Chateau Gruaud-Larose 2011 St Julien 2nd Growth
Tasting Team likes 2011 Chateau Gruaud Larose because it gives very classic structure. It may not be as approachable as its 2012, and won’t age any longer. The high cost performance of 2011 Gruaud Larose seems to have brought its meatier, claret style of back to the foreground and got it in even more touch with wine lovers and consumers. 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, this 2011 Chateau You don't have to wait. It is ready.
Team tried full decanting of half of the bottle for one hour. and putting the decanted half inot the bottle and consuming it over once hour. Result is not had.
Giving pleasing and easy palate, Chateau Gruaud Larose 2011 is of medium body, with crisp, fresh cassis, earth, spice and gravel, and ends with a creme de cassis finish which is very balanced. Adequate length and intensive to make a Cru level of impression.
BBR writes about the huge Cordier Group behind ‘Château Gruaud-Larose as a 2ème Cru Classé property that produces one of St-Julien's most full-bodied and long-lived wines, pointing excellent cost performance made possible by economies of scale. For BBR 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 (65%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (8%) and Petit Verdot (2%). 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.
Notable comment is as follows:
"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." - James Suckling, JS93
