CHÂTEAU GRUAUD LAROSE 2016

Château Gruaud Larose 2016

““This has a wide range of red currant, blackberry, black cherry and açai berry fruit flavors forming the core, with a very sleek iron note lurking underneath it all. The finish uses a fine singed wood stitching to pull the fruit and minerality together. Lovely. Best from 2023 through 2038. 12,200 cases made.” – 93/100, Wine Spectator

VARIETIES: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
AVERAGE AGE OF STOCKS: 46 years
REGION: France / Bordeaux / Médoc / Saint-Julien
AGEING: 18 – 24 months in French oak barrels (40% new, the rest 1-2 years old)
GUARDING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or will cellar well up to 15 years
SERVE: Serve at 16 – 18ºC
FITS TO: Go well with rich buttery, juicy, and tender Roasted Lamb with the flavor of Garlic, Parsley, and Rosemary, or Grilled Ribs / Creamy Truffle Mushroom Fettuccine
CRITICS SCORES: 95/JCL, 94/WE, 93/WS, 91/TA
VIVINO: Average 4.2 ★★★★✰

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2ᵉ Grand Cru Classé – 1855, Saint-Julien Appellation | Range | Château Gruaud Larose 2016

The prestigious Bordeaux property of Gruaud-Larose, a 2nd growth in the 1865 classification, lies in the commune of Saint-Julien, a single vineyard of 80 hectares composed of gravels from the Gironde estuary. The poor soils provide excellent drainage, especially as the vineyards are on the highest plateau of Saint-Julien – though that is a mere 18 metres above sea level. Gruaud was one of the first Bordeaux estates to abandon synthetic pesticides and herbicides in the vineyard during the late nineties, turning to mechanical and organic solutions to protect and nourish the vines. Though not biodynamic, they do employ natural homeopathic treatments such as organic compost made from seaweed to protect against mildew and rot.

The year 2016 started off with the water tables full, thanks to the heavy rainfall from January to March. Three difficult months for the vineyard workers but which saved the day for this vintage! The mild temperatures in March ensured an early budburst but the colder, rainy mornings in April slowed down the growth cycle. From mid-June to mid October, rainfall was well below the seasonal average. During the first two weeks of August, the colour change was short and even on each of the properties. The grapes developed in radiant, dry weather conditions. Light showers appeared in mid September to re-boost the ripening process on the terroirs offering less water retention, thus perfecting the maturation of the tannins. The absolutely perfect weather conditions during harvest time allowed us to pick grapes boasting remarkable quality.

The fruit is sorted then undergoes a cold soak prior to temperature controlled fermentation in a mixture of wooden and concrete vats, with pumping over of the fermenting must twice a day. Then up to a third of the vintage undergoes malolactic in oak barrels, before ageing the entire wine in Allier’s and Nevers oak (80% new) for 18 months, and there is a light fining and filtration before bottling.

The 1982 and 1986 vintages are close to 1st Growth in quality and the 1990 and 2000 are both brilliant wines. The 2016 is certainly the greatest wine produced by this estate since their 2009 and 2010. The balance in the 2016 is impeccable, incredibly silky, it glides across the palate and has a wonderful freshness on the finish. In the best vintages Gruaud has a special quality that allows it to age gracefully and improve in bottle for many years.