This has a lovely sweet nose. Now this is classy. it really skips along and has wonderfully juicy fresh fruit and absolutely no shortage of elegance. Bravo!
FINE+RAREScore: 18/20
A very harmonious wine for the vintage with currants, spices and stones. Full body, with ultra fine tannins and a pretty finish. Delicate yet structured for the vintage. jamessuckling.com
James SucklingScore: 92-93/100
As usual, Gruaud Larose offers freshness, finesse and elegance even in a tannic vintage like 2011. Very pretty floral notes with violets, cedar and spices in the finish. Great work and selection in the vineyard. Fairly long finish. AsianPalate.com
Jeannie Cho Lee MWScore: 91-92/100
Medium/full-bodied, with crisp, fresh cassis, earth, spice and gravel, the wine ends with a tannic crème de cassis finish that requires age to develop. theWineCellarInsider.com
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar InsiderScore: 91-92/100
Rich, supple, slightly spicy fruit, attractive touch of oak, seductively forward but will age well. Drink 2015-2025. Decanter.com
DecanterScore: 17/20
The 2011 Gruaud Larose is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc (no Petit Verdot this year) picked from 14th September with the Merlot and finishing with the Cabernet on the 28th. It has 13.05% alcohol and an IPT of 74 and is being aged in 40% new oak. Tasted three times including at the property, it has a rounded bouquet with ripe blackcurrant aromas that is missing a little depth and has a metallic tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft entry. It is a more feminine take on Gruaud, perhaps missing a little backbone and structure, but it displays fine purity and sweetness towards the finish. I am just looking for a little tension and precision. Tasted April 2012. Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com
Neal MartinScore: 89-91/100
Rich, evolved, cedary, black currant and cherry fruit are present in this dark ruby-colored 2011. With medium body, pleasant ripeness and fruitiness, good purity and depth but no herbaceousness or hardness, it has a precocious, flattering, up-front appeal that suggests it will drink well for 10-15 years. Apr 2014, www.robertparker.com
Robert ParkerScore: 89/100
Deep dark cherry and inky core. Oak and cassis vie for dominance on the nose and there's perhaps a note of brett here too giving hardness on the palate. Some char and chocolate. Nice freshness but the tannins are a bit thick and the whole is rather hard work. Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MWScore: 15.5/20
Bordeaux / France