1945 Château Gruaud Larose

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 93.9 points

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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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