Alcohol %: 13.5% (2015 vintage)
Grape Variety: 74% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon (2015 vintage)
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Type: Red Wine — Médoc AOC, Bordeaux, France
Food Pairing
- Roast lamb
- Grilled or roast beef
- Ribeye steak
- Beef bourguignon
- Duck confit
- Roast pork
- Veal
- Venison and other game
- Mushroom risotto
- Roasted root vegetables
- Charcuterie
- Mature cheeses such as Gruyère and Comté
These pairings suit the wine's combination of ripe dark fruit, structured tannins and Bordeaux savoury character; roast lamb, beef, game and mushroom dishes are particularly appropriate.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Deep ruby to dark garnet red, showing the concentrated colour typical of the 2015 vintage. With bottle age, the rim may now display the first signs of mature garnet or brick-red development. Guide Hachette specifically describes the 2015 as having a deep red colour.
Aroma: Expressive and concentrated, led by blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and ripe red berries, with additional notes of black cherry and raspberry. Cedar, graphite, tobacco, liquorice and dark spice provide classic Médoc complexity, while oak ageing contributes nuances of vanilla, coffee and smoke. With maturity, more developed notes of tea and woodland character can emerge.
Palate: Medium- to full-bodied, rich and structured, with generous dark and red fruit supported by fresh acidity and substantial but increasingly integrated tannins. Blackberry, blackcurrant and plum are complemented by cedar, graphite, liquorice and oak-derived spice. The finish is clean and persistent, combining Médoc structure with the softer, fleshy texture contributed by the high proportion of Merlot.
Description
Château Les Grands Chênes 2015 is a Médoc AOC red Bordeaux produced at Château Les Grands Chênes in Saint-Christoly-Médoc, on the Left Bank of Bordeaux's Gironde estuary. The estate is associated with Bordeaux proprietor Bernard Magrez, whose portfolio also includes Château Pape Clément and Château La Tour Carnet.
The 2015 wine is composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, an unusually Merlot-dominant blend for the Médoc. This gives the wine generous, rounded fruit while Cabernet Sauvignon contributes structure and classic Médoc character. The vineyards are situated on gravel-rich soils near the Gironde estuary, an environment well suited to Bordeaux's traditional red varieties.
The wine combines blackberry, blackcurrant, plum and ripe red-berry fruit with more savoury notes of cedar, graphite, tea, tobacco, liquorice and spice. Its palate is substantial and structured, with good fruit concentration, fresh acidity and firm tannins that have softened with bottle development.
The 2015 Bordeaux vintage was highly successful, and Château Les Grands Chênes received strong critical assessments. Wine Enthusiast rated it 92 points, describing its combination of richness, acidity and blackcurrant freshness, while James Suckling rated it 91 points.
