Gruaud Larose - Saint-Julien 2010

Vinous

94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 30/04/2020

The 2010 Gruaud Larose has an attractive bouquet with brambly black fruit, freshly tilled loam and melted tar scents that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a superb line of acidity that keeps this Saint-Julien tensile from start to finish. Plenty of energy here and beautifully proportioned, this is excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. Drink 2023-2050

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 05/03/2020

Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Gruaud Larose delivers notes of warm cassis, blackberry compote and boysenberries with nuances of new leather, unsmoked cigars and bay leaves plus a medicinal waft. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is filled with generous black fruit preserves, sparked by herbal and earthy hints and supported with a firm, grainy texture, finishing with gorgeous freshness.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 31/08/2013

Bright red-ruby.  Blackcurrant, smoke, tobacco and leather on the nose, with hints of game and earth.  Round, lush and seamless in the mouth; shows an animal aspect yet comes across as civilized owing to well-judged extraction.  Enticing sweetness to the flavors of dark and red berries and wild herbs, lifted by a note of candied flowers.  This has the concentration and body to support its serious but sweet tannins.  I would not be surprised if this large-scaled wine shut down in bottle in the near future, but it should also be long-lived. 92 (+?) points

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

par James Molesworth le 31/03/2013

This is distinctive, with an aromatic roasted alder wood streak leading the way, quickly followed by dense but sleek blackberry cobbler, currant paste and warm plum sauce notes. Well-polished through the finish, offering deeply embedded acidity. Best from 2015 through 2030. –JM

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

par Robert Parker le 01/03/2013

Dark garnet/plum/purple, with loads of spice, earth, underbrush, red and black currants, licorice, and even a hint of Provencal garrigue, this full-bodied, tannic, masculine style of St.-Julien needs 5-6 years of cellaring, but is full, beefy, rich and impressively endowed. There are plenty of firm tannins in the background of this blockbuster wine, which has been built for the long haul. This is one 2010 where patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 12/02/2013

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. I like this Gruaud, as banal as that sounds. It is just a Saint Julien that goes out to give pleasure. The Merlot component really comes through on the expressive bouquet with red cherries, wild strawberry, tobacco and bay leaf. The palate is well balanced with quite a sinewy entry. There are layers of ripe black fruit laced with white pepper and mineral, whilst the finish is focused and long. Could this become a modern day 1982? I hope so, as there could be no higher complement. Tasted November 2012.

Jamessuckling.com

96 / 100

par James Suckling le 03/02/2013

Ripe raspberries and blueberries with hints of fresh flowers. Deep nose of dark fruits. Full body, with silky tannins and a beautifully integrated tannin structure. It's long and very refined. Better than 2009. Try in 2018.

WeinWisser

17 / 20

le 31/05/2011

Tiefes Purpur. Nobles, sehr diskretes bis verschlossenes Bouquet, Zedern, reifer Cabernet. Im Gaumen nobel, fein und elegant, mit mittlerem Biss. Noch (?) viel Spiel nach oben. 2017-2040

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

par Robert Parker le 31/05/2011

2010: This gets my nod as the finest Gruaud Larose since the 2000 and 1990. The opaque purple-colored 2010 exhibits copious notes of Asian plum sauce, spice box, creme de cassis, loamy soil and a beefy/meaty character. It is full-bodied, dense and powerful, with stunning purity and no evidence of brett (a characteristic of the great Gruaud Larose wines made in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s). Given the 2010's tannin profile, it will require 5-8 years of cellaring and should keep for three decades thereafter. Drink 2016-2046

Asian Palate

91-93 / 100

par Jeannie Cho Lee MW le 24/05/2011

The deep purple ruby 2010 Gruaud Larose is one of the most densely packed Gruaud Larose vintages I have ever tasted en primeur. On the nose there are aromas of violets, cedar, cassis and mixed red flowers, and on the palate plenty of everything -- luscious fruit, firm velvety tannins, and fresh acidity. The wine is presently very rich and a bit on the chunky side, with a fairly long finish, but it will likely evolve into a supple and very complex wine.

Le Point

17 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 12/05/2011

Bouche boisée, bien parfumée, tanins souples, assez juteux, la prise de bois est assez présente, mais il y a du jus derrière ; beaux tanins qui se développent en finale. O=2018 G=20 ans

Jamessuckling.com

93-94 / 100

par James Suckling le 30/04/2011

It like the finish on this wine with a blueberry, currant and citrus fruit character on the nose and palate. Full and chewy with ultra-fine tannins and a bright acidity.

Wine Spectator

93-96 / 100

par James Molesworth le 30/04/2011

Offers a serious core of kirsch, blackberry and plum sauce notes, with lovely, velvety tannins taking over the pure, violet-tinged finish, which has length and grace. Shows more elegance than most of its peers in this vintage. —J.M.

TAST

18-19 / 20

par Bettane & Desseauve le 30/04/2011

Nez complet, bel échantillon, réglissé, long, subtil, très Saint-Julien, très bien travaillé, avec une finesse aussi impressionnante que sa puissance.

Decanter Magazine

18 / 20

par Steven Spurrier le 30/04/2011

Big, typically smoky-spicy Gruaud nose, lots of fleshy fruit, lifted and almost exotic flavours harmonious depth and length, back on top form for the medium-long term. Drink 2018-30. (18 points)

The Wine Cellar Insider

91-93 / 100

par Jeff Leve le 25/04/2011

Gruaud Larose With yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare, the property produced a wine blending 61% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot with the remainder evenly split between Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine reached 13.8% alcohol in 2010, which is slightly higher than they achieved in 2009. Ruby colored, with scents of cassis, oak and gravel, this full bodied, brawny, beefy, traditional and tannic wine has some dryness in the finish. 91-93 Pts

Jancis Robinson

16 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 19/04/2011

Dark polished crimson. Sweet black-cherry aromas. Oddly tarted up for a St-Julien. Just lacks a bit of depth and savour but it is certainly flattering and has applied its make-up very carefully. Awkward amalgam of assorted elements. Drink 2020-2030

Wine Enthusiast

94-96 / 100

par Roger Voss le 08/04/2011

A solid, chunky wine. It has powerfully dry tannins, although they are not dominant, leaving the sweet fruit to shine. Blackberry flavours integrate well with the dark core.-R.V.