2005 - Gruaud Larose, Saint-Julien

Stately ruby red, raspberry and cassis fruits, still young, needs another few years to fully open and integrate, but everything is there for a brilliant wine with pleasure. This is a château that always takes its time, and needs half an hour in the glass to reveal smoked vanilla bean, sweet raspberry puree, turmeric spice, fresh acidity and crushed mint. Not showing quite as well as it did at a château vertical last year, but this is still a wonderful wine, and is one to look out for. Harvest September 20 to October 11, 35% new oak.

The 2005 Gruaud Larose is medium to deep garnet-brick in color. It needs a moment of swirling to bring out fragrant notes of rosehip tea, crushed rocks, dried lavender, and red loam leading to a core of prunes, redcurrant jelly, and black truffles. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with energetic black and red berry layers supported by firm, fine-grained tannins and lovely tension, finishing long and minerally.

The 2005 Gruaud Larose, which was decanted for 30 minutes upon my request, replicated its performance a couple of years ago. This was the final vintage to include Malbec (1%). It has a very "useful" bouquet of blackberry, juniper berries and cedar that opens with vigour in the glass with satisfying intensity. The palate is slightly less "broad-shouldered" than before, very powerful to the point of being almost overpowering, and the slightly feral finish slightly shifts it away from Bordeaux typicité. Drink now or over the next 20 years. Tasted at the château.

The 2005 Gruaud Larose has a deep ruby/purple color, excellent concentration, and clean, pure black and red currant fruit, licorice and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, lush, and very soft and round. I’m surprised how drinkable it is already, although it is certainly capable of lasting 15 or more years.

Deep, shaded blackish ruby. Light, rather sweaty nose. Relatively simple. A toothsome mouthful with the tannins receding if tasted in isolation but trumped by some of these wines. (JR)