Château Gruaud Larose 1996

Tasting Notes and Recommendations for Château Gruaud Larose 1996

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a ruby-red hue with tawny highlights, reflecting its evolution after nearly three decades in bottle.

Nose

The bouquet reveals fine aromatic complexity, with notes of black fruits (blackcurrant, blueberry), alongside nuances of licorice and grilled herbs. Hints of incense and tobacco add an elegant tertiary dimension, while aromas of cedar and truffle enrich the overall profile.

Palate

The attack is lively and fresh, unfolding into a concentrated mid-palate with flavors of ripe black fruit. The tannins, now fully integrated, give way to a silky, refined texture. The finish reveals aromas of blackcurrant and earth, with a pleasing length marked by smoky and spicy notes.

Food and Wine Pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted red meats, notably beef served with a Bordeaux-style sauce. It also elevates dishes made with duck, game, or lamb. Mushroom-based dishes and aged cheeses also make excellent pairings.

Serving and Cellaring

Château Gruaud Larose 1996 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature of 15.5 to 18°C. Light decanting may be considered primarily to remove any sediment, while avoiding excessive aeration that could alter the aromas.

An Elegant and Refined Saint-Julien from the 1996 Vintage

The Estate

Founded in 1725, Château Gruaud Larose is among the Second Growths of the 1855 Classification in the Saint-Julien appellation, in the Médoc. Its 82-hectare vineyard, virtually in a single block and made up of the same plots as in 1855, gives pride of place to Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), complemented by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The Merlaut family, through the Taillan group, has owned the estate since 1997 under the leadership of Jean Merlaut. The estate obtained Organic Farming certification in August 2022.

The Vineyard

Château Gruaud Larose’s vineyard occupies a privileged position on the Saint-Julien plateau, one of the Médoc’s most prestigious terroirs. The soils are made up of deep Quaternary gravels, deposited more than 600,000 years ago, resting on layers of clay and limestone. This distinctive geological composition, enriched with quartz and sand, ensures optimal drainage while giving the wine its characteristic mineral complexity. The vineyard’s higher elevation promotes ideal sun exposure and benefits from cool breezes that preserve the balance of the grapes during ripening.

The Vintage

The year 1996 proved particularly favorable for Bordeaux Left Bank wines. After an exceptionally mild winter and a cool spring leading to late budbreak, flowering took place quickly at the end of May. June and July saw high temperatures with stormy episodes, followed by a relatively cool, rainy August. September, crucial for ripening, enjoyed generous sunshine between showers, encouraging optimal photosynthesis. Moderate temperatures helped preserve the grapes’ natural acidity, ensuring structure and aging potential in the wines produced.

Vinification and Aging

The grapes for Château Gruaud Larose 1996 were hand-harvested and then carefully sorted. Vinification took place in wooden and concrete vats, with temperature-controlled fermentation maintained between 31 and 33°C. Maceration lasted between 21 and 35 days to extract tannins and aromas harmoniously. Malolactic fermentation was carried out partly in barrels (40%) and in cement vats. Aging then continued for 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which were new, medium-toast barrels, allowing the wine to develop complexity without masking the fruit.

Grape varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon (64%)
Merlot (26%)
Cabernet Franc (7%)
Petit Verdot (3%)