2004 Gruaud Larose
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2004 Gruaud Larose is actually better than the 2003, with just a little under-ripeness that I can abide by since it is fresh with tobacco and melted tar scents infusing the black fruit. Light and airy. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, conservative for sure, but to repeat my phrase from the last bottle four years ago, there is “satisfying freshness”. Not to be ignored. Tasted at the Gruaud Larose vertical at the château in February 2023.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec. Brick hue. First bottle slightly corked. Second bottle brighter and more lifted on the nose. Adequate fruit on the palate but there is a note of green tannin and a rather abrasive, drying finish. Holding up but not for much longer. (JL)
The 2004 Gruaud Larose is consistent with the bottle I drank at the château a few months earlier. It offers a relatively light bouquet with black fruit and a touch of melted tar. The palate is conservative in style, fleshier than I remember, and nicely balanced with a touch of truffle towards the soft landing on the finish. Fine.
Toasted caramel notes on the opening beats, with a gourmet roundness through the mid palate that is a little more marked than you might expect. Clear sense of freshness and lift, along with a silky texture to the tannins. This is a very successful 2004, particularly in comparison to some of the more abrupt tannins that you find from many in this vintage. Extremely high yields, over 50hl/h, 35% new oak, harvest Septembe 27 to October 19.
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.