Guest Review: Chateau Gruaud Larose, St Julien, 1982

The Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 was commissioned by Napoleon III in preparation for Universelle de Paris. He wanted a ranking of the best wines in Bordeaux to show off to visitors from around the world. Local wines brokers put together a list based on Château reputation and recent trading prices. These were broken up into the 1st through the 5th growths (or Crus).   Only 4 made the first tier; Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, and Château Haut-Brion (Château Mouton-Rothschild was not added until 1973). These Bordeaux wines will shock most pocketbooks even for serious investors. Then there were 15 second growths/crus from the surrounding chateaus that are felt by many to be nearly as good.

This evening, a friend of the Cellar Sleuths and a wine connoisseur, Badr Idbeis, opened a bottle of 1982 Château Gruaud-Larose (one of the Second Growths from St. Julien) and sent us his review.  While most of us may not get to taste this wine, it is a fun read.

"As a reader of Cellar Sleuths, I have been delighted to find so many tasty young wines and as a cellar keeper with older wines, I thought a review might help those with such wines to decide on timing of enjoying these wine now or, if the tasting permits, may want to spread enjoyment over longer time.

Chateau Gruaud-Larose 1982 has been drinking beautifully for years, my last taste  was 5 years ago: The bottle middle neck high, cork was atypical long Bordeaux style, 3/4 stains and still healthy, small amount of sediment, the wine color was less opaque but very few hints of brown, a nice Claret.

Still long legs on the glass, drank the wine with a little airing time (15 minutes). The nose is very pleasant, more earthy with notes of vineyard flowers. Medium body but still with a long finish, the soft tannins are still plenty good for several years of aging, the balance to acid was lacking. On the palate, earthy notes blend with more fruit than that of the first growth Bordeaux wines (Chateau Mounton), rich fruit notes of blackberry and light dark chocolate. This is a most enjoyable old Bordeaux and believe it will drink well even 5 years from now, sadly, this was my last 1982 Gruaurd."

Badr, well done. I almost felt as if were there with you (would have been if he had just called).