1975 Gruaud Larose
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Tasting notes
The 1975 Gruaud Larose has a dusty attic and fungal bouquet that is lacking the fruit concentration of the 1966. Touches of prune and brown sugar indicate its maturity; this example is a bit ragged around the edges. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, perhaps a little hollow with drying tannins, and a touch of leather and tobacco towards its attenuated finish. Drink it soon as it decays rapidly in the glass. Tasted at the Gruaud Larose vertical at the château in February 2023.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Fading ruby with an aged rim. Lowkey nose and a bit too much like hard work. Very chewy and fairly light. Of another era. Drying on the finish. On the way down; drying out. £204.40 Caves de Pyrène (JR)
This massive, backward wine appears to resist aging. Still bitterly tannic, impressively-colored (dark garnet with no amber), and monstrous on the palate, this wine will either turn out like the outstanding 1928 and begin to reveal some charm and character around age 40, or it will dry out, much like the 1948. It needs another 5-10 years of cellaring. The excruciatingly painful level of tannin makes this wine an enigma. It is likely to be appreciated only by the most patient Bordeaux enthusiasts. I would not be surprised to see some wine writer touting its greatness around 2025, long after most of it had been consumed and found to be pleasureless. Owners should try not to touch a bottle before 2005.
This massive, backward wine appears to resist aging. Still bitterly tannic, impressively-colored (dark garnet with no amber), and monstrous on the palate, this wine will either turn out like the outstanding 1928 and begin to reveal some charm and character around age 40, or it will dry out, much like the 1948. It needs another 5-10 years of cellaring. The excruciatingly painful level of tannin makes this wine an enigma. It is likely to be appreciated only by the most patient Bordeaux enthusiasts. I would not be surprised to see some wine writer touting its greatness around 2025, long after most of it had been consumed and found to be pleasureless. Owners should try not to touch a bottle before 2005. Feb 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.