Critic Review
An Exploration of Time: Gruaud Larose 1831-2018 (Mar 2024)
The 1982 Gruaud Larose has long been a “winner” in this competitive vintage. Gorgeous scents of sloes, loam, leather and wild heather emerge and become more minty as this wine unfurls in the glass. There is just a patina of Brettanomyces in this 1982, but like a dozen or so previous bottles, I have not found it detracts from overall olfactory pleasure. The palate is just as irresistible as the aromatics. With lovely balance and slightly grainy tannins, this bottle is perhaps slightly more youthful than others. It is very focused with sage and bay leaf mixed with black fruit towards the finish, tobacco and graphite combining wonderfully towards the finish. Superb. Tasted at the Gruaud Larose vertical at the château in February 2023 and also at Christie's dinner a few months later with consistent notes.
Neal Martin - 96
1982 Bordeaux, 20 Years On (Jul 2002)
Good deep red. Very complex, perfumed aromas of plum, leather, meat and minerals. Sweet, lush and young; really stuffed with fat, meaty fruit. Broad without being really thick, with impressive precision of fruit. The most complex of these three vintages of Gruaud-Larose. Finishes with big, ripe tannins and palate-staining sweet fruit. The young 2000 reminds me of this wine. (A second bottle of equal quality showed roasted currant, tobacco and leather on the nose; a broad, silky palate of compelling sweetness; and a sweetly fruity finish with big, firm tannins and excellent length.) Drink now through 2020.
Stephen Tanzer - 94
Cellar Favorites: 1945, 1966 & 1982 Gruaud Larose (Dec 2018)
The 1982 Gruaud Larose has long been one of my favourite Saint Julien wines from that vintage. From magnum, the exquisite bouquet of black fruit, leather and hints of game and antique bureau is fully mature yet vigorous and so joyful. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins that have melted in recent years. Here, there is more red than black fruit, suffused with tobacco, sage and cedar notes, impressive in terms of grip and fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bottles with sound provenance are à point and will continue to give pleasure for another 20, perhaps 30 years. Tasted at the Lafaurie-Peyraguey vertical in Bordeaux.
Neal Martin - 95
A Century of Bordeaux: The Twos (Sep 2022)
The 1982 Gruaud Larose is actually similar to the Talbot on the nose - unsurprisingly given their propinquity. Dark berry, rose petal, a touch of oyster shell and even a hint of eucalyptus that surfaces with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supper tannins; there is lovely balance and swagger, so pure and generous. It fans out wonderfully, vying with the Talbot for attention, but at the end of the day, they are both fabulous Saint-Juliens in a vintage when the appellation excelled. Tasted at the 1982 Dinner at Hatched.
Neal Martin - 95
Vertical Tasting of Chateau Gruaud Larose (Apr 2013)
Bright red with a pale rim. The still-closed nose reluctantly releases aromas of red cherry, sweet spices, aromatic herbs and coffee. Dense, rich and fleshy, with ripe red cherry, tobacco and forest floor flavors given shape by harmonious acidity and smooth tannins. The very long, slightly chewy finish shows a peppery chocolatey persistence. This is developing at a snail's space and might last another three or four decades in a cold cellar, but while its tannic structure is noble and impressive, I'd probably want to check in on it again in five years' time to see how the fruit is holding up.
Ian d'Agata - 96
Cleaning Out the Cupboard: Bordeaux 1943-2020 (Jan 2023)
This bottle of 1982 Gruaud-Larose came direct from the château cellars. It is just pure joy on the nose with fabulous scents of black fruit, hung game (less so than previous bottles), clove and a faint aroma of a stately home. It manages to offer both ample fruit and life-affirming complexity. The palate has aged little since I last tasted it; there's more red fruit here, with freshly rolled tobacco, cedar and a touch more spiciness on the finish than previous tastings, with a sweet yet structured finish. This may well represent the finest bottle that I have encountered.
Neal Martin - 96
