1970 Gruaud Larose
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Tasting notes
The 1970 Gruaud Larose was picked from September 27, a large crop of wine that proprietor Jean Merlaut recalls being tannic in their youth. The bouquet is paradigmatic for the vintage with dusky black fruit, cedar and cigar smoke. Some balsamic aromas creep in with aeration alongside damp undergrowth/mulch. The palate is better than the nose, pleasingly fresh with quite firm and bold tannins, nicely-pitched acidity and a peppery, earthy black fruits commingling with cedar, cigar box and sous-bois towards the tannic finish. Personally, I would not be inclined to keep too much longer. Tasted in March 2010 at the "-0 vintage" vertical at the château.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
This is another typically tough, muscular, closed, angular, acidic 1970, seemingly without the extract and concentration to balance out the tannin. The 1970 Gruaud-Larose remains dusty and coarse with considerable brett (the spoilage yeast that technocrats find appalling). I am not sure this wine will ever become fully mature. While it offers an attractive leathery, smoky, earthy nose, the flavors remain hard and coarse.
This is another typically tough, muscular, closed, angular, acidic 1970, seemingly without the extract and concentration to balance out the tannin. The 1970 Gruaud-Larose remains dusty and coarse with considerable brett (the spoilage yeast that technocrats find appalling). I am not sure this wine will ever become fully mature. While it offers an attractive leathery, smoky, earthy nose, the flavors remain hard and coarse. Jun 1996, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Ch. Gruaud Larose is a Second Growth estate in Saint-Julien, Bordeaux. It is often considered one of the best-value Left Bank estates, with the wines occasionally matching those of the First Growths.