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| Producer | Chateau Gruaud-Larose |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Saint-Julien |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Sku | 26535 |
| Size | 750ml |
Château Gruaud Larose has a long history in the Médoc, and Saint-Julien in particular, that dates back to when the property was first owned by a knight known as Joseph Stanislas Gruaud. Later, two Gruaud brothers (one a judge, the other a priest) managed the estate profitably. In 1778 the judge's son-in-law, Joseph Sebastian de La Rose took over the château and added his name to the estate. In the 1855 Classification, Gruaud Larose was ranked as a Deuxième Cru, or 2nd Growth.
The vineyards of Gruaud Larose are planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The vineyards are unique in that they are one of the largest contiguous blocks in Bordeaux, they are virtually unchanged since their planting in 1781, and they are on the highest point of elevation on the Saint-Julien plateau. The wine is fermented in a combination of cement tanks and wooden vats and aged in 50% new French oak barrels for about 18 months. The resultant wine is powerful and traditional in style. They age extremely well, particularly in great vintages.
So much sweet-tobacco and currant character with some earth on the nose. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Closed and complex still, but a typically beautiful Bordeaux. Try after 2022.
The 2016 Gruaud Larose is blended of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with notes of red and black cherries, warm plums and freshly crushed blackcurrants plus hints of violets, oolong tea, aniseed and tilled soil with a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied, the palate struts tons of elegantly fragrant red and black fruit flavors with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.
This is a dense, smoky wine with powerful tannins. It follows the line of richness set since the 2014 vintage and balances rich black fruits and con-centrated tannins cut with final acidity. Drink from 2025.
The 2016 Gruaud-Larose has quite a fruit-driven, generous bouquet of layers of black and red fruit laced with graphite and tertiary aromas. Is there just a slight touch of brettanomyces here? The medium-bodied palate is earthy and a little ferrous, with rounded tannin, and quite approachable compared to its peers. Slightly smudged toward the finish, but it shows great persistence. Very fine, very Gruaud.
This has a wide range of red currant, blackberry, black cherry and açaí berry fruit flavors forming the core, with a very sleek iron note lurking underneath it all. The finish uses a fine singed wood stitching to pull the fruit and minerality together. Lovely. Best from 2023 through 2038. 12,200 cases made
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