Notes of blackberry, black plum, cassis, tobacco leaf, toast, smoke, dark chocolate, nutmeg. Oak still very prominent. Polished tannins but still a ways away from resolving. Good level of acidity helps provide an elegant mouthfeel and carries the flavors into a fine length of finish.
I like the fruit concentration and spice character this shows. This needs to lay down for a while to integrate the oak and round out the tannins, but this will be a force when the time comes. 95 point potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The 2020 Gruaud Larose is an explosive wine, packed full of fig, cassis, boysenberry, and plum - yet for all its intensity, the fruit doesn’t stray into overripeness. This is so fresh, crisp, and long. I love the potpourri, pencil, and licorice notes that slowly emerge. There’s plenty of tannin in the mouth and it will take time to integrate, but the slow burn of purple fruit and pencil this shows on the finish makes a statement: Gruaud Larose is back. 2020 has produced the best Gruaud Larose since the 1982 and 1986 and I do think it seems destined to end up in conversations which include the 1928 and 1961. But this is substance and not flash - and it will take at least 20 years to really start showing all of its glory.
79 CS, 17 M, 4 CF
95-96 (+?)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cigar box, smoke, herbs, cassis, espresso and blackberries with a savory edge open the wine aromatically. The palate offers freshness, layers of ripe, spicy currants and peppery blackberries with chewy tannins that really hang with you, providing length, vibrancy and refinement in the finish. This is going to age and evolve for decades. Drink from 2027-2060.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cool, intense, intriguing nose full of mixed berries, tapenade, herbes de Provence. So different from the rest of the St. Juliens aromatically, but sharing their cool composure with very nice depth. Juicy, pretty lush palate but with the zippy acid to hold it together. Good finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very fragrant with fruit and oak, moderate concentration of fruit with oak on the palate, elegant structure and a long finish over 10 seconds. Enjoyed past vintages of this wine with the 1982 a favorite. This very young wine needs time to really integrate but should then drink beautifully.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tiefdunkel, nobel, leicht rauchig, Leder, Brombeere, Cassis. Der Gaumen kompakt, da treffen Kraft und Finesse aufeinander, blitzsauber, mit feinsten Gerbstoffen, einer knackigen Frucht und einer lebhaften Säure. Von A-Z ausgewogen, lang, würzig im Finale. Ein sehr harmonischer Gruaud, der top reifen dürfte. 2028-2045+ (Verkostet am 8. November 2022 in Zürich) www.vvwine.ch
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
At a tasting of recently bottled 2020s. Lots of scores bunched at 94 at this tasting which just goes to show a level of consistency amongst the 2nd growth quality wines. Lovely nose of dark fruits, balanced, almost drinkable yet there are plenty of soft tannins here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Arvi Bordeaux 2020 Arrivage (Dolder Grand, Zurich): Bordeaux 2020 Arrivage tasting. Key observations: 1/ Tannins were generally soft and well-integrated, but still left room for structure, 2/ fruit generally ripe and well-defined, no over-extraction, 3/ all appellation were showing great, but if I had to pick out then it would be Paulliac, 4/ top wines were Petit Village (completely unexpected, 97) and Lynch Bages (96).
Tasting note: Ripe cherry, earth and spice. A mostly fresh and fruity nose, well-defined even if simple. Tannin perfectly integrated which provided for a nice mouth feel. I would describe this as mostly classic, but without any distinctive features – hence my rather low score.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still feels focused and nicely defined. Black cherry fruit, a distinct coolness and poise, fragrant blackberry and dark flowers, vaporous blue fruits a sweet touch of crème de cassis, rich raspberry and some attractive new wood. Feels very clean.
Medium (+) weight, has a silkiness about it. Ripe and very juicy, but showing a touch of that astringency and grip. Attractive, fragrant cassis and raspberry fruit, floral too – long and fine.
The astringency and bitterness I got yesterday (from both) has almost vanished.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opaque, very glossy, with a vivid purple rim. Dark and focused nose, displaying soft notes of exotic woods, black cherry and cassis fruit, ripe plum, sawn wood and dark flowers. Very ripe, not super pronounced but measured.
Nice energy on the palate – lively acidity gives a chewy sensation, and there is greater grip compared to the Sarget. There is a little astringency that feels derived from wood, or maybe stems (?). Very ripe, juicy with great intensity and concentrated without being overblown. Rich liqueur-esque red fruits, black savoury bass notes, and liquorice. Has an easy, silky core, but that astringent frame… Need to taste these again to be sure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/28/2023 - ayalao3 wrote: 95 Points
Fresh red fruit, nice acidity, thoroughly enjoyable but wait 5-7 years if you can.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2023 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 91 Points
Expresso, mocha, bell pepper, good minerals. Finishing a bit short.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2023 - iBurg1229 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vintage Wine - Bordeaux Tasting 11/11/23: 13.5% ABV. Deep ruby appearance.
Notes of blackberry, black plum, cassis, tobacco leaf, toast, smoke, dark chocolate, nutmeg. Oak still very prominent. Polished tannins but still a ways away from resolving. Good level of acidity helps provide an elegant mouthfeel and carries the flavors into a fine length of finish.
I like the fruit concentration and spice character this shows. This needs to lay down for a while to integrate the oak and round out the tannins, but this will be a force when the time comes. 95 point potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 96 Points
The 2020 Gruaud Larose is an explosive wine, packed full of fig, cassis, boysenberry, and plum - yet for all its intensity, the fruit doesn’t stray into overripeness. This is so fresh, crisp, and long. I love the potpourri, pencil, and licorice notes that slowly emerge. There’s plenty of tannin in the mouth and it will take time to integrate, but the slow burn of purple fruit and pencil this shows on the finish makes a statement: Gruaud Larose is back. 2020 has produced the best Gruaud Larose since the 1982 and 1986 and I do think it seems destined to end up in conversations which include the 1928 and 1961. But this is substance and not flash - and it will take at least 20 years to really start showing all of its glory.
79 CS, 17 M, 4 CF
95-96 (+?)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Cigar box, smoke, herbs, cassis, espresso and blackberries with a savory edge open the wine aromatically. The palate offers freshness, layers of ripe, spicy currants and peppery blackberries with chewy tannins that really hang with you, providing length, vibrancy and refinement in the finish. This is going to age and evolve for decades. Drink from 2027-2060.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2023 - englishman's claret wrote:
Cool, intense, intriguing nose full of mixed berries, tapenade, herbes de Provence. So different from the rest of the St. Juliens aromatically, but sharing their cool composure with very nice depth. Juicy, pretty lush palate but with the zippy acid to hold it together. Good finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2023 - ayalao3 wrote: 94 Points
Red fruits. Tannic, long aging ahead
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2023 - Roger Patterson wrote: 92 Points
Elegant, lifted aromatics of flowers, cedar, mineral. Tannins need time to resolve. At UGC LA
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2023 - Cellarmauz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very fragrant with fruit and oak, moderate concentration of fruit with oak on the palate, elegant structure and a long finish over 10 seconds. Enjoyed past vintages of this wine with the 1982 a favorite. This very young wine needs time to really integrate but should then drink beautifully.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2023 - vvWine.ch wrote: 95 Points
Tiefdunkel, nobel, leicht rauchig, Leder, Brombeere, Cassis. Der Gaumen kompakt, da treffen Kraft und Finesse aufeinander, blitzsauber, mit feinsten Gerbstoffen, einer knackigen Frucht und einer lebhaften Säure. Von A-Z ausgewogen, lang, würzig im Finale. Ein sehr harmonischer Gruaud, der top reifen dürfte. 2028-2045+ (Verkostet am 8. November 2022 in Zürich) www.vvwine.ch
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2022 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
At a tasting of recently bottled 2020s. Lots of scores bunched at 94 at this tasting which just goes to show a level of consistency amongst the 2nd growth quality wines. Lovely nose of dark fruits, balanced, almost drinkable yet there are plenty of soft tannins here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 91 Points
Arvi Bordeaux 2020 Arrivage (Dolder Grand, Zurich): Bordeaux 2020 Arrivage tasting. Key observations: 1/ Tannins were generally soft and well-integrated, but still left room for structure, 2/ fruit generally ripe and well-defined, no over-extraction, 3/ all appellation were showing great, but if I had to pick out then it would be Paulliac, 4/ top wines were Petit Village (completely unexpected, 97) and Lynch Bages (96).
Tasting note:
Ripe cherry, earth and spice. A mostly fresh and fruity nose, well-defined even if simple. Tannin perfectly integrated which provided for a nice mouth feel. I would describe this as mostly classic, but without any distinctive features – hence my rather low score.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2021 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 93 Points
Thought i'd try this again.
Still feels focused and nicely defined. Black cherry fruit, a distinct coolness and poise, fragrant blackberry and dark flowers, vaporous blue fruits a sweet touch of crème de cassis, rich raspberry and some attractive new wood. Feels very clean.
Medium (+) weight, has a silkiness about it. Ripe and very juicy, but showing a touch of that astringency and grip. Attractive, fragrant cassis and raspberry fruit, floral too – long and fine.
The astringency and bitterness I got yesterday (from both) has almost vanished.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2021 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opaque, very glossy, with a vivid purple rim.
Dark and focused nose, displaying soft notes of exotic woods, black cherry and cassis fruit, ripe plum, sawn wood and dark flowers. Very ripe, not super pronounced but measured.
Nice energy on the palate – lively acidity gives a chewy sensation, and there is greater grip compared to the Sarget. There is a little astringency that feels derived from wood, or maybe stems (?). Very ripe, juicy with great intensity and concentrated without being overblown. Rich liqueur-esque red fruits, black savoury bass notes, and liquorice.
Has an easy, silky core, but that astringent frame… Need to taste these again to be sure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment