You've got to keep an eye on the 1959 Gruaud Larose for the nose is slightly uninspiring at its debut, requiring time in the decanter to develop deep, dark black fruits, eucalyptus, and a hint of red pepper. The palate is warm and cedary - unusually, showing a little peat. I like the way this unfolds; even if it doesn't match the 1961, this is still a fine Gruaud Larose exhibiting lots of classic character - deep, dark, serious, broad-shouldered old Gruaud.
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Very pretty and elegant nose with notes of red cherry, underwood, earth, and dried roses. Nice acidity on the palate with some red fruit left, caramel, iron, and cherries. Good finish. Lovely, fully mature Bordeaux. It did, however, decline relatively quickly with air in the glass, so I would drink up. The score is based on the first 30 minutes after opening.
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A great showing for this vintage and the chateau. High shoulder level fill and a cork in decent condition. Decanted about one hour prior to dinner. Minimal browning; rather impressive hue and intensity. Classic St Julien at its best; balancing the power of Pauillac with the elegance of Margaux. Still remnants of tannin but of very high quality of ripeness. Enough acidity to provide great balance. THe nose with all classic elements of tobacco, gravel, cigarbox and cedar were mesmerizing; fantastic intensity. This wine must have been stored in a great cellar. could age for another decade...
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From a double magnum, I believe, for a friend's 60th birthday. Certainly the wine everyone talked about all night. Very Gruaud Larose, though light and elegant compared to younger vintages. It had dried red fruit, cigar, herbs, earth, and Gruaud Larose funk (though not too much). Definitely still alive, though you wouldn't want to keep them any longer. One of the better 1959/1961s I've had. It didn't evolve over the night but I was impressed that it held on strong for 3 hours, when I went back for re-pours.
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A 1959 Birthday Dinner (Los Gatos, California): Double magnum. Light tawny. Medium weight. Full of tobacco, soil, and dark red fruit. Excellent acidity and substantial remaining tannin. The feel is neither silky nor too rustic-somewhere in between. Beautiful, very much alive, and in fact, out of this large format, it could still improve for another decade! This is not a bruiser of a '59 Bordeaux.
good fill and the cork was extracted intact, but wet throughout. Dull colored and not corked, just fading and barely drinkable. I had an excellent bottle of this several years ago
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JG Double Blind Intro Retro (Restaurant Michael): Served double blind and en magnum. Light mature ruby brown. An awkward nose -- slightly damp basement aromas with fruit that is more canned/stewy than fresh. On the palate this is more fresh with ground round fruit and concentration. A bit one dimensional and not as interesting as the 49 Talbot or 61 Larose. My #3, Group's #4 in the flight.
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From magnum, the 1959 Gruaud Larose is a very nice wine, though quite a contrast to the 1961. A bouquet of dried red cherry and blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs and rich soil leads into a supple, expansive wine with juicy fruit and largely melted tannins, underpinned by quite tangy acids for the year. This is very different to the considerably more concentrated, dark-fruited 1961, but a lovely bottle notwithstanding that is better out of large formats these days.
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Murky light-brown but lovely cedar, tobacco and tertiary nose (earth and truffle). Plenty of sweet fruit in the mouth - cherry and raspberry and almost Barolo-like without the acidity. Delicate, light-weight and lovely. Served alongside a 1962 Latour and whilst that was the better wine, I enjoyed this more. Held up well for an hour in our glasses (after a 1hr decant). Drink now-2030. 94-95pts.
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With a truffle, earth, cedar chest, cigar box and a basket of fresh picked cherries, with a handful of earth, you could recreate the beautiful perfume. While I've tasted better bottles of this wine, the sweet, fruits, silky textures and long finish were a beautiful treat to taste.
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Château Margaux Tasting; 4/19/2013-4/20/2013 (Eltville, Germany): This was a very nice bottle. Not as full-bodied as the Cheval Blanc 59 drunk alongside, but of similar elegance. Lighter, with some hint of spice, malty sweetness, cedar. A grerat great bottle.
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This was my experience with the 1959 Gruaud Larose. I hope it won't be my last. Intoxicating aromas of earth, tar, leather, smoke, flowers, cigar box, cassis and tobacco fill the air. Big, rich and concentrated, with supple, opulent textures, this sublime wine ends with a long, pure, sweet cherry filled finish.
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This bottle was bottom neck level, which only confirmed the great provenance. I see a lot of reviews based on bottles that were likely not properly stored. This was a phenomenal wine! Although fully mature it showed no signs of weakness or fading. An amazing balance. Perfect integration of fruit, complexity and structure. Full body, and extremely soft tannins. Spices and cedar, dust all complexities you would expect from a 52 year-old Bordeaux. As we commented while drinking this wine, this is what a Bordeaux is supposed to be! Very glad to have tasted this bottle.
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University Settlement dinner (Christies): The color on this was unreal, just perfectly aged and looking decades younger. When the bottle finally made it to the table I figured out why when i noticed the "THE CELLAR" auction label on the back. The nose was enthralling with good intensity of moist earth and dried herbs accentuating the slightly roasted dark berry fruit. At first the wine was a touch astringent just quickly integrated revealing great fruit with a tobaccoedge and a leather finish, gains a cedary quality with time that leads to a strong bit of cigar box all the while retaining distinct yet delicate fruit. Finishes quite long, a real treat.
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Bordeaux, St. Julien with a few extra's (@ My place): Bought at Christies, so I don’t know the history of this bottle. Being Gruaud from a very good vintage it was a big disappointment. The wine was far past its prime and oxidised. It was just drinkable, but no fun anymore.
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10/1/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
You've got to keep an eye on the 1959 Gruaud Larose for the nose is slightly uninspiring at its debut, requiring time in the decanter to develop deep, dark black fruits, eucalyptus, and a hint of red pepper. The palate is warm and cedary - unusually, showing a little peat. I like the way this unfolds; even if it doesn't match the 1961, this is still a fine Gruaud Larose exhibiting lots of classic character - deep, dark, serious, broad-shouldered old Gruaud.
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12/29/2022 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very pretty and elegant nose with notes of red cherry, underwood, earth, and dried roses. Nice acidity on the palate with some red fruit left, caramel, iron, and cherries. Good finish. Lovely, fully mature Bordeaux. It did, however, decline relatively quickly with air in the glass, so I would drink up. The score is based on the first 30 minutes after opening.
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4/11/2020 - tinybubbles wrote:
Somewhat thin and overall middling in performance.
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12/20/2019 - vagrantone Likes this wine: 93 Points
A great showing for this vintage and the chateau.
High shoulder level fill and a cork in decent condition.
Decanted about one hour prior to dinner.
Minimal browning; rather impressive hue and intensity.
Classic St Julien at its best; balancing the power of Pauillac with the elegance of Margaux. Still remnants of tannin but of very high quality of ripeness. Enough acidity to provide great balance. THe nose with all classic elements of tobacco, gravel, cigarbox and cedar were mesmerizing; fantastic intensity.
This wine must have been stored in a great cellar.
could age for another decade...
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4/6/2019 - Bordeaux_Jon Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a double magnum, I believe, for a friend's 60th birthday. Certainly the wine everyone talked about all night. Very Gruaud Larose, though light and elegant compared to younger vintages. It had dried red fruit, cigar, herbs, earth, and Gruaud Larose funk (though not too much). Definitely still alive, though you wouldn't want to keep them any longer. One of the better 1959/1961s I've had. It didn't evolve over the night but I was impressed that it held on strong for 3 hours, when I went back for re-pours.
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4/6/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
A 1959 Birthday Dinner (Los Gatos, California): Double magnum. Light tawny. Medium weight. Full of tobacco, soil, and dark red fruit. Excellent acidity and substantial remaining tannin. The feel is neither silky nor too rustic-somewhere in between. Beautiful, very much alive, and in fact, out of this large format, it could still improve for another decade! This is not a bruiser of a '59 Bordeaux.
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9/11/2018 - vindictive wrote: flawed
good fill and the cork was extracted intact, but wet throughout. Dull colored and not corked, just fading and barely drinkable. I had an excellent bottle of this several years ago
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4/14/2018 - G_H wrote: flawed
Annual Richter Extravaganza (All bottles out of magnums) (Farnsburg): Bummer - bad bottle, tasted like strawberries cooked in beef stock... this could have been great
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1/27/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
From 375. While not quite as vibrant as the 750, this displayed good balance and energy.
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10/14/2017 - G_H Likes this wine: 94 Points
Grilled mushrroms, leather, some honey, nice palate. Great bottle
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7/11/2017 - Nanda wrote:
JG Double Blind Intro Retro (Restaurant Michael): Served double blind and en magnum. Light mature ruby brown. An awkward nose -- slightly damp basement aromas with fruit that is more canned/stewy than fresh. On the palate this is more fresh with ground round fruit and concentration. A bit one dimensional and not as interesting as the 49 Talbot or 61 Larose. My #3, Group's #4 in the flight.
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7/11/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Chicago Wine Flock...Magnum Man Opens Great Old Bordeaux (George Trois at Restaurant Michael - Winnetka IL): From magnum. Tasted double blind. Easily seemed the oldest of the flight, I struggled with whether this was from Bordeaux or was an older Cali Cab. Lots of earth and slowly cooked mushrooms with some intriguing dried herbs on nose and palate. Good overall, but the least complex or nuanced of the flight.
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12/1/2016 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 92 Points
From magnum, the 1959 Gruaud Larose is a very nice wine, though quite a contrast to the 1961. A bouquet of dried red cherry and blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs and rich soil leads into a supple, expansive wine with juicy fruit and largely melted tannins, underpinned by quite tangy acids for the year. This is very different to the considerably more concentrated, dark-fruited 1961, but a lovely bottle notwithstanding that is better out of large formats these days.
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11/6/2016 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 95 Points
Murky light-brown but lovely cedar, tobacco and tertiary nose (earth and truffle). Plenty of sweet fruit in the mouth - cherry and raspberry and almost Barolo-like without the acidity. Delicate, light-weight and lovely. Served alongside a 1962 Latour and whilst that was the better wine, I enjoyed this more. Held up well for an hour in our glasses (after a 1hr decant). Drink now-2030. 94-95pts.
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9/7/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Barolo-like in character with dried cherry, soil notes, tea, herbal elements. Good structure and a completeness to the wine.
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10/28/2015 - steinersing wrote: 86 Points
quite nice but has seen better times - well over the peak.
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10/17/2015 - fcxj wrote: 86 Points
Pretty gone.
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6/7/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
With a truffle, earth, cedar chest, cigar box and a basket of fresh picked cherries, with a handful of earth, you could recreate the beautiful perfume. While I've tasted better bottles of this wine, the sweet, fruits, silky textures and long finish were a beautiful treat to taste.
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4/19/2013 - mwanasheria wrote: 95 Points
Château Margaux Tasting; 4/19/2013-4/20/2013 (Eltville, Germany): This was a very nice bottle. Not as full-bodied as the Cheval Blanc 59 drunk alongside, but of similar elegance. Lighter, with some hint of spice, malty sweetness, cedar. A grerat great bottle.
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12/13/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
This was my experience with the 1959 Gruaud Larose. I hope it won't be my last. Intoxicating aromas of earth, tar, leather, smoke, flowers, cigar box, cassis and tobacco fill the air. Big, rich and concentrated, with supple, opulent textures, this sublime wine ends with a long, pure, sweet cherry filled finish.
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11/25/2011 - Lombardi wrote: 95 Points
This bottle was bottom neck level, which only confirmed the great provenance. I see a lot of reviews based on bottles that were likely not properly stored. This was a phenomenal wine! Although fully mature it showed no signs of weakness or fading. An amazing balance. Perfect integration of fruit, complexity and structure. Full body, and extremely soft tannins. Spices and cedar, dust all complexities you would expect from a 52 year-old Bordeaux. As we commented while drinking this wine, this is what a Bordeaux is supposed to be! Very glad to have tasted this bottle.
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12/22/2007 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
Long over it's prime. Still some life left but not much by any stretch of imagination. QPR makes it no brainer "buy no more".
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3/13/2007 - Gregory Dal Piaz wrote: 96 Points
University Settlement dinner (Christies): The color on this was unreal, just perfectly aged and looking decades younger. When the bottle finally made it to the table I figured out why when i noticed the "THE CELLAR" auction label on the back. The nose was enthralling with good intensity of moist earth and dried herbs accentuating the slightly roasted dark berry fruit. At first the wine was a touch astringent just quickly integrated revealing great fruit with a tobaccoedge and a leather finish, gains a cedary quality with time that leads to a strong bit of cigar box all the while retaining distinct yet delicate fruit. Finishes quite long, a real treat.
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11/26/1994 - Zweder wrote:
Bordeaux, St. Julien with a few extra's (@ My place): Bought at Christies, so I don’t know the history of this bottle. Being Gruaud from a very good vintage it was a big disappointment. The wine was far past its prime and oxidised. It was just drinkable, but no fun anymore.
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