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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 97 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by redz on 3/23/2024 & rated 92 points: Good, not great (493 views) | | | Tasted by acidqueen on 1/25/2024 & rated 89 points: First bottle here. I decanted for one hour. Started with blackberry, earth and iron but relatively soft. Still the rustic style of GR I know and love but without the barnyard (which I miss!). After time in the glass it actually got more tannic and dense overall, but the black cherry came through late along with faint tobacco. This was very good, especially for the vintage, but I finished feeling like this has a few years still to evolve. Not too many - I expect to drink several more over the next couple years, but I believe 2028 will be peak not endpoint on this one. (709 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile1 on 1/17/2024 & rated 92 points: This wine is finally coming into its own. Fantastic expression of Gruaud and St. Julien. Even better is that I only paid $40 for it upon release. Patience is a virtue with Bordeaux. Yum! (777 views) | | | Tasted by Geniesser64 on 8/4/2023 & rated 95 points: In einem dreier Flight mit Leoville Barton 2008 und Figeac 2008 blind degustiert....er konnte locker mithalten, hab ihm die beste Bewertung gegeben. Ich mag den Gruaud Larose 2008 einfach und hab daher sogleich nachgekauft :-) (1302 views) | | | Tasted by Purple Tooth on 7/2/2023 & rated 93 points: This is totally in character and teaching you what a Bordeaux is supposed to look, smell, and taste like. Those who smoke know that there’s tobacco , and then there’s fine Cuban tobacco that has that funky, pungent, commitment requirement that you can only enjoy by totally letting go and being in the moment. This is the rusticity that gruaud captures and puts forth vintage after vintage. Mouthful of smoldering tobacco, chocolate, earthy and herbaceous with notes of red bell peppers and tilled soil. A savory devil that always aims at the Bordeaux purists heart for a steal of a price. This has just entered its pleasure zone with years to go. Drink or Hold (1782 views) | | | Tasted by RightBankKane on 7/1/2023: Delicious and much softer than I would have imagined. A bit of oak still unassimilated in the nose and palate. Not quite as lively or acidic as one would expect at just age 15--a bit dry. Nevertheless, still a fine example of a good St Julien, and it does not let the side down, as, in my opinion, the finest commune overall of the left bank. (1168 views) | | | Tasted by Geniesser64 on 5/13/2023 & rated 95 points: Ein Bordeaux wie er im Buche steht, mit Finesse. (1116 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 4/30/2023 & rated 95 points: VT Group Tasting Vol. 4: Tasted double blind. This was the best red wine of the night. Classic Gruaud, classic left bank Bordeaux in every aspect. 2008 might be a lighter vintage and the complexity was not that high but what was there was superb. Maybe the score is one or the other point too high as context is often everything and this was served alongside a bunch of disappointing Tuscan Bdx blends.
TN: Medium expressive nose with tobacco and truffles, minerality and black fruit. On the palate the same aromas, herbs, tobacco, truffles, black fruit and a waft of minerality. Superb. Fine tannins, good freshness, good concentration but no excess weight. Long finish. Quite harmonious and complete.
Decanting: Not decanted, no extensive decanting needed. Good from the go. (1988 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 4/24/2023 & rated 92 points: Tasted blind. Already pretty present aging notes of truffles, mushrooms and earth along with red and dark cherry fruit which create a harmonious, albeit also inoffensive bouquet. The palate was mostly in good balance with well-integrated tannin. But the tannins did develop quite a bit of grip into the finish where the aroma follow-through from the mid-palate went missing. (1160 views) | | | Tasted by kuese on 7/30/2022 & rated 90 points: Better on second day. (1586 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile1 on 1/21/2022 & rated 92 points: Consistent with my note from November ‘21. Compared to when I tasted it years ago, this is more evolved. Pronounced notes of tobacco and graphite. This is a feminine wine and it won’t pop you in the face like a stronger vintage. Nevertheless, it is a well made wine and a great value wine considering I paid $45 for it. (2273 views) | | | Tasted by Hans Lukas on 12/24/2021 & rated 89 points: Duftet nach Minzschokolade, Kampfer und Schwarzen Johannisbeeren. Nicht sehr dichtes Rubin. Etwas Frucht, Pflaume/Kirsche, Schwarzer Tee, Zedernholz, Leder. Mittleres Tanin. Ist das jetzt klassischer, eleganter, schlanker Stil oder doch etwas dünn? Ich bin kein Freund von Überkonzentration, aber dem Wein täte etwas mehr Dichte gut. Kein besonders gutes PLV. (2030 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile1 on 11/19/2021 & rated 92 points: This is really starting to strut its stuff. Very left bank and very St Julien. More beauty than brawny and is entering its early maturity window. The pronounced graphite on the finish is consistent with my last tasting note. Decanted for 1 hour. (2223 views) | | | Tasted by Patrik H on 5/14/2020 & rated 94 points: On the nose: Black currant, cigar box, leather and pig sty
On the palate: Black currant, cigar, tobacco, leather, fine balanced fruit
Long finish (4117 views) | | | Tasted by greg533 on 3/27/2020: BlackBerry, mint, Bell pepper, touch of leather
Tanin on the tongue and the gums
Not on tertiary aroma but there is a beginning of dissociation between water and other componants. (3294 views) | | | Tasted by Jokofon on 3/12/2020 & rated 91 points: Beautiful on the nose: cigar box, mushrooms, leather and under ripe black berries
Mouth: high concentration and long length. Nice spice. Medium alcohol. Distinct acid.
Superior quality (2918 views) | | | Tasted by mike410 on 12/31/2019 & rated 90 points: Four years since my last note. This wine has not evolved whatsoever. Too light for a good St. Julien. Lacking tannins and acidity. Disappointing as most of the 2008's I have tasted. (3088 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile1 on 11/27/2019 & rated 93 points: Simply amazing what four years in bottle in the cellar can do to a wine. Last tasted in 2015, where I was underwhelmed and gave it 88 points. However, tonight was a very different experience. Entering its early maturity window with a a classic Bordeaux nose of tobacco, cedar, saddle leather, black currant and licorice. While the finish is still a bit abrupt, this will mellow out with another 5 years in cellar. Tons of graphite on the finish. Bottom line... only drink Bordeaux in its optimal window. Otherwise... you will be underwhelmed. (3292 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 10/1/2019 & rated 92 points: Very much in the vein of the 2014 with its cool, crisp, lively fruit - full of raspberry, cedar, thyme, and pencil. A medium body and terrific acid make this a spry, energetic wine that should age well but is drinking quite nicely today. (3022 views) | | | Tasted by Vino_Veritas on 5/4/2019 & rated 92 points: Tasted again (previously 2017), and identical notes as before...still young, medium bodied and elegant. Love the red fruit with a touch of barnyard. Great expression of St. Julien. (2789 views) | | | Tasted by Nutty08 on 11/11/2018: Yves's Memorial; 11/10/2018-11/11/2018 (MO): Very young, has nice typicicty with a little funk mixed in. Oak ans tannin still stick out. Needs time. (3777 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 9/17/2018 & rated 90 points: Showing a lightness of color, the wine offers sweet tobacco, red fruits, herbs, leaf, spice, barnyard, earth and pepper. Medium bodied, fresh, light, soft, with clean, red cherry and cassis finish. The wine was made blending 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. (3925 views) | | | Tasted by jeffreylubowski on 8/17/2018 & rated 89 points: Probably the weakest vintage of GL I've had, but still a very good wine. Just seems far too young, still tough and masked by tannins. Seems to be lacking the funk and gravel and hay that I dig in this chateau. Mixed red berry. Raspberry liqueur like, but even a bit thin in the middle. I probably wouldn't buy again only because it's not really representative of the chateau and there are better wines at the price. 5 years or more might bump the score up though by a point or two. (3605 views) | | | Tasted by renatodug on 7/10/2018 & rated 92 points: Toujours somptueux, viril. Pourtant j’avais prélevé 2 verres le 23/08/16 et 2 le 6/11/17. Merci Coravin. (3593 views) | | | Tasted by renatodug on 4/22/2018 & rated 89 points: Belle couleur sombre. Ouvert et carafé 30'. Nez très présent de cuir, café, bois grillé. En bouche tannins très atténués, mais légère amertume. (3445 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, An Exploration of Time: Gruaud Larose 1831-2018 (Mar 2024) (3/1/2024)
(Gruaud Larose Gruaud Larose Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Lawther MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/2/2023)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Century of Bordeaux: The Eights (May 2018) (5/18/2018)
(Gruaud-larose Gruaud Larose Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/2/2018)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/1/2018)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, February 2018 (2/1/2018)
(Château Gruaud-Larose St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, 2008 Bordeaux 10 Years on (1/1/2018)
(Château Gruaud-Larose, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, December 2012, Issue #38
(Château Gruaud-larose 2ème Cru) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2012 (11/1/2012)
(Château Gruaud-Larose St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/19/2012)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2011, Issue #34, Re-Visiting the 2008 Bordeaux Vintage: Is It Superior to Both 2009 and 2010?
(Château Gruaud Larose) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, July/August 2011, IWC Issue #157
(Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint Julien) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2011, Issue #31, Snapshot of the 2008 Bordeaux Vintage- Really a Lovely and Classically Proportioned Year
(Château Gruaud Larose) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/19/2010)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, October 2010
(Chateau Gruaud-Larose (St Julien)) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, June 2009, Issue #24
(Château Gruaud-Larose 2ème Cru) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/4/2009)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, April 2009
(Chateau Gruaud-Larose St Julien) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, April 2009
(Château Gruaud-Larose St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2012
(Château Gruaud-Larose (St Julien)) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/21/2011)
(Château Gruaud Larose) Very dark red violet color; nice cassis, black fruit, pencil lead, graphite nose; distinctive, pencil lead, graphite, tart black fruit palate, needs 5-plus years; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot) 93 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and Winedoctor and Decanter and The World of Fine Wine and View From the Cellar and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Gruaud Larose Producer website
Read more about Château Gruaud Larose -https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-julien/gruaud-larose/
A visit to Château Gruaud Larose Beychelle-St-Julien estate, winery and vineyards -https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-visit-to-chateau-gruaud-larose.html Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Julien VdB
Read more detailed information on St. Julien and its wines The seventeenth century pioneers Traces are to be found of a Saint-Julien de Rintrac, perhaps Saint-Julien's earliest name, as from the thirteenth century. But we have to wait until the seventeenth century pioneers, urban and rural aristocrats, discover the exceptional merits of these terroirs.
Traces of this system still exist today in the structure of estates within the appellation: by the side of the two villages of Beychevelle and Saint-Julien, the large estates are heavily preponderant, representing more than four fifths of the total surface of vineyards.
The terrain is practically identical over all the commune. Only the proximity of the estuary, sometimes close, sometimes further away, can cause slight variations in climate. In fact, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle's layer of gravel takes the form of a huge rectangle over 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. And the alluvial deposits are particularly well fragmented into ridges of Garonne gravel of the early Quaternary. Accordingly, the vines are safeguarded from stagnant water.
The wines from the Saint-Julien appellation may be recognized by their unparalleled bouquet, particularly harmonious and mild. They have a fine deep colour and combine the finesse of their aromas and a solid constitution. They have body, are very rich in flavour and have a delicious and delicate bouquet.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Saint-Julien appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Saint-Julien and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cussac, and Saint-Laurent, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions: grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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