Château Gruaud Larose 2018 Saint Julien 2e Grand Cru Classé

Parker: The 2018 Gruaud Larose is blended of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.88 and 14.2% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with bold black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial scents with hints of menthol, lilacs, licorice and cloves plus wafts of fallen leaves and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied with a taut core of ripe, densely packed, muscular fruit, it has a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy. Very exotic Gruaud! Yields suffered slightly at Gruaud Larose in 2018. A part of the vineyard is now biodynamic. As they are only starting with biodynamics, the estate felt the vineyard wasn’t prepared for the mildew, so this is where they took the biggest hit. In the end they averaged 32 hectoliters per hectare.