The 2001 Kirwan is nearly as good as their splendid 2000. A dense purple color is accompanied by a bouquet of barbecue smoke, graphite, black cherries, creme de cassis, and a hint of espresso. Full-bodied and layered, with outstanding richness, purity, and sweetness on the palate, this firmly structured, well-delineated, impressively made, full throttle effort should hit its peak in 2-3 years, and last for 12-15. It will be one of the longest lived of the 2001 Medocs.

To call Kirwan a rising star is no longer true, since this property, owned by the Schyler family, and with Michel Rolland as consultant, is now firmly back in its right quality place among classed growths. It is modern in style, as is expected, but the dark, black currant, extracted fruits, new wood and structure don’t detract from its elegance. ——R.V.(6/1/2005)—— 94