1978 Gruaud Larose
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Tasting notes
The 1978 Gruaud-Larose is a vintage not seen for a while. It has a fresh nose, typical of the vintage, conservative and slightly leafy, with plenty of forest floor, smoky scents and perhaps insufficient fruit. The palate is straightforward, balanced with fine tannins, lacking some mid-palate depth and grip with some austerity on the finish. It becomes increasingly bitter with time in the bottle, prompting me to be parsimonious with my score. Tasted at 67 Pall Mall at Chelsea Vintners' The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide dinner.
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Still tightly knit and closed, displaying a dark garnet color with no lightening at the edges, this hard, masculine style of Gruaud lacks the charm and precociousness of the 1979, but offers plenty of depth and intensity. Although there is some herbaceousness present, it is intermingled with the woodsy fruit character of the wine. It appears that another 2-3 years of cellaring will be beneficial; the wine should last through the first decade of the next century. Last tasted, 4/93.
Still tightly knit and closed, displaying a dark garnet color with no lightening at the edges, this hard, masculine style of Gruaud lacks the charm and precociousness of the 1979, but offers plenty of depth and intensity. Although there is some herbaceousness present, it is intermingled with the woodsy fruit character of the wine. It appears that another 2-3 years of cellaring will be beneficial; the wine should last through the first decade of the next century. Last tasted, 4/93. Wine Advocate.August, 1993
About the producer
Ch. Gruaud Larose is a Second Growth estate in Saint-Julien, Bordeaux. It is often considered one of the best-value Left Bank estates, with the wines occasionally matching those of the First Growths.