2023 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, Bordeaux

83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 2.5% Cabernet Franc. Certified organic. 40% of the production. Cask sample.

Aromatically appealing with graphite, cassis and floral notes to the fore. Juicy and flavoursome on the palate, refined tannins providing a silky texture. Discreet but present structure. Lovely balance. A beguiling wine. 12.6%

Drink 2032 - 2048

The 2023 Gruaud Larose was picked from September 11 to October 3 at 42hL/ha and matured in 95% new oak with 15% vin de presse. There was no saignée. There is a large difference between the Sarget and the Grand Vin this year: There’s much more complexity and purity here. Layers of blackberry, cedar and floral scents surface in the glass, all very composed with beautifully integrated oak perhaps better than previous vintages). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins—quite crisp and commendably saline, which really comes through toward the finish. This is a classic Gruaud Larose that confirms the ongoing improvement at this estate.

Drink 2029 - 2065

The 2023 Gruaud Larose is a powerhouse. Rich and ample, with striking depth, the 2023 offers notable resonance from start to finish. Black cherry, blackberry, licorice and spice fill out the layers nicely. The 2023 is a big, potent Gruaud Larose that will need a number of years to be at its best. This is a terrific example of the vintage at its finest.

Drink 2033 - 2063

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Gruaud Larose leaps with vibrant notes of cassis, fresh blackberries, and mulberries giving way to nuances of tapenade, iris, pencil shavings, and iron ore. The palate is light-bodied and airy, with beautiful poise and soft silky tannins, delivering a lively burst of mineral and red berry notes on the finish. This is nicely done! The blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, and 2.5% Cabernet Franc, with pH 3.80.

Drink 2029 - 2050

Vibrant colour that speaks of a great En Primeur wine, with the bright acidities that seem typical in these appellations of 2023. More subdued than some sibling St Juliens, this has a serious feel, with the Cabernets very much on the savoury, stately side, sinewy and with touches of raspberry leaf and peony, fragrant and floral. Plenty of ageing capacity ahead, but don't feel that you will have to wait too long to begin drinking. Old school and delicious. The Cabernet levels are above 80% as has been true for the last few years, a result of the vines coming in to the right age after extensive replanting.

Drink 2030 - 2048

A complete knockout of a wine in 2023. Deep, vibrant purple in colour. Lots of milk chocolate, some exotic spices and black fruit touches on the nose, along with floral scents of roses and violets - smells gorgeous. Supple and filling, an immediate weight and texture on the palate, thick silk and ripe fruit, massy but then almost straight away quite clean and crisp. Forward and focussed, tannins RE supportive but so well integrated into the wine - almost a seamless expression - with plenty of underlying power. It’s delicious. Very drinkable, finessed and restrained, nothing overdone, no harshness. Everything feels in its place. Juicy and succulent cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry with high mouthwatering acidity. A great wine, I love it because it’s layered and lifted, you can feel the sculpting with muscles on show and it feels very ‘put together’. There’s lots of strict Cabernet, but this has a touch of plushness which you can't help but smile at. A top buy in 2023. 40% grand production, taken from 60% of the estate. 15% press wine.

Drink 2034 - 2049