2003 Gruaud Larose
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Tasting notes
The 2003 Gruaud Larose has a very savory nose with meat juices, singed leather and touches of fireside hearth. It comes across as more Rhône-like than Bordeaux. The palate is medium-bodied and marks an improvement over the aromatics with vestiges of stewed red fruit, black pepper, garrigues and sage notes. There is now some dryness creeping in towards the finish, so I would drink this in the not-too-distant future. Tasted at the Gruaud Larose vertical at the château in February 2023.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 2003 Gruaud Larose has a perfumed nose with cherries, boysenberry jam, confit-like scents, leather-bound books and a touch of cinnamon. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins for the vintage, slightly acetic, and not as complex as the aromatics suggest, with a distinct lack of weight and grip on the finish. While I appreciate the smoothness of this 2003, a better Gruaud would have been made under their current winemaker. Tasted at the château.
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec. Brick colour. Light and leafy on the nose but no great complexity. Some substance and a little sweetness to the palate but the tannins remain hard and grainy in the background. Probably OK with food but not for keeping. (JL)
We finished with 2003 Gruaud Larose. I have never been a huge fan of this vintage. After almost two decades, it retains its decadent bouquet with black plum, cassis and touches of dark chocolate. Powerful, yet just a little monotone? The palate is expectedly ripe and opulent, dried blood infused black fruit with a voluminous finish that again, just misses the nuance and personality that this Saint-Julien can deliver in a much cooler growing season. It just hasn’t journeyed anywhere in bottle.
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.