Very well stored bottle (bought from the widow of the original buyer, who passed away in 1966 and bought it very early, presumably back in the early fifties if not earlier. I picked it up myself from her perfect cellar).
Opened at 19:00. The level was upper shoulder. The cork was still tight. The sound of air sipping through was strong. Got the cork in one piece thanks to the Durand. Upon opening, somewhat lean and tannic. But within minutes, it developed nice aromas, like griotte in French. Long in the mouth.
Started to drink with food at about 21:00. Then and thereafter a consistently nice smell, with a distinctive balsamic tone and fruit in the nose, in the mouth somewhat lean but not at all disappointing. Long and still fruity.
Still the same at 23:50.
All in all a very good experience but I clearly prefer e.g. a Figeac 1982.
The day after: The decanter has a good but quite light smell.
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The 1945 Gruaud Larose is a focused, serious wine, which shows decades younger than its true age. The nose unwinds slowly (seemingly without regard to the eagerness of the drinker) with cool blue, black, and red berries, wet stone, cedar, and leather. As laughable as it sounds, it almost seems unready, though it builds to a crescendo after half an hour in the decanter. There's such depth of blueberry and graphite on the palate, which is still grippingly tannic. A kingly wine from Gruaud Larose.
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16 Mature Bordeaux Magnums 1945/47/55/59 (+Unico): Three 1945s, all from magnum. Winner was the Gruaud Larose (94+ pts) which showed very classic with all telltale aromatics, an impeccable structure, good tension, just missing a touch of complexity. Still young-ish, this was like the little brother of the 1982. Next was the Margaux (92 pts) which showed so elegant and ethereal but lost its structural integrity some time ago. The Nenin (NR) was unfortunately corked but showed impressively powerful underneath.
TN: Very classic Gruaud nose with tobacco, wet forest floor, minerality, and ripe dark berries. With time more expressive and intense. On the palate the wine seems a few decades younger. Ripe dark berries, minerality, wet forest floor, tobacco. Good tension with silky tannins, high but well integrated acidity, good creaminess. Good balance and medium length. This remains a bit muscular, very classic Bordeaux, very classic Gruaud, reminiscent of the 1982 just with a bit less over everything. Lovely. For a higher score the complexity would have to be higher and the finish a bit more impressive.
Decanting: Double decanted 2+ hours before the tasting.
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Richter Magnum Rarity Tasting (Zunfthaus zur Waag, Zurich): Tasted at a grand magnum rarities tasting hosted by a merchant and collector in Zurich. Most bottles were Bordeaux from the 40s and 50s. The top 3 wines 1. Cheval Blanc 1955 (98), 2. Ausone 1959 (97), 3. Haut-Brion 1955 (95). Full list of wines sorted by score and additional observations included in the tasting story.
Tasting notes Aging notes of leather and earth, tobacco provide for a nice level of details. There is even a layer of dried herbs and a surprisingly sweet fruit. However, the palate has dwindled to consist of mostly acidity. That said, there is some tension left which adds character.
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Annual Richter All-Magnum Extravaganza: Not as stunning as a previous bottle, but this was still a beauty. Forest floor, some tobacco, grandmas medicine cabinet, developed a nice sweetness with more air and had a good tannin structure with a niche supporting acidity.
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Quite a surprise this one! VEry mature of course, but also rich, still with some sweet fruit, fine tobacco and leather with some sweet tea as well. On the palate very elegant and quite soft. Not much fruit but still very pleasant to drink, fantastic after 73 years!
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Magnum. Classic Gruaud profile--tobacco, cedar. Wonderful core here even if edges falling apart a bit. Amazingly still alive after 72 years! Definitely the acid is starting to dominate and fruit is receding so I would drink these now. What a treat.
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Hanging on to life buy a slim thread, there was more to like with the smoky, earthy, animalistic, spicy, cigar box nose, than on the full bodied, but sweet and tart, red berry and spice palate. Clearly fading, this needs to be consumed, if you are of course lucky enough to have a bottle in your cellar.
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Château Gruaud-Larose 1928 - 2011: VTS fill. Some bricking, but still a dosage of red, dark core. Intriguing and complex nose, old drawer, tobacco, dark berries; more dark berries in the mouth, powerful and rich, very long, wonderful balance, complex. Again, this could have been a wine from the 70s or 80s.
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Thanksgiving 2013 from magnum, h/ms level. Deep mature color. Complex cassis.chocolate nose which developed magnificently over 2-3 hours in decanter. Ripe, rich on entry, with some (now moderating) tannins still present but in fine balance. Captures the senses. This wine has finally reached maturity and is now great.
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4/10/2024 - Grand Amateur Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very well stored bottle (bought from the widow of the original buyer, who passed away in 1966 and bought it very early, presumably back in the early fifties if not earlier. I picked it up myself from her perfect cellar).
Opened at 19:00. The level was upper shoulder. The cork was still tight. The sound of air sipping through was strong. Got the cork in one piece thanks to the Durand. Upon opening, somewhat lean and tannic. But within minutes, it developed nice aromas, like griotte in French. Long in the mouth.
Started to drink with food at about 21:00. Then and thereafter a consistently nice smell, with a distinctive balsamic tone and fruit in the nose, in the mouth somewhat lean but not at all disappointing. Long and still fruity.
Still the same at 23:50.
All in all a very good experience but I clearly prefer e.g. a Figeac 1982.
The day after: The decanter has a good but quite light smell.
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7/23/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 98 Points
The 1945 Gruaud Larose is a focused, serious wine, which shows decades younger than its true age. The nose unwinds slowly (seemingly without regard to the eagerness of the drinker) with cool blue, black, and red berries, wet stone, cedar, and leather. As laughable as it sounds, it almost seems unready, though it builds to a crescendo after half an hour in the decanter. There's such depth of blueberry and graphite on the palate, which is still grippingly tannic. A kingly wine from Gruaud Larose.
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8/8/2022 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
The fruit has a raisiny, port-like quality. It is rich and layered, with some baked earth notes. Tannins are perfectly ripe and it has super length.
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7/17/2022 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
16 Mature Bordeaux Magnums 1945/47/55/59 (+Unico): Three 1945s, all from magnum. Winner was the Gruaud Larose (94+ pts) which showed very classic with all telltale aromatics, an impeccable structure, good tension, just missing a touch of complexity. Still young-ish, this was like the little brother of the 1982. Next was the Margaux (92 pts) which showed so elegant and ethereal but lost its structural integrity some time ago. The Nenin (NR) was unfortunately corked but showed impressively powerful underneath.
TN: Very classic Gruaud nose with tobacco, wet forest floor, minerality, and ripe dark berries. With time more expressive and intense. On the palate the wine seems a few decades younger. Ripe dark berries, minerality, wet forest floor, tobacco. Good tension with silky tannins, high but well integrated acidity, good creaminess. Good balance and medium length. This remains a bit muscular, very classic Bordeaux, very classic Gruaud, reminiscent of the 1982 just with a bit less over everything. Lovely. For a higher score the complexity would have to be higher and the finish a bit more impressive.
Decanting: Double decanted 2+ hours before the tasting.
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7/2/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 89 Points
Richter Magnum Rarity Tasting (Zunfthaus zur Waag, Zurich): Tasted at a grand magnum rarities tasting hosted by a merchant and collector in Zurich. Most bottles were Bordeaux from the 40s and 50s. The top 3 wines 1. Cheval Blanc 1955 (98), 2. Ausone 1959 (97), 3. Haut-Brion 1955 (95). Full list of wines sorted by score and additional observations included in the tasting story.
Tasting notes
Aging notes of leather and earth, tobacco provide for a nice level of details. There is even a layer of dried herbs and a surprisingly sweet fruit. However, the palate has dwindled to consist of mostly acidity. That said, there is some tension left which adds character.
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7/2/2022 - G_H wrote: 93 Points
Annual Richter All-Magnum Extravaganza: Not as stunning as a previous bottle, but this was still a beauty. Forest floor, some tobacco, grandmas medicine cabinet, developed a nice sweetness with more air and had a good tannin structure with a niche supporting acidity.
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1/20/2019 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite a surprise this one! VEry mature of course, but also rich, still with some sweet fruit, fine tobacco and leather with some sweet tea as well.
On the palate very elegant and quite soft. Not much fruit but still very pleasant to drink, fantastic after 73 years!
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4/1/2017 - G_H wrote: 97 Points
Farnsburg Rarities: Out of magnum: Amazing!! Dense, porcini, dried meat with herbs, super dense and nice tannin structure. This is stunning!
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1/14/2017 - LW31 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Magnum. Classic Gruaud profile--tobacco, cedar. Wonderful core here even if edges falling apart a bit. Amazingly still alive after 72 years! Definitely the acid is starting to dominate and fruit is receding so I would drink these now. What a treat.
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11/7/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Hanging on to life buy a slim thread, there was more to like with the smoky, earthy, animalistic, spicy, cigar box nose, than on the full bodied, but sweet and tart, red berry and spice palate. Clearly fading, this needs to be consumed, if you are of course lucky enough to have a bottle in your cellar.
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1/31/2015 - LWI wrote: 96 Points
Château Gruaud-Larose 1928 - 2011: VTS fill. Some bricking, but still a dosage of red, dark core. Intriguing and complex nose, old drawer, tobacco, dark berries; more dark berries in the mouth, powerful and rich, very long, wonderful balance, complex. Again, this could have been a wine from the 70s or 80s.
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11/27/2013 - grandad Likes this wine: 96 Points
Thanksgiving 2013 from magnum, h/ms level. Deep mature color. Complex cassis.chocolate nose which developed magnificently over 2-3 hours in decanter. Ripe, rich on entry, with some (now moderating) tannins still present but in fine balance. Captures the senses. This wine has finally reached maturity and is now great.
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10/16/2007 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
Gruaud Larose vertical 1870-2000 (IOD, London): Some hint of brown, but in the centre deep ruby red, very rich nose, reminded me of a pizza, concentrated, still hugely tannic
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