2025 Sarget de Gruaud Larose
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Tasting notes
The 2025 Sarget de Gruaud Larose, aged in used oak barrels, has an open-knit bouquet with brambly red fruit, crushed rock and light graphite scents, definitely a more "transparent" and, to some, maybe more austere style. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly dry tannins on the entry, less fruit and more structure than recent vintages, with a healthy dose of black pepper on the finish. I would just like a little more flesh to develop.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A beautiful, well-crafted second wine from Gruaud Larose, the 2025 Château Gruaud Larose Sarget is a blend of 58% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that's resting in 20% new barrels. Lots of cassis and juicy cherry fruits intermixed with smoke, tobacco, and graphite nuances all define the nose. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has fine tannins and wonderful purity of fruit.
The 2025 Sarget de Gruaud-Larose is a gorgeous second wine. Aromatics and fruit are all amplified in the glass, but what distinguishes Sarget from many second wines is the textural finesse of its tannins. Silky contours wrap around a core of dark red cherry/plum fruit, lavender, rose petal and mint. Merlot plays the leading role, but more than anything the 2025 impresses with its exceptional balance. Floral top notes linger on the sustained finish. I have very high hopes here.
The 2025 Sarget de Gruaud Larose reveals notes of red berries, cherries and plums mingled with hints of cedar and cocoa nib. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and lively, it's built around sweet, powdery tannins that mark this out as an unusually structured Sarget.
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.