Many wine lovers believe that St-Julien is the most perfect place on earth for wine, and it is very hard to argue with them. If you are looking for action of any sort, this is not the place to visit; it’s scary quiet! But, if you are looking for great wines in a diversity of styles it is here in this 3- mile stretch of ancient gravel deposits that you will find real treasures. At the southern border you have wines of great elegance such as Ch. Beychevelle and Branaire-Ducru, at the northern border the great vineyard of Léoville and wines of masculine power at Barton and Las Cases. In the middle you have wines that can be silky smooth like Ducru-Beacaillou and that red that hooked me on the wines of Bordeaux for life, Ch. Gruaud-Larose.
The year was 1980 and when I asked the my first wine mentor in Redwood City Mr. Norm Jacobs to recommend a wine that would be a great example of classic Bordeaux. He named the second growth Gruaud-Larose. The vintage was 1976, a very early harvest because of the extremely hot summer that was followed by periods of rain in late August and September. Those conditions created incredible/expansive aromatics that intrigued me so much that I bought a bottle every Saturday night for a month! I could not wait to get my nose back in the glass to see if all those distinctive flavors were still in there.
The style of Gruaud is unique, and the vineyard blend has a lot to do with this. Made from 57% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 8% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot and 2% malbec, it is one of the few wines left in Bordeaux that still use all five grape varietals. The wine always has a deep robe of regal old-vine fruit with hints of tobacco, leather and spicy/herbaceous earth tones. Gruaud is a wine of harmony, never overly masculine, tannic or over extracted, but it’s not a lightweight either. It is an amazingly consistent, classy and elegant wine. In the last 30 years the estate has changed ownership a few times, and those owners have left their mark in the form of millions of dollars invested into new cellars and in the vineyard. These investments combined with the presence of the same technical director since 1970, Mr. George Pauli, have kept Gruaud great.
Hats off to Mr. Pauli who has traveled with the Union des Grand Crus for years to pour his wine. After years we finally arranged the perfect forum to showcase these wines, a five-course dinner at Cetrella restaurant, which took place April 22, 2007, with the new export director David Lunay. All of the wines showed fantastically, perfect snapshots of the weather conditions that created them. It is also very important to point out the great value that Gruaud continues to offer in contrast to other second growths and all the first growths that have gone absolutely mad with their pricing.
2005 Gruaud-Larose, Pre-Arrival ($56.99) Brilliant, bright fruit of berries and earth, complete wine, wonderfully balanced and long finish. Great.
2004 Gruaud-Larose, Pre-Arrival ($35.99) Tightly wound and compact like many 2004s, but the fruit is deep and I am sure this wine will be just fine though it will need 10-15 years to develop and open.
2003 Gruaud-Larose ($57.99) Very rich wine with lots of glossy fruit that comes at you in waves. Soft and expansive, complex wine, like many 2003s it will be accessible a bit earlier but do not drink it all young! Grauud ages fantastically, and this will be great at 20 years old.
1999 Gruaud-Larose ($49.99) A soft, delicious wine, not quite ready but getting there. 1999 is the best non-famous vintage I’ve ever tasted. A super deal.
1996 Gruaud-Larose (Inquire) This wine has many of the qualities of the 1976. It has lots of spicy/zesty strong fruit. It could use a little of the flesh that the 1999 exhibits, but this is non-manipulated wine and a 1996.
1995 Gruaud-Larose ($59.95) What a deal! Over 10 years of age and a very good Gruaud. You are just starting to get the hint of cheese on the nose, which lets you know the wine is coming around. The fruit is good and ripe, and like most 1995s it has good focus and is not really quite ready yet, so hold on another five years or so for something special like the 1989.
1989 Gruaud-Larose ($94.99) This is why you wait! Perfectly integrated and perfectly ready to enjoy. The aromas take me back to the 1976. Serve with the cheese and drink like a king!
Please feel free to contact me anytime with any questions or advice on the wines of Bordeaux at ex 2723 or Ralph@klwines.com. Toujours Bordeaux! —Ralph Sands