Château Gruaud Larose 1996

In the bottle, Gruaud Larose appears to have returned to the form it possessed when I first tasted it from cask—a stylish, surprisingly civilized, medium-bodied wine without the muscle and power expected from both this terroir and vintage. It still possesses excellent density, as well as roasted herb, licorice, and black currant flavors intermixed with incense-like aromas. The wine is medium to full-bodied, pure, rich, and forward. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2018.

Violet, blackberry and flowers on the nose. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a medium finish. Ready. — ’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now.

Dark ruby with a blackish cast. Some very classical dry cedary notes on the nose – definitely tertiary. Sweet start and very round fruit with virtually no tannin in evidence. So sweet it only just has enough freshness but this would be a very attractive plump wine to drink now. Good attack. (JR)

1996 Gruaud Larose opened with barnyard, tobacco, earth and unclean aromas. Medium to full bodied with a lean, rustic personality and an earthy, cassis-flavored finish, this is not a success for a vintage where so many great wines were produced in the Medoc. I do not see this wine improving with age.

Medium garnet-purple, with fine maturity tones at the rim. Bouquet of slightly jammy fruit, candy-like blackcurrant, red plum compote, umami notes, chicken bouillon, a slightly sweaty nose with a suede-like scent. On the palate, red cassis, wild cherries, medium weight, acidity not yet fully ripe, yet giving the wine good length and further ageing potential. The Burgundian nose is more appealing than the palate; a Gruaud in an artisanal style that was corrected in later vintages.

97: Barrel sample (19/20): beguiling, pleasantly sweet bouquet, very complex and expansive, smoke, very warm, currants. Juicy, soft palate, fine-grained tannins, regal astringency, very long. A top vintage at Gruaud, very similar to the ’82. 99: Medium garnet-purple, dense in the middle but lightening at the rim. Cedary bouquet with aromas of fine woods, a hint of Dominican tobacco, followed by a delicate prune note. Well-proportioned palate, lots of flesh and substance, yet already quite fine, almost regal tannins, mouth-encompassing astringency, a fine-sandy, still grainy flow. (18/20). 05: Medium garnet-purple, subtle maturity at the rim. The bouquet shows a slightly jammy fruit, with somewhat stalky redcurrants, red plum compote, but umami/MSG notes and chicken bouillon paste mingle in, giving it a slightly sweaty, suede-like character on the nose. On the palate, red cassis, wild cherries, medium weight; the acidity isn’t fully ripe, but it gives the wine good length and further aging potential. Will it improve? The Burgundian nose pleases more than the palate. A Gruaud that still shows the artisanal style later corrected in subsequent vintages. 11: At a never-ending cocktail at Gruaud-Larose there was this ’96 from Impériale bottles. It’s slowly becoming quite a great Gruaud. 11: At Werner Feldner’s ’96 tasting. Maturing notes, discreet brick-tinged rim. The nose is relatively open, showing light tobacco, pencil lead, discreet raisiny components from very ripe Merlots, even edging into light honey, raisin, dried chamomile and a cold teapot. Juicy palate with ginger biscuits, fig syrup affinities, suede and musk. A classic that can be approached very slowly. (18/20). 14: Medium-dark wine red. Starts slightly floral on the nose, plums, lots of cedar and stone dust. Medium-weight on the palate, tannin muscles still supporting and demanding. Heading towards classicism. You can start, but waiting is probably the slightly better idea. (18/20). 15: Magnum. Dark garnet with brick-red glints. Regal, expansive bouquet, showing a brilliant Cabernet sweetness, light malt, a hint of raisins; the nose profile is complex, thus cohesive. Full on the palate, lots of charm to the tannins, a certain opulence, still some fruit components. Still fairly well-priced—for a Grand Cru—on the market. So it’s worth buying. (18/20). 18: Quite dark purple with a very fine maturity sheen at the rim. Very spicy, intense bouquet; the noble wood notes are so intense that the partially black-berried fruit underneath is almost covered. It conveys clear minerality on the nose, complemented by early truffle notes. On the palate it feels hearty, quite concentrated, with a concrete stature and a finish showing cassis notes. Not yet fully shaped and, with further bottle age, will find a great pleasure potential. In a few years I may well round up the score. In terms of price-performance, one of the most exciting Grand Crus. (18/20). 22: Medium-dark wine red, slightly lightening at the rim. Intense, expansive bouquet with a perfumed Cabernet sweetness, lots of cedar, prunes, rock candy; you also still find some fruit remnants indicating the youthfulness of this wine. On the palate it is juicy, long, superbly balanced, the tannins fine and ripe. Virtually everything is right here. It also shows that the great Saint-Juliens always come across a bit lighter than qualitatively comparable Pauillacs. Those who love great Bordeaux will like it. (19/20).

Decanted immediately on opening, because this remains firmly structured even at 25 years old, and feels a good number of years younger than the 1995. Once the oxygen softens things up, the autumnal but still-juicy cassis and bilberry fruits begin to spiral out of the glass. There is tobacco and smoked earth here, alongside clear black truffles, olive tapenade, flavours that indicate a high-quality vintage that favoured Cabernet Sauvignon. Still fairly upright and strict, give it time in a carafe to ensure the tannins become supple enough to let the beauty of this wine out, but don't feel you need to wait too long - there is real beauty here. Harvest September 20 to October 10, 35% new oak.

The 1996 Gruaud Larose is medium to deep brick in color. It pops out of the glass with surprisingly open-knit notes of baked plums, stewed blackberries, and blackcurrant pastilles followed by suggestions of dried roses, star anise, smoked meats, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate offers mouth-coating, muscular, mature black fruits with loads of smoky/savory nuances and chewy, rugged tannins, finishing long and earthy.

It reflects Gruaud’s style of the time. Virile, it’s a wine built on power and endowed with real charm.

Logo on the cork: CRL Dark colour of medium intensity, showing evolution. Shy nose. Fairly rich on the attack, even almost sweet and smooth; from mid-palate onward the wine becomes firmer. Medium length.