PV Tasting Notes
Good solid deep red, with rather musky, almost gamey aromas of plum, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, spice box and roasted oak. Fat, plummy and lush on entry, built for the long haul with good structure and acidity, ripe red and black berry fruit mid way with decent spine to give the wine shape. Sweet fruit but not overly so, more briary if you like, offering more breadth than depth. Finishes with a hint of burnt toast and dusty tannins. Needs at least another year or two in bottle to really come together, but lots of charm here and should blossom further. Tasted Feb 2008
Independent Review91 Points Neal Martin The Wine Advocate Sept 2010
Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. This is an impressive showing for Gruaud-Larose under blind conditions. It has a reserved, cedar, leafy nose with good definition and poise with good lift – very Pauillac in style with the Cabernet driving it along. The palate is full-bodied, very well balanced with good acidity. Firm tannins, ripe and elegant, very well poised on the briary finish. Charming. Tasted January 2010.
90 Points James Suckling The Wine Spectator Mar 2009
Shows plum and raspberry aromas, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with super well-integrated tannins and pretty fruit on the middle palate. All there in balance and finesse. Best after 2013. 20,000 cases made. –JS
Chateau Gruaud-Larose was originally called Fond Bedeau, but M. Gruaud purchased the estate in 1757 and changed the name, about 30 years later M Larose married the daughter and added his own name to that of his late father in law. The estate has about 80 hectares planted to vines, where the average age is around 47 years. Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, them Merlot, Cabernet Franc, with small amounts of Petit Verdot and a smattering of Malbec.