Château Gruaud-Larose Saint-Julien 2ème Grand Cru Classé 2015 (Case Only)

Robert Parker

"Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Gruaud Larose simply sparkles with bright, vibrant red cherries, ripe raspberries and fresh black currants notes with underlying suggestions of cinnamon stick, rose petals, fallen leaves and dried Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied and possessing tightly wound red and black fruits layers intermingled with spicy accents, it has a firm, grainy frame and great vivacity, finishing long and perfumed. I'm probably being too conservative with my score here and expect this could blossom in 4-6 years into an even more impressive beauty!"

Decanter

"Excellent depth and complexity of fruit on the attack, with just a touch of austerity as it travels through the palate. After a few minutes, the fleshy fruit aromatics break though. This is elegant and balanced, a classic, old-school St-Julien. 80% new oak."

"This has a serious graphite spine, along with beautiful beams of black currant, bitter plum and blackberry paste flavors. Dried anise, black tea and licorice snap notes lurk in the background. The finish is long and gilded with a violet accent. Best from 2021 through 2035."

The ripe fruit that is a hallmark of this vintage at this estate has been maintained along with solid tannins and richness. This has both tannins and concentration although the fruit is the thing, making a wine that will develop relatively quickly.