Fortunate to compare Left Bank red Bordeaux horizontals of 1990 and 1996 on consecutive evenings. Two excellent vintages with the 1990 displaying continued variable development at 35 years of age as posted here on October 27.
The vintage twin 1995 (both large crops) achieved wonderful ripening Merlot but in 1996 September/October provided excellent weather allowing superb ripening of the later picked Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps 1996 can be compared to 1986. On October 21, 2025 the Vancouver Group of Eight held Event #136 at Blue Water Cafe featuring nine top 1996 Left Bank red Bordeaux approaching 30 years of age. Delighted to have with us again for this event Nicolas Glumineau, Directeur General of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
We commenced with 2002 PLOYEZ-JACQUEMART LIESSE D’HARBONVILLE BRUT CHAMPAGNE a magnificent long lees aging of 17+ years complex structured beauty. From this outstanding Champagne vintage they utilized primary fermentation in used oak casks with no malo resulting in outstanding fresh balance.
The final wine was 2001 CHATEAU DOISY-VEDRINES BARSAC well paired with roasted pear and nuts plus honey. Great year in Sauternes harvested September 27 to October 30 fermented in 60% new oak providing ginger marmalade with quince notes plus refreshing acidity.
The nine 1996 Left Bank red Bordeaux in two flights with a few comments:
1996 CHÂTEAU BRANAIRE-DUCRU, SAINT-JULIEN: Fourth Growth has the lightest edge with open floral herbal notes. Not a classic St. Julien bouquet. This bottle is quite leafy as if the Cab Sauv could have been picked later. Drink currently. Not the best bottle. Prefer the 2000.
1996 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER, PESSAC-LÉOGNAN: Similar grape blend with majority 65% Cab Sauv but darker with lovely tertiary sweet tobacco highlights. A tad coarse and less refined but enjoyable drinking. Often surprised by the longer aging ability of these older wines tasted at the property with Olivier Bernard. Prefer the subtle more textured integrated tannins this century under Stephane Derenoncourt consulting and consistency now with Diam closures. Shows better with the delicious two way duck course.
1996 CHÂTEAU PALMER, MARGAUX: Amber rim with a rather earthy vegetal nose. Missing the usual dramatic complex flowery bouquet with elegant finesse. Seems big and reluctant here with the 55CS/40M/5PV blend. More difficult appellation for them in 1996 with earlier picked Merlot than further north on the Left Bank for later picked Cab Sauv. Some 5% Petit Verdot but not the large amounts as in the three classics of 1970 and 1966 at 16% and the legendary 1961 at 13%. 1996 not my favourite Palmer – prefer the exciting 1989.
1996 CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE, SAINT-JULIEN: Darkest but a bit dank and mushroomy initially. Cleared somewhat for some of that signature cedar cigar statement but not singing. It does have jammy ripe full bodied fruit. Your scribe has had better cleaner bottles. Opened as aired and warmed. Slightly disappointing underwhelming First Flight.
1996 CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE-LAS CASES, SAINT-JULIEN: Very dark with dense concentrated perfect fruit. Impressive indeed. Still so young but structured with a great future ahead of it. Admire the cassis cigar box textbook St. Julien exploding definition! No Petit Verdot (compared to 7% in 1990) but pure 70CS/14M/16CF blend. Backward but amazing top quality shows through. Powerful yet classic. One of their all time best. Cellar this treasure. My fav.
1996 CHÂTEAU D’ISSAN, MARGAUX: Deep with a paler edge with big ripe fruit is less Margaux-like from 75/25 CS/M for this Third Growth. In very tough company but shows well. Prefer over Palmer in this vintage. Nicolas Glumineau found “red strawberry fruits but the Cab Sauv is not quite ripe”.
1996 CHÂTEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE, PAUILLAC: Deep dark super fruit that had been tight early on is now opening near 30 years. 75CS/15M/5CF/5PV and only 50% crop selection added into the Grand Vin. The 1995 is also outstanding. Wonderful mocha espresso cedar is drinking beautifully tonight. Ian Mottershead admired “both power & finesse”. Nicolas stated “noble & elegant – more in the style I am producing today.” His favourites in this tasting were “Pichon & LLC in different styles”. A keen music lover, he suggests listening to “Beethoven’s 7th Symphony” for a heightened sensory experience. I really like his Led Zeppelin No Quarter recommendation for 2010. A celebratory congratulatory salute to May de Lencquesaing for this great wine!
1996 CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD, PAUILLAC: Good dark colour but less of the attractive big cedar cigar Mouton bouquet. Like the Gu Gan “Modern Calligraphy” heart label. 77CS/13M/10CF was picked September 27 to October 9. A little atypical tending to a more California-like eucalyptus menthol mint nose. Forwardly opulent smooth and round but 1995 is fuller bodied.. Less weight than expected but delicious now. Nicolas said “tannins but not as good as PL & LLC though improved in the glass in a mellow forward manner.”
1996 CHÂTEAU HAUT-BRION, PESSAC-LEOGNAN: Deep dark again with strict clean grape selection obviously for 50M/39CS/11CF blend and 60% chosen for the Grand Vin. More Merlot with excellent balance this is clearly the most elegant of the nine wines. Prefer their 1995 – but of course the legendary 1989! Admire the wonderful balance here. Nicolas commented “so elegant!”. Some of his fav wines beside Pichon Comtesse include “like Haut-Brion, Trotanoy, Figeac, and Lafite – when it is good.”
All five wines in this second flight are very good indeed and sublime served with the local partridge. Lower alcohols at only 12.5/13 abv. provides cooler fruit. They are young and still very fresh at nearly 30 years of age – with developing complexity. Shows the great quality wines that Bordeaux is capable of producing. Congrats.
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