slight browning but not bad for its age. Still some fruit with cigar box nose. Not much in the way of finish - overall an interesting wine given its age
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Clear light red with brown edges. Medium intense nose of green pepper and cedar box. Not much fruit left but very nice. Dry green herb, plum and earth flavours and a dry but not at all dried out finish.
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A surprisingly excellent showing. I wasn't expecting too much, having had little success with G-L from the 70's, but this was really good. The aromatics were outstanding with nice cassis fruit, old leather, some tobacco, and Cordier funk adding complexity. The palate was also going strong, with good sweetness still, a silky resolved texture, just classic. An eye opener.
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Bought on auction. Fill level was not impressive. Didn't even want to drink yet but felt moisture on the capsule so it was triage. Then noticed the cork had fallen. Decanted. Surprisingly this bottle was very pleasant. Light cherry, tar, earth. Can't believe how good this was considering my expectations .
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Terrific bottle of this. Deep in color and plenty of concentration and grip. This is better than the '70 - thicker, bolder, fresher. Flavors are classic Gruaud, rich red fruit dripping with tar, almost like an old Barolo but with mature claret elegance.
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Great fill and cork. Fruit and cordier funk. Mid weight with good concentration. Very good example of mature Gruaud. Drink now but no rush as this one will hold for another decade or more.
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Disappointing nose (B), interesting Palate (B+). Interesting to see how a 43 yo wine is after all these years. Not as good as the first '71 Gruaud Larose I drank a few weeks ago (both bottles purchased at auction recently so no works on history of these bottles). This one had a top shoulder, an oxidized capsule and a soaked through cork from bottom to top but it came out in out in one piece.
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- Garnet color - Purchased at auction for $45. 4cm ullage with an oxidized capsule. The cork was soaked through but (almost) came out in one piece. Poured into a decanter and there wasn't much sediment in the bottle.
Initial impressions: A bit of browning on the rim. Nose of dark fruit and band aids. It's rather unique. I can smell the Cabernet peeking out underneath. Dark cherry fruit, with just a touch of cedar on the palate. The tannins are still there.
One hour: The odd band aid smell is pretty much gone. There's a bit more fruit on the palate now and the finish seems a bit longer. The tannins don't seem as prominent and there's a touch of sweetness.
Two hours: The band aids are back, but it's not off-putting. There's also some nice cedar notes on the nose. The fruit is still pretty strong and the tannins are still in balance. The finish seems a bit longer and I can taste the Merlot in the blend.
Three hours: The band aids are virtually gone and there's sweet fruit on the nose. Sweet cherries on the palate, with nice astringency. It tastes great right now, so I'm going to finish it up.
Overall, this was an interesting wine. Clearly, it's past its prime, but it still has some life in it. It was definitely worth trying, but I won't run out to buy more. I wouldn't sit on this too much longer if you have some in your cellar.
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Birthday lunch for KG, Alex and William (Hua Ting, Orchard Hotel): Second time I have had this - it seems to be holding up pretty well in the intervening couple of years, perhaps coming in just a shade weaker than the last bottle. Like the 1981 Petit-Village that came before, it was obviously not the strongest Gruaud Larose, but it was certainly a very enjoyable drink. The nose was very attractive, with masculine notes of leather and meat and sous bois alongside more lifted aromas of cassis and capsicum and nice little shades of tobacco. The palate was not quite as complex as the nose suggested, but it was clearly fully resolved and drinking very nicely, with soft notes of cassis and black cherries, a bit of meatiness on the midpalate, and a ring of tobacco and smoke and spice on the finish. It was still held up pretty well with a nice bit of fresh acidity and fine tannins too. I thought it was just a bit on the lean side at the at first, but this opened up and took on a bit more substance with time with air. All in all, it lacked a bit of depth to make it a great wine, but it was certainly a good one. Time to drink up though.
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Flower-Power: Snippets from Joyce's Birthday (Chin Huat Live Seafood): From one of the old, oddly-shaped Cordier bottles, this was lovely stuff that kept growing even as I brought the last glass or so home to enjoy slowly. Classic left bank nose here - scents of cassis and sour cherries danced alongside tobacco, gravelly earth, lots of graphite, and just a touch of capsicum - really nice stuff. The palate had really decent depth for a wine so old, all perfectly resolved and balanced, with clean, clear flavours of cassis, earth and tobacco wrapped in elegant, silky tannins as it pulled away into the finish. This was remarkably alive for a 40 year-old wine, filling the mouth with a lovely ring of matured sweetness ringing through the wine. Good stuff.
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Oomph rabunctous nose of dark meaty leather and horse sweat. Iron oxide and rusty nail ls with zinc roof on the palate with zincy cherries and dark plums. Some black peppery notes comes out at the end with some black tea. Still holding on strongly.
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6/21/2020 - senesd Likes this wine: 88 Points
slight browning but not bad for its age. Still some fruit with cigar box nose. Not much in the way of finish - overall an interesting wine given its age
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2/10/2019 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Clear light red with brown edges. Medium intense nose of green pepper and cedar box. Not much fruit left but very nice. Dry green herb, plum and earth flavours and a dry but not at all dried out finish.
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4/30/2017 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
A surprisingly excellent showing. I wasn't expecting too much, having had little success with G-L from the 70's, but this was really good. The aromatics were outstanding with nice cassis fruit, old leather, some tobacco, and Cordier funk adding complexity. The palate was also going strong, with good sweetness still, a silky resolved texture, just classic. An eye opener.
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12/5/2015 - bablues wrote:
Annual Christmas Wine Dinner and Cellar Raid (Naperville, IL): Didn't take detailed notes. Part of Christmas wine dinner and cellar raid. Capsule ok, but cork was saturated. Worse than the 1970
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10/16/2015 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is how I like to drink Bordeaux, carnal, rusty, iodized, yet alive, fruitful. Nails & Cherries. What a lovely bottle this was.
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2/13/2015 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bought on auction. Fill level was not impressive. Didn't even want to drink yet but felt moisture on the capsule so it was triage. Then noticed the cork had fallen. Decanted. Surprisingly this bottle was very pleasant. Light cherry, tar, earth. Can't believe how good this was considering my expectations .
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4/15/2014 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific bottle of this. Deep in color and plenty of concentration and grip. This is better than the '70 - thicker, bolder, fresher. Flavors are classic Gruaud, rich red fruit dripping with tar, almost like an old Barolo but with mature claret elegance.
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4/14/2014 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great fill and cork. Fruit and cordier funk. Mid weight with good concentration. Very good example of mature Gruaud. Drink now but no rush as this one will hold for another decade or more.
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2/26/2014 - europat55 wrote: 87 Points
Disappointing nose (B), interesting Palate (B+). Interesting to see how a 43 yo wine is after all these years. Not as good as the first '71 Gruaud Larose I drank a few weeks ago (both bottles purchased at auction recently so no works on history of these bottles). This one had a top shoulder, an oxidized capsule and a soaked through cork from bottom to top but it came out in out in one piece.
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2/23/2014 - kkleg wrote: 86 Points
- Garnet color - Purchased at auction for $45. 4cm ullage with an oxidized capsule. The cork was soaked through but (almost) came out in one piece. Poured into a decanter and there wasn't much sediment in the bottle.
Initial impressions: A bit of browning on the rim. Nose of dark fruit and band aids. It's rather unique. I can smell the Cabernet peeking out underneath. Dark cherry fruit, with just a touch of cedar on the palate. The tannins are still there.
One hour: The odd band aid smell is pretty much gone. There's a bit more fruit on the palate now and the finish seems a bit longer. The tannins don't seem as prominent and there's a touch of sweetness.
Two hours: The band aids are back, but it's not off-putting. There's also some nice cedar notes on the nose. The fruit is still pretty strong and the tannins are still in balance. The finish seems a bit longer and I can taste the Merlot in the blend.
Three hours: The band aids are virtually gone and there's sweet fruit on the nose. Sweet cherries on the palate, with nice astringency. It tastes great right now, so I'm going to finish it up.
Overall, this was an interesting wine. Clearly, it's past its prime, but it still has some life in it. It was definitely worth trying, but I won't run out to buy more. I wouldn't sit on this too much longer if you have some in your cellar.
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1/29/2014 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Gorgeous nose (A-). Very good palate (B+). Drinking surprisingly well despite the age!
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12/18/2013 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Sweet leather with green capsicums and good substantial fruits.
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12/7/2013 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Birthday lunch for KG, Alex and William (Hua Ting, Orchard Hotel): Second time I have had this - it seems to be holding up pretty well in the intervening couple of years, perhaps coming in just a shade weaker than the last bottle. Like the 1981 Petit-Village that came before, it was obviously not the strongest Gruaud Larose, but it was certainly a very enjoyable drink. The nose was very attractive, with masculine notes of leather and meat and sous bois alongside more lifted aromas of cassis and capsicum and nice little shades of tobacco. The palate was not quite as complex as the nose suggested, but it was clearly fully resolved and drinking very nicely, with soft notes of cassis and black cherries, a bit of meatiness on the midpalate, and a ring of tobacco and smoke and spice on the finish. It was still held up pretty well with a nice bit of fresh acidity and fine tannins too. I thought it was just a bit on the lean side at the at first, but this opened up and took on a bit more substance with time with air. All in all, it lacked a bit of depth to make it a great wine, but it was certainly a good one. Time to drink up though.
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7/29/2011 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Flower-Power: Snippets from Joyce's Birthday (Chin Huat Live Seafood): From one of the old, oddly-shaped Cordier bottles, this was lovely stuff that kept growing even as I brought the last glass or so home to enjoy slowly. Classic left bank nose here - scents of cassis and sour cherries danced alongside tobacco, gravelly earth, lots of graphite, and just a touch of capsicum - really nice stuff. The palate had really decent depth for a wine so old, all perfectly resolved and balanced, with clean, clear flavours of cassis, earth and tobacco wrapped in elegant, silky tannins as it pulled away into the finish. This was remarkably alive for a 40 year-old wine, filling the mouth with a lovely ring of matured sweetness ringing through the wine. Good stuff.
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7/29/2011 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Oomph rabunctous nose of dark meaty leather and horse sweat. Iron oxide and rusty nail ls with zinc roof on the palate with zincy cherries and dark plums. Some black peppery notes comes out at the end with some black tea. Still holding on strongly.
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4/17/2011 - pcwoz wrote: 90 Points
Nicely mature. Pretty complex and quite long. Nicely balanced
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5/21/2010 - Tartiflette wrote: 65 Points
Not any flaw, but just too tired. Hardly any taste like wine. Very brown color.
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