2008 Gruaud Larose
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Tasting Notes
Deep purple-red, plummy and ripe blackcurrant fruit, but quite broad and jammy and seems to lack definition, pleasant but not persistent enough. Drink 2014-20. Decanter.com
Critic Scores
Average Score
Decanter
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
Plummy and perfumed, with sweet spices and currants. Lovely subtle nose. Full- to medium-bodied, with fine tannins and lovely balance. Ripe and pretty fruit. Could get even better. James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 2009.
Tasted at the UGC 2008 tasting in London. Personally, I wish the Gruaud Larose -08 would muster a little more intensity on the nose. It comes across very tertiary at the moment and it would benefit from greater fruit expression: lots of tobacco and smoke aromas dominating but it unfurls nicely, revealing attractive gamey notes, hints of sage and bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, not a heavyweight or even top-tier Gruaud, but nicely balanced and natural, a dash of pepper lending the finish a little pep. This is a decent effort, although it is no match for the 2009. Drink 2012-2025. Tasted October 2010. Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com
Mid crimson with a pale rim. Very sweet for a St-Julien. Almost right bank ripeness. Sweet start. Not as classical as most St-Juliens. More forward and winning! Attractive drink for the medium term. Hint of chocolate even. Medium charge of tannins. Polished silky texture. Very beguiling. Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com
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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.