Château Gruaud Larose 2021

Deep, mineral, with a delicate bouquet, cassis fruit, subtle roasted notes. On the palate, taut, powerful, well-structured, with high-quality tannins that wrap the fruit like a silk veil. Long, finely spicy, fresh finish.

Scented nose full of cedar, coffee, chocolate, liquorice, blackcurrant and floral fragrance. Light and lean, but full of flavour, the fruit dances across the palate while the relatively tight but fine tannins give structure. Great acidity and lovely elements of sour cherries, fresh-picked blackcurrants and crushed strawberries with an underlying mineral, slightly salty tang. Delicious.

84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Mid-deep ruby. A little reticent on the nose, showing a touch of white pepper and hedgerow. The palate, too, is delicate. There are light notes of plum and dried herbs, but, for now at least, everything is very toned down. Perhaps better in isolation. (TP)

The 2021 Gruaud Larose is developing nicely now that the wine is in bottle, the vineyard having been converted to organic viticulture two years earlier. It has a refined bouquet that needs a little more coaxing than other Saint-Juliens this vintage: brambly black fruit, a hint of cassis, that Pauillac element I commented upon from barrel dialed down, at least at present. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, quite fresh in the mouth, with fine depth and well-judged acidity. I'm not sure it will be a long-term prospect, yet there is appreciable tension on the finish and more precision than you would have found in vintages a decade earlier. Elegant and refined.

Classically styled, firm, bright, crisp and almost racy, the bright red currants, blackberries and cherries show up discreetly with their savory, peppery edge intact. The finish is crunchy, chewy, and firm, with a chalky accent on the back end of the minty, leafy finish. The wine blends 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027–2055.

Deep ruby garnet colour with purple reflections, subtle ochre rim. Delicate nougat, fine cherries, a hint of plums, some oranges, inviting bouquet. Medium body, chocolatey touch, round, juicy tannins, delicate minerality on the finish, already very developed, a versatile food wine.

The 2021 Château Gruaud Larose checks in as 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 95% new French oak. It's concentrated and medium-bodied, with a relatively closed, inward style in its black cherry and redcurrant fruit as well as subtle tobacco and graphite-laced aromas and flavors. I love its overall balance, as well as its mid-palate depth and polished tannins. It needs just 2-4 years in the cellar and is going to drink beautifully over the following decade or more.

The 2021 Gruaud-Larose shows a dark, rich, chocolatey nose that signals plenty of power and body, with liqueur-like accents and great concentration. With tightly woven tannins, it offers a broad structure on the palate, full and generous in body, marked by high distinction and length. A noble St.-Julien of lofty depth.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 12.5% alc. vol., production 120,000 bottles) Deep, dense, spicy, powerful bouquet: cassis, black cherries, cedar, dark tobacco, smoke, licorice. Powerful, dense palate with dark, intense fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a concentrated structure, complex dark aromatics, and a long, dense, aromatic finish with plenty of lingering flavors. Has room to improve.

(84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 12.5% vol. alcohol, production 120,000 bottles) Deep, dense, spicy, powerful bouquet: cassis, black cherries, cedar, dark tobacco, smoke, licorice. Powerful, dense palate with dark, intense fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a concentrated structure, complex dark aromatics, and a long, dense, aromatic finish with plenty of aftertaste. Can still improve. 18/20 2030 - 2055

Crayon and pencil lead on the opening beats, with grilled spice and black fruit. Savoury, cool-vintage character, with balanced Saint-Julien personality. Cabernet-dominant, this shows real consistency with the En Primeur tasting and is well worth seeking out. Last year of organic conversion. 95% new oak.

The 2021 Gruaud Larose is composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it springs from the glass with vibrant notes of kirsch, juicy raspberries, and fresh blackcurrants giving way to underlying scents of violets, licorice, and wild sage plus a touch of pencil lead. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers lovely harmony, with impressively sustained mid-palate fruit and lots of mineral and earth accents framed by fine-grained tannins, finishing with great purity.

As always, a wonderfully classic Bordeaux on the nose, gradually revealing purple fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), delicate yet heady, with intriguing notes of aromatic herbs and cigar box. Full and silky on the palate, lifted by a lively spicy edge, it pulses with energy through to the finish.

After tasting Le Sarget, one can, without obligation, assume that Gruaud Larose has compelling arguments to make. It presents itself with confident, measured poise, in a linear fashion. Precise and elegant, the wine has compact, velvety tannins that provide a fine foundation alongside its acidic structure. The wine thus gains breadth and character while harnessing its power in a serene, precise way. A Gruaud Larose marked by a sharp sense of detail and subtlety, brilliantly embracing the 2021 vintage and positioning itself ahead of it.

Logo on the cork: CB A lovely deep dark red, purple hue. An intense, refined, pure, subtle and fruity nose. Notes of vanilla and flowers. Inky nuances when the glass is swirled. Delicate on the attack, aromatic through the mid-palate, constantly supported by a finely detailed texture, the wine develops with juiciness and great distinction. It finishes with a good length, with tannins that remain consistently aromatic. Flavours of red and black fruits. Note the low alcohol level of 12.5%.

The 2021 Gruaud Larose has turned out very nicely in bottle, unfurling in the glass with aromas of sweet wild berries, plums, violets and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and velvety, it's polished and seamless, with good depth at the core, supple tannins and lively acids.