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| | Vintage | 2009 |  Label 1 of 574 
 | | Type | Red | | Producer | Château Gruaud Larose (web) | | Variety | Red Bordeaux Blend | | Designation | n/a | | Vineyard | n/a | | Country | France | | Region | Bordeaux | | SubRegion | Médoc | | Appellation | St. Julien | | UPC Code(s) | 015643428319, 087000336810, 3100415107053, 3292144649116, 3394150032491, 3453521173277, 3453521173529, 3453521173543, 3453521213300, 3550871203996, 3700266212793, 400001985236, 400001994634 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.8 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 178 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Ozen on 4/1/2024 & rated 92 points: For a saint Julien of this stature dissapointing. Drying tannins, lacking fruit to cover, low or no on complexity. (1086 views) | | | Tasted by jocelyng on 3/1/2024 & rated 93 points: A quatuor of Bordeaux for this supper. Lafite Rothschild 1996, Gruaud-larose 2009, Montrose 2006 and Smith-Haut-Lafite 2011.
My favorite was the Lafite but I was disappointed. I rated it 94 (93-94). Impressive youthfulness for such an old wine. Cassis, tobacco and lead pencil with some green pepper. Complex and long but without the concentration and wow effect I expected from a Premier Grand cru. The three other guests rated it 92.
My second close favorite was the Gruaud-Larose: I rated it 93. The others had 92 or 93 ratings. It had more fruit but it still was less rich than I had hoped for.
The Smith-Haut Lafite was also excellent, tasting younger and having classic Bordeaux character: I rated it 92, The others, 91 to 93.
The Montrose barely made the 90 mark for me: very austere, dry wood on the mouth mixed with black fruits. We were three rating it 90 with the fourth of us gaving it 94. (1654 views) | | | Tasted by sbeeks on 2/21/2024: Loved this wine (1903 views) | | | Tasted by Dib cellar on 1/28/2024 & rated 88 points: As is too inconclusive yet and not up to expectations for the brand and the vintage ; taste yearly to evaluate if improved or deteriorating with maturing (2055 views) | | | Tasted by Donjcorleone on 1/27/2024 & rated 94 points: Fragrant aromas of black currant, cigar box, leather and tobacco leaf lead to a fresh, lush, mouthful of silky blackberry and elegant earthy flavors that linger. (1959 views) | | | Tasted by wgmccallum on 1/16/2024: Not a detailed note, but this was lovely Bordeaux beginning to show the ineffable integration of elements that comes with age. (2148 views) | | | Tasted by Cake & Fine Wine on 12/29/2023 & rated 93 points: Sharp contrast to the Roc de Cambe we had the night before - far more elegant. Dark ruby. Red fruit dominating. A lovely sweetness. Some tertiary notes developing - mushroom. Very poised but not so much length, this is commented on frequently. It’s in a great place though and I’d agree that it’s nicely in its drinking window. Decanted for 2 hrs. (2036 views) | | | Tasted by KimHartman on 12/16/2023 & rated 92 points: Dark fruits, green pepper, bitter chocolate, bonfire. Still has enough fruit to balance the other components, but I wouldn’t wait too long. (1939 views) | | | Tasted by Eric Becker on 12/16/2023 & rated 92 points: From a bottle purchased en primeur and stored at a constant 11°C. Jancis Robinson stated in 2019 that the wine is early maturing; fellow contributor Motz has confirmed this recently and unfortunately I have to agree with them.
The colour is surprisingly translucent and the rim is garnet red. On the nose the wine was initially a bit muted, but after warming up to room temperature it began to show superripe and sweet blackberry fruit, some red fruit flavours, too, eucalyptus and still a seam of sweet french oak. What was absent? More interesting flavours like earth, mushrooms or forest floor. In the mouth the wine has a very good upfront intensity, is sweet, lusciously textured and has just enough acidic lift. However, despite some noticeable tannin it lacks the structure of a proper vin de garde and it fades quicker on the finish than I hoped for.
Don’t get me wrong, this is drinking delicious now, in a classy but superficial way, but it is neither cut from the same cloth as the fabulous vintages 2000 and 2005 at Gruaud Larose nor does it have the ambition of, say, the Duhart Milon in 2009 (see my TN from 10/22). (2080 views) | | | Tasted by Oechsle on 11/25/2023 & rated 93 points: See prior notes,
Suggest long decant or your nose with get hit with wall of cedar and pencil, Very expressive with Lift, freshness, cedar, pencil, sweet raw meat and Boysenberry. Palate has creamy entry with Ripe dark bush fruits and very well judged acidity, Spiciness. Tannins are there but, supportive. Touch of bitterness on the finish not noticed before. Enjoyed with braised beef in garlic paprika sauce.
Day 2 after vacuum and chill – Nose has simmered down, with dark bush fruits more pronounced, black currant, dried herbs, lift and freshness. Palate creamy, Flinty with flash of bitter chocolate joining the show. Turning 14 and Drinking great. Purchased as futures and stored accordingly enjoyed 60-70 degrees. If you’re squirreling these away = Christmas is right around the corner… Na zdrowie (2236 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 11/8/2023 & rated 93 points: Slow-o for a few hours. Tasted alongside the same vintage Langoa Barton and the 2011 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance. Paired with braised short ribs, polenta, sauteed mushrooms, and vegetables.
Marginally more impressive than the Langoa Barton, on the bouquet and palate. Quite expressive of Saint-Julien place. Suave and expansive, featuring a noteworthy middle and back, and a solid, medium finish.
On the downside, this appears to be well within its drinking window. It should hold through 2028-2030, then begin declining. This ripe, primarily red-fruited vintage was not built to age. (3059 views) | | | Tasted by cakie on 10/20/2023 & rated 90 points: First of case, decanted 2 hours. Still fruity and sweet and full of delicious red fruits including a little cranberry at that. Starting to mature, smidge of menthol and just a touch of mushroom coming in at the end. Delicious, if not exactly first class claret. Will be interesting to see how it evolves. I suspect not for the hall, (2639 views) | | | Tasted by Winemaker51 on 9/6/2023 & rated 93 points: 1 hour decant. Perhaps 2 hrs is better, but certainly not 4+ hours. Like a lot of 2009’s, they are ready to drink! Thought though, a bit overdone with ripeness and oak. For those who like fruit forward Cabernet’’s, this is your style. Still, lovely aromas upon the second and third pour. Red compote, but not excessively jammy. Did present a St. Julien elegant personality. Really good acidity and tannins completely in check. Medium concentration. (3212 views) | | | Tasted by boillatm on 7/16/2023 & rated 92 points: Opened 15 minutes before drinking, which was probably not enough. Enticing nose but very muted palate. Shortish finish.
Certainly more elegant than Ornellaia 2009 drunk just before, but not necessarily better.
Based on this experience I'd say hold or drink after a good decant (3471 views) | | | Tasted by MasterWis on 7/7/2023 & rated 94 points: Very beautiful. Surprisingly ready to drink and even no decanting needed. Just let it chill in the glass and bottle. Great nose, very smooth, gorgeous austere long finish. (3137 views) | | | Tasted by Richard P Howden on 7/5/2023 & rated 91 points: Opened and decanted for several hours, but still a bit fat and foursquare. Rich and tasty, with lots of blackberries and cassis, but I found the finish lacking and the richness of the vintage a bit over strong. Still quite enjoyable with steaks. From magnum - wait another 5+ years. (3250 views) | | | Tasted by Schiffy on 5/29/2023 & rated 94 points: Black raspberry fruit is joined with cassis, cedar, cigar box and leather. After an hour decant these flavors beautifully integrate with silky smooth tannins and additional notes of milk chocolate and leather emerge. This is a complex, interesting Bordeaux that has a lot more life into it. (3232 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 5/7/2023 & rated 95 points: Decanted two hours. Early maturity. Classic nose of lead pencil and cedar. Full bodied but nicely proportioned with well integrated tannin. Black currant and cherry, leather, tobacco on the palate. Substantial compelling finish. A tad better than the 2000 in my view but both are excellent. (3145 views) | | | Tasted by Pasqualino on 3/24/2023 & rated 92 points: Had it at VC with arugula salad and pasta. Needed at least 30 minutes to open. Silky tannins and a short to medium finish. (3163 views) | | | Tasted by OenoEd on 3/23/2023 & rated 92 points: This still has primary black fruit and dark loam in the nose, w just a hint of mushroom; in the mouth, silky tannins support peppery blackberry, roast stuffed peppers, anise, and ,finally , cedar on the medium length finish. Needed just 30 minutes of air to show well. 10-15 years of fine drinking ahead. Worked very well with steak tartare tonight. Not a profound or important St Julien, but very well made, clean, food friendly, and approachable now. (3225 views) | | | Tasted by thewineoceros on 3/14/2023 & rated 92 points: Just entering first level drinking window IMO. Lovely nose, that has good complexity, yet has not quite started to shift to that next level. Surprisingly young for 13/14 years old. Definitely one to stick by for a few years yet. Try again in 2028
Ok. Revisiting again after coravin. This time let it have a few hours of airtime. Observation here is that this wine needs a bit of time out in the open. Please do this! It trebles the experience. Really.
Nose is off the charts gorgeous. First sniff really blows your mind as to how good Bordeaux can be, and which is what it is all about. Depth, full on bordeaux perfection. Unctius, seductive and alluring. High quality perfume. Yum
Taste is wonderful too. Vigour and flavour. See for your self. This is an easy 95 if not more. Follow the tips wine folks. Time and patience and then a bit more. 😍 (3482 views) | | | Tasted by Papies on 3/11/2023 & rated 92 points: From Magnum. This is at the start of of its drinking window and albeit makes excellent use of the 2009 vintage and its forward looking character it is still young and will have so much more to deliver going forward. We do find wines of this level at this youthful age welcoming but always leave us wondering how good will they be once proper complexity and evolution kick in but that's also a result of us loving well aged claret. In any case this is a really impressive wine and albeit is a 92-93 for now it will be a lot better in years to come. Great start to drinking life though! (3397 views) | | | Tasted by RightBankKane on 2/4/2023: Very nice wine with exceptional mouthfeel. Really glides over the palate. A bit of a monolith in flavor--sort of too perfect to have much complexity yet, or what some might call flaws, which to me can make a wine rather interesting. But it checks the boxes on fruit (sweetness), acidity and structure. Just a touch of '09 heat in the bouquet and the palate. This is certainly drinkable now but I would defer to many other wines in my cellar at this point, particularly lesser ones. A nice future ahead it seems. (3179 views) | | | Tasted by Misterobit on 12/19/2022: Opened 6 hours in advance, magnificent bottle with velvety tannins. No hardness, medium power and perfect balance. It "already" drinks very well, although I think the wine can gain in complexity over time.
Ouvert 6 heures à l'avance, magnifique bouteille aux tanins veloutés. Aucune dureté, de la puissance et de l'équilibre. Ça se boit "déjà" très bien, même si je pense que le vin peut gagner en complexité avec le temps. (3655 views) | | | Tasted by LDA ZH CH on 10/27/2022 & rated 97 points: Look no further if you want to know what a great St-Julien tastes like in a great year. Like swimming in a sea of perfectly ripe black currant. Ripe, complex and aristocratic at the same time. If you get the chance to treat yourself with this, don’t miss it. At peak now and set to be so for a long time in my humble opinion (4169 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| 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 Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019) (3/1/2019)
(Gruaud Larose Gruaud Larose Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019) (3/1/2019)
(Gruaud Larose Gruaud Larose Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/14/2019)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, Bordeaux 2009 10 years on (2/7/2019)
(Château Gruaud-Larose, St-Julien, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/7/2019)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2013 (11/1/2013)
(Château Gruaud-Larose St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/26/2013)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/17/2013)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, July/August 2012, IWC Issue #163
(Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint Julien (Pre-Arrival)) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/18/2011)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, October 2011
(Château Gruaud-Larose (St Julien)) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, October 2011
(Château Gruaud-Larose St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, June 2010, Issue #28
(Château Gruaud-Larose 2ème Cru) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint Julien) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/1/2010)
(Ch Gruaud Larose St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Mar/Apr 2010, Issue #26, The 2009 Bordeaux Vintage- Futures’ Glory?
(Château Gruaud Larose) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, March 2010
(Chateau Gruaud-Larose St Julien) Subscribe to see review text. | By Panel Tasting
Decanter
(Château Gruaud-Larose, St-Julien, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/21/2012)
(Château Gruaud Larose) Dark red violet color; very appealing, lifted, tart currant, cedar, herbaceous, pencil lead nose; classic, tasty, plush, pencil lead, tart currant palate; needs 2-3 years; medium-plus finish (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot) 94 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and Decanter and Winedoctor 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 2009 Château Gruaud LaroseERed 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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