CHÂTEAU GRUAUD LAROSE

2017 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

EN PRIMEUR

The 2017 Gruaud Larose, which was bottled June 2019, is a little smudged on the nose compared to some of its peers, and I would say, compared to the nascent 2018. Attractive brambly red fruit mixed with cigar humidor and attic aromas that just require more precision and intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. What it lacks is mid-palate weight, rendering this an easy-going Gruaud Larose that will not have the longevity of vintages either side. That said, it is a perfectly decent Claret. Drinking range: 2021 - 2038 Rating: 91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2020)

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The 2017 Gruaud Larose was picked from 15 to 20 September for the Merlot and from 21 to 3 October for the Cabernets, fermented in wood and cement tanks and aged in French oak, 80% new for 18 to 24 months. It comes in with 12.88° alcohol. Quite deep in colour, it has an introverted bouquet at first that demands a lot of coaxing from the glass. There are notes of black cherry, iodine and just a touch of pencil lead. The palate is medium-bodied with finely balanced. An unpretentious but pretty Gruaud Larose that is benefitted by what is clearly a prudent extraction. The oak is neatly integrated with a linear, almost pastille-like finish and quite a sustained aftertaste. Drinking range: 2022 - 2040 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)

The 2017 Gruaud Larose is pliant, deep and quite expressive, while staying light on its feet. In 2017, Gruaud is a wine of precision and nuance rather than volume. There is lovely persistence and nuance in the glass. Even so, I can't help thinking there is quite a bit of unrealized potential here. All of the wine was fermented in oak vats, with slightly higher than normal temperatures for the Cabernets. Rating: 89-92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2018)

Mid greyish crimson. Sweetness of black fruit and oak spice on the nose with a hint of vanilla. Fresh, very light on the palate but the tannins are silky enough to be in balance with this rather light-bodied wine. Harmonious but it seems too light for the very long term. Drinking range: 2025 - 2032 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)

Rocking notes of spice box, forest floor, cedary herbs, and ample red and black fruits emerge from the 2017 Château Gruaud Larose. With medium-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and moderate tannin, it’s a classic, balanced, impeccably made wine from this terrific Saint-Julien estate. Rating: 90-92 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2018)

A firm and silky young red with an attractive center palate of fruit and hints of cedar. Fresh, tight and compacted. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2018)

This is a firm, well-placed cassis and redcurrant expression, ripe enough to highlight some of the best qualities of a classic St-Julien vintage, but not quite hitting its stride. Still, it has a lovely floral character and a fine tannic structure. An attractive, carefully expressed Gruaud Larose with lots to enjoy. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 91 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2018)

Well-built, with plum and blackberry fruit that is very fresh, thanks to bright acidity. Light floral, anise and graphite notes add range. A savory streak keeps the finish going. Rating: 91-94 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)

Here we have a very typical nose for Gruaud-Larose, showing perfumed cedar and barrel oak, all wrapped around a rather delicate core of plum and currant fruits. The palate has a defined confidence that shows quite an attractive face, although here the fruit reveals a more varied profile, with flavours of peppery redcurrant, pomegranate and red cherry fruit, again wrapped up warmly in the oak, and supported by a surprisingly gentle bed of velvety tannins. This is balanced against a fresh acid profile. The finish has a grainy, juicy integration, perhaps missing a little in terms of substance or elegance, but it does at least have a sense of balance. Rating: 90-92 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)

St Julien Deuxième cru 1855 The story of Château Gruaud Larose starts with Joseph Stanislas Gruaud who developed the estate in the early 18th Century. Two of his descendents ended up with different halves of the Gruaud estate until, in 1778, Chevalier de Gruaud died and left his portion to his son-in-law Joseph Sébastien de la Rose who immediately appended his name to the estate. Gruaud-Larose was split further in 1867, with Château Gruaud-Larose-Sarget and Château Gruaud-Larose-Faure being seperate until 1935 when the Cordier family, who'd bought the Sarget half in 1919, bought Gruaud-Larose-Faure and put the old estate back together again. Ownership by the Cordiers, and the association with other similarly labelled wines in the portfolio - Talbot, Meyney - kept Château Gruaud Larose as a consistent favourite among Bordeaux lovers. Gruaud-Larose is now owned by the Taillan Group. There are 82ha of vineyard, just to the south west of Beychevelle - 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. A second wine was introduced in 1979 - Sarget de Gruaud-Larose. Gruaud-Larose is among the fuller-bodied styles of St Julien, producing consistently good wines and, whilst the crown of "best estate in St Julien" sits with Leoville Las Cases, the wines of Gruaud-Larose are always worth following.