Chateau Gruaud Larose 2003

Château Gruaud Larose 2nd Growth St Julien, Bordeaux, France 2003 

For many years Gruaud-Larose was owned by the négociants Cordier, who also own Château Talbot. It was sold in 1993 to the French conglomerate, Alcastel Alstom, which in turn sold it to the Taillan Group, owners of Chasse-Spleen and  Haut-Bages-Libéral, in 1997. The talented Georges Pauli has remained as régisseur and winemaker throughout all these changes.

Gruaud-Larose has 84 hectares of vineyards located on a gravel-rich plateau just to the west of Château Beychevelle. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (6%), Petit Verdot (5%) and Malbec (1%). Vinification takes place in a mixture of wooden vats and cement tanks and the wine is aged in oak barriques (30% new) for 18 months.

Gruaud-Larose can be tannic and ungainly in youth but with bottle ageing it becomes marvellously harmonious and develops complex and beguiling characteristics of concentrated black fruits, cedar, spices and liquorice.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Medium/full bodied, and drinking at close to peak today, the wine offers a ripe, berry nose, wet earth, spice, thyme and herbal profile. The tannins are round and soft, leaving with an herbal, red berry finish."

89/100 points, Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, April 2017

"Medium ruby red, lightened edge. The nose is a bit restrained, needs time, subtle lactic notes, herbs, plums. On the palate there is a clear hint of licorice, well matured, the tannins are still there, a bit rough, the acidity is deep. Very good length on the finish. Not big, but far from dead. Now until 2030 (tasted on March 25, 2023 as part of the Gruaud Larose tasting with Ruedi & Silvia Hintermann)"

90/100 points, Adrian van Velsen, vvWine.ch, March 2023