Château Gruaud Larose 2019

2019 gets straight to the point: more Gruaud than ever, it creates a superb link between minerality, fruit and spices. What plurality and relevance. On the palate the wine adopts Gruaud's tactics: it starts by being rather discreet then, once everyone is seated, it sends off! The tannins are slowly revealed at the end of the palate and shine with the subtlety of their power which they slowly reveal. A serene, imposing wine ready to defy several decades. Beautiful intensity and fruity persistence. A very big Gruaud. 2026-2060.

A gorgeous dark purple color in the glass with a bright pink rim. It is a little reticent on the nose, just giving a hint of fragranced fruit with dark chocolate, caramel and sweet coffee touches - so inviting. Ultra sleek and suave on the palate but at the same time racy and vibrant. A combination of rich black fruits and quite savory aspects on the palate, tar, tobacco and wood smoke with black currants and cherries but here the emphasis really is on those herbal, medicinal aspects that give this such a serious tone but also such interest and intrigue . Lifted and bright on the palate but soft tannins letting the aromatics do all the talking. Seductive. Will be incredibly moreish in a few years. -Georgina Hindle.

For the second time, this vintage obtained "my best score given to this vintage in Primeurs" tied with the 2018, which it has just surpassed. It is also the vintage of conversion to organic cultivation. Dark, intense, purple and beautiful color. Very aromatic, fine, fruity, ripe, pure nose. It smells like Cabernet Sauvignon. Touch of ink. Meticulous in the entry, particularly fragrant in the middle, with taste and a permanence of softness in the unfolding, the wine develops complex. Its body lengthens between the mid and finish, while the flavors bounce back and forth. Delicious whole, long, present and airy at the same time. The potential of this terroir impresses me. Final blend: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot.

The 2019 Gruaud Larose is performing extremely well in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with notions of licorice, potpourri, pencil shavings and subtle soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with powdery tannins and succulent acids, it's remarkably suave and refined for a wine of obvious breadth, concentration and power. - William Kelley.