| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Gruaud Larose
A nice, earthy, black fruited, spicy and meaty 2012 Gruaud Larose, with medium body, excellent depth, chunky roasted herb and aged beef notes, this wine finishes authoritatively and the tannins are reasonably ripe. Give it another 3-5 years cellaring and drink it over the following 15 or so years
Drink: 2018 - 2035
The Grand Vin is a blend of 66.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 6.5% Petit Verdot, delivering 13.46% alcohol and an IPT of 73. Harvest commenced on 2nd October with the Merlot, the Cabernet picked between 11th and 18th October. The bouquet is fresh with expressive Merlot - not a complex aromatic profile but expanding nicely in the glass with subtle floral notes. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a gentle but insistent grip. The acidity is well judged and it builds very nicely in the mouth to a finish that is more sophisticated than the nose presently suggest. This will be a fine, medium-term Gruaud Larose. Tasted April 2013.
A silky and fine red with blueberry, blackberry and floral character. Hints of hazelnuts. Full body, integrated tannins and a fresh finish. Persistent too. Better in 2017.
Redcurrant and raspberry fruits, acidity a little fresher than in some St Juliens in what is a pretty gourmet vintage at this 10 year window. White pepper and rosemary spice, along with a lilting, sappy slate minerality. Don't expect concentration through the mid palate, but this is charming, finessed, and ready to begin drinking. 40% new oak.
Blackish crimson. Sweet, almost cooked nose. Very sweet indeed - almost violet cachou-like. Then some palate-pinching effect on the finish. Not the most appetising 2012 but very flattering. But I think it could be a bit tiring after a while.
I detected a touch of wet vegetative material in this muscular, solidly constructed, dark ruby/purple-colored 2012. There is abundant austerity as well as a certain hollowness in the mid-palate, and the wine seems directionless at present. The firm tannins, medium body and deficiency in the mid-palate raise questions about where this cuvee is heading. It's possible that the mid-palate will fill out with additional cellaring, leading the wine to perform better than this note suggests.
This has a very good depth of fruit and silky tannins. Layered and pretty. It has a serious finish for the vintage. Currants. Hints of hazelnuts. Like it. This should be better than 2011. Look forward to seeing them against one another in bottle.
