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Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint Julien 1988 750ml

size
750ml
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Saint Julien
3 Ratings
See 3 Professional Reviews
DC
94
WS
92
VM
90
Additional vintages
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1996 1995 1994 1993 1989 1988 1985 1982 1970
DC
94
Rated 94 by Decanter
A lovely wine that's medium-bodied, well balanced and effortlessly drinkable. It's less exuberant and concentrated than the 1986, showing instead plenty of eucalyptus, blackberry and earthy notes, shot through with cold ash. Fermented with indigenous yeasts (as was typical everywhere at the time) and aged in one-third new oak. Harvest ran from 3 to 19 October. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038. ... More details
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Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint Julien 1988 750ml

SKU 874708
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$1082.28
/case
$180.38
/750ml bottle
Quantity
min order 6 bottles
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Professional Ratings
DC
94
WS
92
VM
90
DC
94
Rated 94 by Decanter
A lovely wine that's medium-bodied, well balanced and effortlessly drinkable. It's less exuberant and concentrated than the 1986, showing instead plenty of eucalyptus, blackberry and earthy notes, shot through with cold ash. Fermented with indigenous yeasts (as was typical everywhere at the time) and aged in one-third new oak. Harvest ran from 3 to 19 October. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038.
WS
92
Rated 92 by Wine Spectator
This tight and powerful red has lots of tannin and fruit concentration. Full-bodied, with lovely violet and berry aromas and flavors. Built for aging.--1988 Bordeaux horizontal. 32,000 cases made.
VM
90
Rated 90 by Vinous Media
The 1988 Gruaud Larose seems to have lost some of its fruit concentration since I last tasted it in 2011. At 30-years of age it has moderate wide bricking on the rim though the core remains quite deep in colour. The bouquet is fully mature with scents of sage, liquorish and allspice permeating the dark berry fruit; fleeting glimpses of black tea and bay leaf surfacing with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a tang of soy and marmalade on the entry. It is nicely balanced; a little rustic in style yet displays admirable depth and more freshness than some of its peers on the Left Bank. There is just that residual tobacco note lingering on the finish. If you like old school, traditional Saint Julien then this will suit you down to the ground. Tasted at the château.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Saint Julien
Additional vintages
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1996 1995 1994 1993 1989 1988 1985 1982 1970
Overview
A lovely wine that's medium-bodied, well balanced and effortlessly drinkable. It's less exuberant and concentrated than the 1986, showing instead plenty of eucalyptus, blackberry and earthy notes, shot through with cold ash. Fermented with indigenous yeasts (as was typical everywhere at the time) and aged in one-third new oak. Harvest ran from 3 to 19 October. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038.
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.
barrel

Region: Bordeaux

The wineries of Bordeaux in France are widely considered to be amongst the finest on earth, with many of the chateaux found on the Left Bank and in the Médoc region routinely demanding enormous prices and being snapped up by collectors looking to add the best examples of the world's white and red wines to their cellars. Bordeaux's secret to success comes from the fact that the terroir of the region is exceptionally rich in minerals, helped by the clay and gravel soils which typify the area and the Gironde river which runs through it. Normally humid in climate, the nearby Atlantic coast supplies cooling breezes, making Bordeaux a winemaker's dream and resulting in extremely high quality grape varietals. For hundreds of years, the wineries of Bordeaux have been mastering the art of wine blending, and today produce a wide range of wine styles using many of the sixteen grape varietals permitted to grow in the region by French law.
fields

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews

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More Details
Winery Chateau Gruaud Larose
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.
barrel

Region: Bordeaux

The wineries of Bordeaux in France are widely considered to be amongst the finest on earth, with many of the chateaux found on the Left Bank and in the Médoc region routinely demanding enormous prices and being snapped up by collectors looking to add the best examples of the world's white and red wines to their cellars. Bordeaux's secret to success comes from the fact that the terroir of the region is exceptionally rich in minerals, helped by the clay and gravel soils which typify the area and the Gironde river which runs through it. Normally humid in climate, the nearby Atlantic coast supplies cooling breezes, making Bordeaux a winemaker's dream and resulting in extremely high quality grape varietals. For hundreds of years, the wineries of Bordeaux have been mastering the art of wine blending, and today produce a wide range of wine styles using many of the sixteen grape varietals permitted to grow in the region by French law.
fields

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.