Chateau Larmande St. Emilion Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau Larmande St. Emilion with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Larmande History, Overview

Chateau Larmande has a long history in the Bordeaux region. In fact, Chateau Larmande is one of the oldest estates in Saint Emilion. Documents exist that help date this Right Bank property all the way back to 1585!

Jumping ahead to the modern era, during the early 1900’s Chateau Larmande was purchased by the Capdemourlin and Meneret families. If the name of Capdemourlin sounds familiar, they also own the Saint Emilion estate of the name, Chateau Cap de Mourlin.

Eventually, Alice Capdemourlin married Fernand Meneret. The couples descendants managed Chateau Larmande until 1990, when it was purchased by a French insurance company, La Mondiale. La Mondiale also owns Chateau Soutard, Chateau Petit Faurie deSoutard and Chateau Grand Faurie la Rose, all of which are located in the appellation of Saint Emilion.

With the ability to invest the much-needed funds in the property for renovations and modernization, La Mondiale also increased the size of the vineyards with additional purchases. The estate was managed by Claire Thomas-Chenard until 2014. Michel Rolland remained their consultant until the estate brought in Thomas Duclos.

Chateau Larmande Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 27-hectare, Right Bank, St. Emilion vineyard of Chateau Larmande is planted to 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The terroir is sand, clay, and limestone soils.

Most of the vines are located close to the chateau. The remainder of their vineyards is not situated in the same location. Some are up to 6 kilometers away. Their best vines are probably those that are planted close to Chateau Soutard.

Out of their 27 hectares of vines, only 20 are classified as Grand Cru Classe. The remaining 7 hectares are used to produce Le Cadet de Larmande. On average, the vines are 30 years of age. However, they have very old vines. Some of their Cabernet Franc vines are more than 100 years old, making them among the oldest vines in the entire Saint Emilion appellation. The vineyard of Chateau Larmande is planted to a vine density of 6,000 vines per hectare.

The wine of Chateau Larmande is vinified in 16 temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats that range in size from 74 hectoliters up to 136 hectolitres. The wine is aged in 60% new, French oak barrels for close to 18 months. The exact amount of time varies, depending on the vintage.

The best vintages of Chateau Larmande are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009 and 2005.It should be noted that starting with 2018, Chateau Larmande began producing much better wine.

The average annual production of Larmande hovers at close to 9,000 cases per year. There is a second wine, Le Cadet de Larmande.

When to Drink Chateau Larmande, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Larmande needs some time before it can be enjoyed. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 1 hour or more. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Larmande is usually better with at least 5-7 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Larmande offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 5-17 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Larmande with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau Larmande is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Larmande is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Larmande is also good when matched with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

www.chateau-soutard.com

Château Larmande Wine Tasting Notes

17 Vintages 69,322 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating

2022
92
The nose reminds me of cooking a black raspberry crumble with butter and black cherries. The palate is packed with black cherries, red pit fruits, licorice, and chocolate. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, and salty with lift and energy in the finish. Drink from 2025-2040. 91-93 Pts.

The nose reminds me of cooking a black raspberry crumble with butter and black cherries. The palate is packed with black cherries, red pit fruits, licorice, and chocolate. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, and salty with lift and energy in the finish. Drink from 2025-2040. 91-93 Pts.

2,027 Views   Tasted
2021
90
Dried flowers, red fruits, licorice, and spice create the nose and palate. The wine is soft, forward, medium-bodied, with a core of bright, crisp, red berries and apples. This is ready to go on release. Drink from 2024-2035.

Dried flowers, red fruits, licorice, and spice create the nose and palate. The wine is soft, forward, medium-bodied, with a core of bright, crisp, red berries and apples. This is ready to go on release. Drink from 2024-2035.

170 Views   Tasted
Here, the nose is a bit more interesting, with all of its layers of black and red fruits, smoke, espresso, mint and tobacco leaf. Slightly austere on the palate, making this quite classic in style. Give it a few years to develop and hopefully, soften and fan out. The wine blends 91% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025-2039. 88-91

Here, the nose is a bit more interesting, with all of its layers of black and red fruits, smoke, espresso, mint and tobacco leaf. Slightly austere on the palate, making this quite classic in style. Give it a few years to develop and hopefully, soften and fan out. The wine blends 91% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025-2039. 88-91

1,364 Views   Tasted
2020
90
Medium-bodied, the red fruits have a savory, peppery edge, which shows on the palate and in the fresh crisp, savory, spicy, red berry, chalky finish. Drink from 2024-2042.

Medium-bodied, the red fruits have a savory, peppery edge, which shows on the palate and in the fresh crisp, savory, spicy, red berry, chalky finish. Drink from 2024-2042.

925 Views   Tasted
Chocolate mint, savory herbs, plums, smoke and licorice define the nose. Fresh, silky and juicy, this elegantly textured wine is medium-bodied, refined and fresh, finishing with loads of soft, sweet, polished red and black plums with a spicy kick. This is another nice step up in quality here. 91-93 Pts

Chocolate mint, savory herbs, plums, smoke and licorice define the nose. Fresh, silky and juicy, this elegantly textured wine is medium-bodied, refined and fresh, finishing with loads of soft, sweet, polished red and black plums with a spicy kick. This is another nice step up in quality here. 91-93 Pts

1,559 Views   Tasted
2019
94
Roses and violets are the stars that open the show. That is, until you find all the gorgeous layers of opulently, textured, soft, sweet, silky, red fruits. Full-bodied, rich, fresh, clean and polished, there is a touch of oak, judiciously used. So, allow the wine a few years in the cellar before pulling a cork and enjoy for up to 20 years after that. This is the finest vintage of Larmande I have ever tasted! Drink from 2024-2040.

Roses and violets are the stars that open the show. That is, until you find all the gorgeous layers of opulently, textured, soft, sweet, silky, red fruits. Full-bodied, rich, fresh, clean and polished, there is a touch of oak, judiciously used. So, allow the wine a few years in the cellar before pulling a cork and enjoy for up to 20 years after that. This is the finest vintage of Larmande I have ever tasted! Drink from 2024-2040.

2,495 Views   Tasted
2018
91
Smoke, spice box, espresso, licorice, plums and cherries shoot from the glass with ease. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant and fresh, with a solid blast of sweet cherries, licorice and cocoa coated plums, this is probably the finest vintage of Chateau Larmande ever produced. The wine is a blend of 81% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Smoke, spice box, espresso, licorice, plums and cherries shoot from the glass with ease. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant and fresh, with a solid blast of sweet cherries, licorice and cocoa coated plums, this is probably the finest vintage of Chateau Larmande ever produced. The wine is a blend of 81% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

1,788 Views   Tasted
Easily the most concentrated vintage of Chateau Larmande ever produced, the licorice, espresso and dark red berries really shine. The wine has much more depth than usual. The round finish is all about the ripeness in the fruits this year. 89-91 Pts

Easily the most concentrated vintage of Chateau Larmande ever produced, the licorice, espresso and dark red berries really shine. The wine has much more depth than usual. The round finish is all about the ripeness in the fruits this year. 89-91 Pts

1,990 Views   Tasted
2016
88
Medium bodied, smoky, spicy, fresh and bright, with an easy drinking, soft, open character, finishing with sweet, red cherries and licorice. Drink this now and over the next 10-15 years.

Medium bodied, smoky, spicy, fresh and bright, with an easy drinking, soft, open character, finishing with sweet, red cherries and licorice. Drink this now and over the next 10-15 years.

2,176 Views   Tasted
This is a medium/full-bodied effort with good color and cassis and spice in the mouth. Clearly, they are on the way to improving the wine at Larmande but they still have more work to do. While the wine is ripe, it doesn't quite make it to the finish line.

This is a medium/full-bodied effort with good color and cassis and spice in the mouth. Clearly, they are on the way to improving the wine at Larmande but they still have more work to do. While the wine is ripe, it doesn't quite make it to the finish line.

2,630 Views   Tasted
2015
89
Medium bodied, round and showing an earthy, thyme, woodsy, secondary character that adds to the bright, red plum and cherry notes. Give this 3-5 years to add more softness and flesh.

Medium bodied, round and showing an earthy, thyme, woodsy, secondary character that adds to the bright, red plum and cherry notes. Give this 3-5 years to add more softness and flesh.

3,085 Views   Tasted
Medium-bodied, soft, fresh and round with a sweet, polished red berry center.

Medium-bodied, soft, fresh and round with a sweet, polished red berry center.

2,703 Views   Tasted
2014
87
Medium bodied, round, fresh and forward with a crisp, red plum and cherry personality. 87-88 Pts

Medium bodied, round, fresh and forward with a crisp, red plum and cherry personality. 87-88 Pts

3,870 Views   Tasted
2013
87
Medium bodied and lightly concentrated, the wine has a soft cherry and licorice core. 86-88 Pts

Medium bodied and lightly concentrated, the wine has a soft cherry and licorice core. 86-88 Pts

2,349 Views   Tasted
2012
88
Herbs, licorice, dark red berries and coffee bean scents, this medium/full-bodied wine ends with a short, oaky and sweet red berry finish. 87-89 Pts.

Herbs, licorice, dark red berries and coffee bean scents, this medium/full-bodied wine ends with a short, oaky and sweet red berry finish. 87-89 Pts.

3,266 Views   Tasted
2011
88
From 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine offers cherry griotte, tannin and stone. 87-89 Pts

From 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine offers cherry griotte, tannin and stone. 87-89 Pts

4,708 Views   Tasted
2010
89
Using 51% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and a small portion Petit Verdot, the wine opens with licorice, blackberry and cassis scents. Medium/full bodied, the wine ends with a cherry, chocolate and fennel finish. 88-90

Using 51% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and a small portion Petit Verdot, the wine opens with licorice, blackberry and cassis scents. Medium/full bodied, the wine ends with a cherry, chocolate and fennel finish. 88-90

6,377 Views   Tasted
2009
89
Caramel, red plums, licorice and berry aromas lead to a medium bodied wine that ends with slightly tart, cocoa and black raspberry sensations.

Caramel, red plums, licorice and berry aromas lead to a medium bodied wine that ends with slightly tart, cocoa and black raspberry sensations.

3,984 Views   Tasted
2008
83
Overly bright, sharp, tart wine. Medium bodied, blending cranberry with herbs, espresso and strawberry, in the finish. Clearly not my style of wine.

Overly bright, sharp, tart wine. Medium bodied, blending cranberry with herbs, espresso and strawberry, in the finish. Clearly not my style of wine.

3,353 Views   Tasted
2005
86
Light cherry and earthy aromatics on the nose. This medium boded wine ends in a lean, tart cherry and cassis filled finish. There is not enough there, there, to think this will improve with age.

Light cherry and earthy aromatics on the nose. This medium boded wine ends in a lean, tart cherry and cassis filled finish. There is not enough there, there, to think this will improve with age.

5,695 Views   Tasted
Nice, well made and easy to drink. Enjoy this on the young side.

Nice, well made and easy to drink. Enjoy this on the young side.

5,699 Views   Tasted
2001
91
Surprisingly good, this medium/full bodied wine has richness, soft, silky tannins, sweet, dark red fruits, licorice and a bit of truffle blended in for good measure. This is drinking in the sweet spot today.

Surprisingly good, this medium/full bodied wine has richness, soft, silky tannins, sweet, dark red fruits, licorice and a bit of truffle blended in for good measure. This is drinking in the sweet spot today.

3,537 Views   Tasted
2000
88
Fully mature, medium bodied, correctly made, but lacking in excitement on the nose and on the palate. Pleasant is a fine descriptor. No faults, just ho hum.

Fully mature, medium bodied, correctly made, but lacking in excitement on the nose and on the palate. Pleasant is a fine descriptor. No faults, just ho hum.

3,572 Views   Tasted