Château Gruaud Larose - Saint-Julien (Grand Cru Classé) 2016 (750ml)

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Price: $129.99

Producer	Château Gruaud Larose
Country	France
Region	Bordeaux
Subregion	Saint-Julien
Varietal	Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Vintage	2016
Sku	109242
Size	750ml
ABV	13.50%

Château Gruaud Larose Description

Gruaud Larose has always tried to give value to the role of man in the creation of its elixir;
both to his work and to the bond established with the vineyard.
The vine stocks and the grapes are nothing without man, without these makers of crus, from the most modest to the most powerful.
Since its creation, in 1725, four families have succeeded one another at the head of Gruaud Larose: the Gruaud and Larose families, the Balguerie and Sarget families, the Cordier family and the Merlaut family.
This family attachment has been passed on to the employees who often work at the chateau from father to son and from mother to daughter.

The notion of terroir binds geology and climate together. The largest concentration of Grand Cru Wines is in the Medoc, an area which benefits from a microclimate that is particularly favourable for the expression of the vine.
The soil, by nature, limits water retentivity and the summer period, very hot and dry from July to September, is determinant for good ripening, a good maturity and the satisfactory transfer between the root system and the grape.
East and West winds dry the grapes to keep them from perishing.
Every year the heavens play a decisive role in wine making. Their influence on the success of the wine is different each year; no terroir, man or technique can alter the part they play.

The wine is very pure. The tannins are powerful and "tasty" with a good acidity giving it great freshness. One does not feel any strong alcohol thanks to a higher level of acidity than usual and also thanks to the complexity of the tannins. With such balance, barrel ageing will add complexity to the wine.

95 points Decanter

Outer quote mark This is well built and powerful, not exactly subtle, but then none of these wines are. Instead you get complex, layered and concentrated inky fruits, with some aniseed too. The balance and elegance of St-Julien comes in through the tailored and fine tannins on the finish, but while these tannins may be fine, there are lots of them. 80% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040 (JA) Inner quote mark (10/2018)

94 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark 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. Inner quote mark (4/2019)

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark 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. (LPB) Inner quote mark (11/2018)

94 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark 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. (RV) Inner quote mark (5/2019)

93 points Vinous

Outer quote mark 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. (NM) Inner quote mark (1/2019)

93 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark 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. (JM) Inner quote mark (3/2019)

Jancis Robinson

Outer quote mark Mid garnet. This suffers a little from being tasted immediately after the soaring Ch. Branaire Ducru. Lacks a bit of focus and concentration. Sweet and a tiny bit inconsequential though there’s a nice persistent finish. 16.5/20 points. (JR) Inner quote mark (10/2018)

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