96-Pt (3X) #2 Bordeaux Second Growth of the Year! Ships Free 2+

96 Points from Jeb Dunnuck saying:
Coming from the talented Virginie Salette (the head winemaker since 2017) and tiny yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare, the 2020 Chateau Gruaud Larose is 79% Cabernet, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, which continues the trend at this estate toward more and more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Beautifully done, with a terrific sense of finesse, it offers a great nose of both red and black fruit as well as leafy tobacco, spring flowers, licorice, and spicy oak. Pure, medium to full-bodied, and wonderfully balanced, with fine tannins, it shows the focused, inward, almost understated style of the vintage without any rusticity or austerity. It needs a solid 7-8 years of bottle age, if not a decade, and is going to be very long-lived. Bravo."

96 Points from Wine Advocate saying:
"A serious, more obviously structured effort than the suave 2019, the 2020 Gruaud Larose opens in the glass with aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries mingled with subtle hints of burning embers, pencil shavings and violets framed by a deft touch of classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with rich, powdery tannins and vibrant fruit flavors, it concludes with an impressively penetrating finish. However, it appears likely to require patience."

96 Points from James Suckling saying:
"A lovely softness and texture to this wine with a medium to full body, plenty of fruit and fine velvety tannins. It’s lovely to taste now and will age beautifully. Really seductive. Hard not to drink now but one for the cellar."

background:
Classified Second Growth in the 1855 Classification, shortly after, Gruaud Larose divided in 1867. One-half remained with Baron Sarget, they produced Chateau Gruaud Larose Sarget. Baron Sarget was responsible for constructing the chateau on the property in 1875.

In 1997 Gruaud Larose was purchased by Jacques Merlaut. Jacques Merlaut owns numerous other Bordeaux vineyards under the Taillan Group including; Chateau La Gurgue, Chateau Haut Bages Liberal, Chateau Citran, Chateau Ferriere, Chateau Chasse Spleen and Chateau Rabaud Promis among others. The large 197 acre vineyard of Gruaud Larose is unique as they have one of the largest vineyards in all of Bordeaux with most of its vines in one single block.

This wine from the 2020 vintage is a blend of 79% Cabernet, 14% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc.

Wine Spectator also rated this 95 Points and named it to its Top 100 List of 2023 as the #2 Bordeaux Second Growth and #25 Wine Overall!