History
1961
“ The 1961 is among the greatest mature wines of Gruaud-Larose I have drunk. This powerful, rich, densely concentrated wine remains young, fresh, and vigorous, with a full decade of life ahead. It continues to exhibit a dark garnet color with some amber, a wonderfully fragrant quality (plus, minerals, tar, cedar, soy sauce, and licorice), a viscous texture, sensation depth of fruit, and a fabulous, albeit alcoholic finish. This is claret at its most decadent.” (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, October 1994)
1928
“The 1928 Gruaud-Larose is an amazingly intact wine as it approaches 70 years of age. It exhibits a huge, earthy, sweet, truffle, cedar, and spicy-scented nose, huge body, noticeably high tannin, and stunning concentration. A slight austerity creeps in at the finish. The dark garnet color with only light amber is remarkable given the wine’s age.” (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, October 1994)
1870
A deep tawny core with light amber/tawny rim. The nose is still clean and fresh, a touch of walnuts, cedar, mint and a hint of burnt honey. Incredibly fresh with again, brilliant definition. The palate is medium-bodied with superb acidity, still quite vigorous, it tastes as mature as the 1928. Very well-balanced, harmonious and unlike many wine of this age, still tangibly claret not Burgundy. Cedar, cigar box and vestiges of ripe cherry on the long, almost citrus-like finish. An unbelievable wine, certainly superior to the Mouton 1870 tasted a couple of years ago. Otherworldly…that is all I can utter. (Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 2009)
1840
Dark rose colour, not really red – a bit volatile and very mature, however with plenty of freshness on the palate, it rather smells and tastes like a white burgundy with hints of nuts, citrus and dry spices, still with some fruit left, delicate spiciness, leather and walnuts on the palate, rather light bodied, keeps lingering for a good while, still with a certain drinkability and charm.(Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of the World, 2010)
