Gruaud Larose 2016 (750ML)

95-96 JS / 93-95 WA / 91-94 WS / 93-96 GV

Full-bodied, layered and juicy young wine. Very tannic yet ripe and intense. Powerful finish. This will be excellent. Better than the 2015. - James Suckling

The 2016 Gruaud Larose is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc this year, picked between 29 September until 15 October (with the Petit Verdot) and matured in 80% new oak, the remainder one or two years old. The alcohol is a modest 13.02%. It has a generous bouquet with scents of blackberry, briary, a touch of sandalwood and tobacco, gaining more precision as it aerates in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, certainly one of the most finessed Gruaud Larose in recent years, with perfectly judged acidity. I love the focus here, a little understated at first but you cannot deny the intensity and precision on the finish. Moreover, this seems to be a slightly more detailed Gruaud, nuanced and long in the mouth. Excellent—and I suspect it might be a little more approachable than some of its peers. - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate

This delivers a pure beam of cassis and cherry preserves, underscored by a layer of warm dark earth. Stays polished in feel, with lovely freshness on the relatively open-knit finish. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

Beautiful big round fruit, lavender, full ripe tannins, some exotic spice. - GVWM