Château Gruaud Larose 2018

Wineadvocate

Composed of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Gruaud Larose has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It comes barreling out of the glass with powerful scents of blackberry preserves, baked plums and crème de cassis plus hints of fruitcake, Indian spices and tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate offers bags of baked berries flavors and a chewy texture with just enough freshness, finishing spicy. Judging by the slightly rustic tannins and suggestions of dried berry characters, I'm guessing the heat and drought had an impact this year. This said, the wine is very well crafted and delicious right now, although a good 3-4 years in bottle should soften the tannins and bring out further nuances. LP-B March 2021

Vinous

The 2018 Gruaud Larose has a burly and powerful nose with blackberry and juniper, perhaps without the same precision as the previous vintage, the summer stamping its authority over the aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly lactic entry, though less than before, with dark chocolate infusing the black fruit with a dab of black pepper and spice box on the finish. It finishes with style, though I prefer the 2019 by comparison. Tasted at the Gruaud Larose vertical at the château in February 2023. - NM 01/2023

Beck

Superbe bouquet, cumulant intensité et complexité. Invitantes et rafraîchissantes notes de framboises, de réglisse et de menthe. Attaque fruitée et légèrement crémeuse. D'entrée le palais affiche de la fraîcheur mais également de la densité et de la puissance. Il doit cette dernière à des tannins racés et serrés mais également quelque peu suaves. Ils sont en parfaite symbiose avec la fraîcheur et la tension de la structure acide qui porte les caractéristiques aromatiques jusqu'en fin de bouche. Très belle intensité fruitée en finale, beaucoup de longueur. Quelle belle réussite ! 2024-2050 - YB November 2020

Suckling

14 Jan, 2021 – Aromas of currants, blackberries, dried flowers, dark chocolate and tobacco leaves. Citrus zest, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, ultra fine tannins. Complex and layered with a juicy core of ripe fruit. Silky and delicious. Very creamy and fine-tannined. Better from 2025.

Dunnuck

Based on 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Gruaud Larose sports a dense purple hue as well as a stunning nose of pure crème de cassis, cedar pencil shavings, blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. This dense, almost broodingly backward, concentrated Saint-Julien has flawless balance, a remarkable sense of purity, masses of tannins, and one hell of a great finish. Seemingly almost from a more austere year (say 2000 or 2010), it's not going to hit maturity for at least a decade and should cruise in cold cellars for 20-30 years. It's a brilliant wine! - JD 11/2021