(79% CS, 17% M, 4% CF; 35% harvest; 13.18% ABV; 95% new)
Dense, fine, minerally, poised, a very refined “gravel” aroma there, and subtly cedary; rich middleweight, fresh to crisp in acidity, very fine in dry tannin; close-grained, long across the palate, aromatically complex, but fundamentally crisp red-fruit in flavor, lean and linear, the underlying class is clear, but this year in an overall fairly dry, austere mold, clearly marked by the 95% new oak. The proportion of new wood here has gone from 40% in 2014, to 95% in (I gather) 2019 and this year. That’s quite some trajectory, and certainly against the trend. Fine wine, yes, but, on the basis of this sample, in a bit of a straitjacket, and certainly pretty long-term. Others have “tasted” it more positively, and Gruaud’s class has been increasingly evident over the past few years … so I’ll hang fire on this one.

Detailed and delicate, this has a seductive charm to it, slowly displaying scented blueberries and raspberries, before layers of salty minerality, liquorice, and cooling blue fruits come into play as well as tobacco and liquorice adding a savoury touch. It’s not immediately upfront - more calm and collected, slowly growing in stature and presence. Tannins are fine but mouthcoating, giving the structure, this isn't a light wine, but it's supremely elegant and excellently textured. Impressive complexity and drama here, still very serious but it's sublime too. A luminous wine I'd love to own. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2052
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at Bordeaux, 03 Jan 2023)
Part of Bordeaux 2020 in bottle: overview plus top-scoring wines

A lovely softness and texture to this wine with a medium to full body, plenty of fruit and fine velvety tannins. It’s lovely to taste now and will age beautifully. Really seductive. Hard not to drink now but one for the cellar. Best to try after 2025.

The 2020 Gruaud-Larose is a powerful, dense wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, kirsch, menthol, licorice, rose petal and espresso infuse the palate with tons of intensity. Unctuous and flamboyant, the 2020 also offers a good bit of energy to keep things in balance. The 2020 is very much an extrovert, a gorgeous extrovert at that. Sweet floral and spice accents, along with a kick of sweet French oak, linger.

The 2020 Gruaud Larose is emblematic of a cleaner, more precise winemaking compared to a decade ago. The bouquet is quite perfumed and beautifully delineated, maybe not the most complex within the appellation, yet very nicely focused. The palate is precise and minerally on the entry, with more tension than the 2019 perhaps, a little more salinity. A combination of Japanese nori and black pepper enlivens the finish. This may well warrant a higher score in the future. There's still a little way to go before this estate reaches the heights of the 1982 for example, but it's definitely on track.

79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Highest percentage yet of Cabernet in the blend. Fruit-driven and structured. Plenty of drive from the word go. Builds on the palate in persistent fashion, the refined tannins giving a long linear flow. Lovely fruit. Delicious now but has ageing potential. (JL)