On 14th March 2026, an exceptional wine dinner unfolded at PDR of Le Cirque restaurant, located within Hotel The Leela Palace in the heart of Delhi. Put together by Mukul Manku for members of his club ‘Wineglitz India – The Wine Club’, the evening featured both an excellently curated food menu and a distinguished flight of wines.
The Wine Flight
The evening began with François Dubois Reverence Brut Champagne, followed by Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Blanc, then Clarendelle Rouge – Inspired by Haut-Brion, and culminated befittingly with Château Kirwan, a Third Growth Grand Cru Classé from Margaux.
The event unfolded flawlessly, leaving guests thoroughly delighted both by the wines and the culinary experience. The recently reimagined and relaunched restaurant, Le Cirque, continues to retain its timeless charm, now complemented by a refreshingly renewed ambience that makes it an ideal setting for memorable wine evenings. In this post, Mukul reflects on the final wine of the evening – Château Kirwan.”
Chateau Kirwan
The Château Kirwan estate is located on the Cantenac Plateau in the Margaux appellation, on Bordeaux’s Left Bank. It is named after Mark Kirwan, an Irish merchant who settled in Bordeaux in the 18th century and acquired the estate. Men like him were known as the “Wine Geese” – Irish expatriates who left Ireland after the 17th-century upheavals and built successful wine trading careers in France.
Estate’s Flagship Wine
The King of the Wines that day was unmistakably the flagship wine of Château Kirwan, a Grand Cru Classé estate ranked as a Third Growth in the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification. The classic Bordeaux blend regaled everyone with its distinct notes of cassis, cedar, and subtle spice. It proved to be a perfect ending to a memorable wine dinner.
It all begins with soil
Geographically, Château Kirwan is bound by Atlantic Ocean on to its west and the Garonne River to its east. These two large water bodies provide a moderating effect to the climate, creating ideal growing conditions in the vineyards.
The estate’s soil, which has evolved over million of years primarily shaped by glacial movement and the shifting course of the Garonne, is mainly composed of deep gravel mixed with clay. In some places, the gravel reaches as deep as six metres – this forces the vine roots to dig far down in search of nutrients, creating natural “vine stress” – a key factor in producing concentrated, high-quality grapes.
A Classic Bordeaux Blend
The gravel present in the vineyards soil retains heat in daytime and releases it gradually during the night, allowing a slow and even ripening of grapes. This environment is perfectly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, which provides the structural backbone to the wine. The clay in the sub soil retains moisture, ensuring that the vines have access to water even in hot and dry seasons. Clay is also ideally suits Merlot, which brings softness and roundness to the blend and makes the wine more approachable.
Besides these two grapes there’s also Cabernet Franc in the blend which gives it an aromatic lift and then there’s Petit Verdot which adds to the deeper colour of the wine. All these four grape varietals blend harmoniously to give the exceptional wine which the guests savoured in the main course.
A Delectable Pairing
Château Kirwan paired wonderfully with the main course, where guests had a choice of three thoughtfully crafted dishes – Le Cirque Eggplant Parmigiana with Parmesan canolo and basil caviar, Spring Chicken Terrine & Corn Textures with popcorn and Perigueux jus, and Braised Lamb Shanks & Salmoriglio with broccolini and potato mousseline.
Each brought its own character to the table, but for me, the Braised Lamb Shanks & Salmoriglio offered the most harmonious pairing, beautifully complementing the wine’s structure, depth, and refined tannins.
On a Historical Note
Interestingly, Thomas Jefferson visited this estate in 1787 while serving as the American Minister to France.
Jefferson as we know was one of the founding fathers of America. He was also a passionate wine enthusiast and a very leaned one too. In his notes he recorded Château Kirwan among the finest wines of Bordeaux.
A Grand Cru Milestone
To sum up, what we had in our glasses that evening was a classic expression of Margaux – refined, structured, and layered with character. The evening also marked a special first for Wineglitz India, as we featured a Grand Cru Classé for the very first time. As I shared with the guests that night, this was only the beginning, and we could look forward to many more such exceptional wines in the times to come.
Author’s Note
A few months ago, I had the privilege of speaking with Mr Philippe Casteja, President of the 1855 Grand Cru Classé Council, at the Embassy of France New Delhi. He remarked that the Indian market is already ready for premium Grand Cru Classé wines from Bordeaux – what it needs is greater visibility and availability.
That insight came alive at this dinner, where Chateau Kirwan, a Third Growth Grand Cru Classé, proved to be the evening’s key draw despite its premium price point.
So that was my experience that day with this wonderful wine from Bordeaux, hope you liked reading about it. Till next time it’s Cheers !!
Mukul Manku President Wineglitz India
Nice post