Gruaud Larose 2024

The 2024 Gruaud Larose shows excellent potential, bursting with notes of cassis, pencil shavings, iris and violets. Medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, it's ample and pure, with a precise, refined pro-life and good persistence on the finish. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, it is the fruit of a growing season defined by fully 30 organic phytosanitary treatments and a harvest that concluded on October 8. It checks in at 12.4% alcohol and pH 3.77 (for Gruaud, a rather low number).

The 2024 Gruaud Larose, picked between September 27 and October 8, matured in 95% new oak. This has an impressive bouquet for the vintage with pure blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light pressed flower scents. This leans a little toward Margaux in style. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and quite saline, with sappy black fruit laced with notes of black olive tapenade. Not a persistent Gruaud Larose insofar as there is no peacock's tail on the finish, yet it has a statesman-like classicism that you could not find 10 or 15 years ago. 2030 - 2055

Deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of red currant jelly, fresh blackberries, and raspberry coulis sail from the glass, plus fragrant wafts of red roses and allspice. The light to medium-bodied palate is lively and plush with delicate red and black berry flavors and a perfumed finish.81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. pH 3.77.

Gorgeous dark ruby colour with vivid reflections, slow and steady reveal of grilled earth, savoury rose bud, peony, black tea and floral Cabernet finesse. This is a little softer than the recent exceptional vintages of Gruaud, but the fragrant aromatics have a ton of charm, and this shows skilful construction. Harvest 27 September to 8 October, 3.55pH, 31hl/h yield, slap bang on the appellation average, organic certified. 40% of production in this 1st wine. 95% new oak for ageing.