Château Kirwan
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Château Kirwan is a 3ème Grand Cru Classé in Margaux, owned by the Schÿler family. It is renowned for its rich history and its 37-hectare vineyard planted predominantly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot on gravel soils.
Identity
Château Kirwan is a 3ème Grand Cru Classé in Margaux, located in the commune of Cantenac. The estate is owned by the Schÿler family. General management is overseen by Philippe Delfaut, while Stanislas Thierry is the Communications and Business Development Director. The estate's consulting oenologist is Éric Boissenot.
History and philosophy
The current estate traces its roots back to the mid-18th century. In 1751, Sir John Collingwood acquired the property, which was subsequently taken over by Mark Kirwan around 1760. In 1775, the estate was renamed Château Kirwan, after its Irish owner. Thomas Jefferson, during his travels in France in 1787, praised the estate as a second-tier grand cru.
Château Kirwan was ranked Troisième Cru Classé in the 1855 classification of Médoc wines. After a period when the Kirwan family parted with the property in 1827, Jean-Pierre Godard acquired it in 1855, and Camille Godard contributed to the expansion of the vineyard. The Schÿler family, wine merchants established in Bordeaux since 1739, purchased the château in 1925.
Jean-Henri Schÿler, representing the family's seventh generation, launched a vineyard replanting programme between 1955 and 1967. In March 2017, a new cellar was inaugurated at Château Kirwan. The estate has achieved HVE certification.
Appellations
Château Kirwan produces wines under the Margaux appellation.
Practical information
Château Kirwan is located at Chemin de Kirwan, 33460 Margaux-Cantenac. The estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 5 57 88 71 00 or by email at mail@chateau-kirwan.com. Languages spoken at the estate are French, English and Spanish. Audio guides are available in French, German, English and Chinese. The estate welcomes groups (from 9 to 150 people) and pets. Direct cellar-door sales are available, as well as mail order. Catering services are also on offer.
The cellar opening hours, from 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2026, are Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 17:30.
Find out more
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary appellation of Château Kirwan and where is it located?
- Château Kirwan is a 3ème Grand Cru Classé in Margaux. It is located in the commune of Margaux-Cantenac, at Chemin de Kirwan, 33460 Margaux-Cantenac. Its primary appellation is Margaux.
- Who owns Château Kirwan and what is its history?
- Château Kirwan is owned by the Schÿler family, wine merchants established in Bordeaux since 1739. The estate's history dates back to the mid-18th century, with successive owners including Sir John Collingwood and Mark Kirwan. The estate was ranked Troisième Cru Classé in 1855, and the Schÿler family acquired it in 1925.
- Which grape varieties are grown and what are the terroir characteristics at Château Kirwan?
- The 37-hectare vineyard is predominantly planted with red grape varieties: 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. One hectare is dedicated to Chardonnay. The soils consist of Pyrenean gravel on the Cantenac plateau and sandy-gravel soils over a clay subsoil.
- Does Château Kirwan offer tours and visitor facilities?
- Yes, Château Kirwan offers tours and welcomes groups (from 9 to 150 people) as well as pets. Cellar-door and mail-order sales are available, and catering services are provided. Staff speak French, English and Spanish, and audio guides are available in several languages. The new cellar was inaugurated in March 2017.
The vineyard (terroir)
The vineyard of Château Kirwan spans approximately 37 hectares. It is predominantly planted with red grape varieties, alongside approximately 1 hectare dedicated to white grape varieties. The average age of the vines is around 30 years. The soils consist of ancient gravels, featuring Pyrenean gravel on the Cantenac plateau and sandy-gravel soils over a clay subsoil.
The estate's grape varieties for reds comprise 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot, along with 1% Carménère. The white grape variety grown is 100% Chardonnay. Harvesting is carried out by hand.
Flagship cuvées
The estate's principal cuvée is Château Kirwan. The second wine of the estate is Les Charmes de Kirwan.
Vinification and ageing
Ageing takes place over a period of 18 to 21 months, using oak barrels of which 50% are new.
- Appellation
- Margaux
- Commune
- Margaux-Cantenac
- Wine region
- Médoc
- Classification
- 3e Cru Classé 1855
- Owner
- Famille Schÿler
- Technical direction
- Éric Boissenot
- Surface area
- 37 ha
- Second wine
- Les Charmes de Kirwan
- Certifications
- HVE
- Grape varieties
- Cabernet Sauvignon 47%, Merlot 34%, Cabernet Franc 10%, Petit Verdot 8%, Carménère 1%, Chardonnay 1%
Estate news
04 August 2026
Objectif éclipse solaire. « C'est le summum, deux ans que je la prépare ! » : un Girondin en mission en Espagne
Yann Schÿler, négociant en vins bordelais et passionné de photographie, s'apprête à immortaliser l'éclipse solaire du mercredi 12 août en Espagne. Copropriétaire du château Kirwan, un 3e cru classé de Margaux, il a choisi une zone viticole désertique dans le Duero, en Espagne, pour installer son matériel photographique sur le toit d'une cave de fournisseur. Il a minutieusement préparé cette mission pendant deux ans, ciblant un endroit avec seulement 10% de probabilité de nuages. L'éclipse, qui durera une heure et cinquante minutes avec une phase de totalité de quatre-vingt-seize secondes, permettra d'observer le Soleil se coucher en croissant éclipsé. Yann Schÿler, également consul honoraire de Suède, de Norvège et du Danemark, a déjà capturé divers phénomènes naturels comme des éruptions du Stromboli, des aurores boréales (notamment au-dessus de son château Kirwan en octobre 2024 lors de la plus forte tempête solaire des 20 dernières années), et la comète Tsuchinshan-Atlas au-dessus du château Kirwan en 2024. Il surveille activement les prévisions astronomiques pour anticiper ces événements. L'article mentionne également qu'une éclipse solaire de 1999, vécue sous un ciel nuageux à Verdun, l'avait laissé insatisfait, renforçant sa détermination pour celle de 2026. Yann Schÿler espère photographier la chromosphère et potentiellement des protubérances solaires. Le rendez-vous est donné pour le 12 août au soir où il tentera de capter la Lune et le reste du Soleil.
Read the source — sudouest.frPractical information
- Address
- Chemin de Kirwan Cantenac, 33460 MARGAUX-CANTENAC
- Phone
- +33557887100
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Opening hours
- lun 09:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30; mar 09:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30; mer 09:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30; jeu 09:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30; ven 09:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30; sam 09:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30
- Visits
- Non