day. This unexpected twist added a layer of fun and novelty to our visit, making it one of the most memorable tastings we’ve ever had. The combination of wine and magic, despite what may seem to be an ostensible incongruity, worked surprisingly well to enhance the overall experience.

The entire experience lasted nearly two hours and was thoroughly enjoyable. One other noteworthy aspect: we visited during the off-season and had difficulty finding a taxi afterward. Michael went above and beyond, calling a contact he had at a local cab company to ensure we made our train back to Bordeaux. This exceptional customer service may well have saved us from scrambling for last-minute lodging in the French countryside—a gesture we deeply appreciated.

Château Giscours offers a combination of history, hospitality, and unique touches like Michael’s magic, that make it well...

Our stay at the Château Giscours was amazing. We keep such a great memory of it. Thank you to all the Château staff and especially Anna for her warm welcome, her professionalism during the visit and the wine testing and her overall kindness. She has been very helpful, able to switch from French to English when necessary and sharing a lot about her knowledge. ||The view over the vineyards from the bedroom makes you feel very special. The luxury-rustic style room is spacious, comfortable with all commodities. The breakfast was unbelievable, fresh and generous. ||Château Giscours is located in Margaux appellation and is located in a very quiet place.||Definitely a...

Our stay at the Château Giscours was amazing. We keep such a great memory of it. Thank you to all the Château staff and especially Anna for her warm welcome, her professionalism during the visit and the wine testing and her overall kindness. She has been very helpful, able to switch from French to English when necessary and sharing a lot about her knowledge. ||The view over the vineyards from the bedroom makes you feel very special. The luxury-rustic style room is spacious, comfortable with all commodities. The breakfast was unbelievable, fresh and generous. ||Château Giscours is located in Margaux appellation and is located in a very quiet place.||Definitely a...