Gruaud Larose 1997

Medium ruby, medium garnet rim. Full spectrum of the nose. Fruitside: drier Blackcurrant, plums, olives; fully developed secondary tones of leather, smoke, wet stone, and earth; tertiary tones of cedar and tobacco. Quite complex. Palace reflects the same, with fewer fresh fruit and spices. Rich, medium-bodied, with lifted acidity. It is rare to find this full range of tones with wine at this price level. Bottle-decant suggested—some sediments.

RP92. Neal Martin wrote, 'This is the most impressive Gruaud-Larose since 1990. The wine is saturated purple and has a knock-out nose of jammy blackberries, cassis, earth, and vanillin. Rich in the mouth, with outstanding purity, super extraction, and well-integrated tannin, this wine has low acidity but more delineation than many of the bigger-styled wines of the vintage. Some chocolate and cassis flavours linger for over 30 seconds on the palate of this impressively-endowed, medium to full-bodied, outstanding Gruaud Larose. Moreover, unlike many vintages of Gruaud Larose, 1997 will drink superbly when young.' Edited.