1988 Château Gruaud Larose

Community Tasting Notes (219) Avg Score: 90.9 points

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  4/19/2024 - magnord Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Rubinröd, läderkant med tydlig uttunning.
  Stallet igen! Klar frukt, mossa, höstlöv, en tjusig cigarrlåda, gammal brun syltad jordgubbe, lakritsrot, tobak, kafferost. En fascinerande och vacker mogen bordeaux-näsa.
  Nedsmält frukt, mjuka tanniner, smakrik, lite te och citrongräs, lite japanska kryddor, många lager här.
  Mogen bordeaux FTW!

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  3/26/2024 - The Wine Monkeys Likes this wine: 88 Points

  1988 Gruaud Larose shows a little brett and was quite hot/boozy at first blush. Tart cherry, earth, pepper, caramel, and smoke round out the nose with a tannic dark chocolate finish. Overall, not bad but lacked a bit of depth and complexity in our opinion. Asture, old school Bordeaux.

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  3/21/2024 - PSPatrick wrote: 90 Points

  Bought on auction recently. Filled bottom neck. Cork almost completely soaked, but no seepage. Medium to dark garnet colour, some sediment. Dark fruit, vegetal/herbaceous notes, cedar, tobacco, earth, spices, and smoke, with medium-level acidity, fully resolved tannin, and good length. Very earthy. Medium-bodied, medium-complex, smoothly textured and well balanced. Consistent on day two. Fully mature, drink now.

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  11/30/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 90 Points

  The first ever bottle in our 11 bottle line-up, after my Triple Zero aperitif, was JY's. Thanks for sharing this first of two Saint-Julien 1988s at LF's birthday party. As it was Bordecmbre, I added a Rausan-Segla 1988 as the next bottle too!
  
  Nose of faint red fruit with hints of funk and earth, very well integrated tannins, and that appearance of medium-garnet with a brownish rim. This was obviously aged, and I guessed.. Left Bank 1988. I thought it was not a Margaux nor a Pauillac.. Bingo!
  
  Palate of leather, oak and blackcurrant too. Smooth mouthfeel, and much of the fruit has given way to secondaries. This has truly softened with its tannins at medium-, but still has depth and complexity. I would class this as an old-school Saint Julien!
  
  As this continued to air in my glass, I found the tannins to be slightly chewy. The finish remained long though! Acidity medium, giving this some brightness and once again.. Another Bordeaux in our line-up which clearly demonstrated longevity.
  
  Some research on the vintage of 1988 at Saint-Julien showed that the season was marked by certain contrasts: winter and spring very humid and hot, summer dry and moderately hot.
  
  Bud burst was observed a week in advance. Rapid and regular flowering. Maturation evolved normally (July averagely warm and humid; August dry, a little hot).
  
  Heavy winter and spring rain (from November to end of June), followed by severe drought from mid-July. August and September marked by little rain, yet no water stress. Temperatures close to normal.
  
  A few days before harvest, the sugar content and acidity resembled those of the recent good vintages. The skins were very thick, and exceptionally rich in colouring matter and tannins.
  
  Overall, I would recommend drinking up, as there is now little upside from here. It is likely to be towards the end of its optimal drinking plateau... Wonderful stuff!
  
  Maillard Grill, KL, Malaysia
  30th Nov 2023

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  9/14/2023 - blanquito wrote:

  Lovely, smooth, integrated Bordeaux drinking at its peak. This lacks the depth and fruit of its greatest wines in the 80's (82, 85, 86), but is otherwise it is wonderful in a lighter, gentler style. Shows some mild Cordier funk with a silky, resolved palate with nice depth. Fully mature, lovely. 92-93 pts.

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