Château Villemaurine 1996 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion 0,75L 12,5% Vol. Alc.

Château Villemaurine is a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé estate located on the north-eastern edge of the town of Saint-Emilion in the heart of the Saint-Emilion limestone plateau. The estate has been included in the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru classification since the first classification in 1955 and has only been removed from the classification once, in 2006, and reinstated in 2012. Although the estate covers 12 hectares in total, the Grand Cru Classé part of the vineyard - a single block - comprises seven hectares (17 acres). This is planted with Merlot (80 per cent) and Cabernet Franc (20 per cent), a relatively classic composition of Saint-Emilion vineyards. The main wine, the Grand Vin, generally corresponds to these proportions and is vinified in stainless steel tanks before being aged in barrels for 6-18 months. Between 60 and 80 per cent new oak is used. The town of Saint-Emilion lies immediately to the west of Villemaurine, Château La Couspade is just a few hundred metres to the north-east. Château Trotte Vieille lies to the east and Château La Serre to the south, on the edge of the limestone plateau. The first records of Villemaurine date back to 1600 and the château has had a number of owners over the years. The estate was run by Madame Passemard and Dr Jean Vauthier in the early 20th century before being bought by Vignobles Robert Giraud in 1970.