Château Gruaud Larose
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
St. Julien, Médoc, Bordeaux, France
Decent amount of brett. Fruit not there. Tannins very soft from the start and a green wine after opening. Decanted and some change occurred. The tannins became more pronounced and a bit of fruit appeared but it never really came around. Disappointed with what I thought it would be.
Decent amount of brett. Fruit not there. Tannins very soft from the start and a green wine after opening. Decanted and some change occurred. The tannins became more pronounced and a bit of fruit appeared but it never really came around. Disappointed with what I thought it would be.
Jan 12th, 2020
2003 hot vintage, still kicking, leather, gravel, allspice, and stewed red fruits.
2003 hot vintage, still kicking, leather, gravel, allspice, and stewed red fruits.
Nov 8th, 2019
Very surprising for 2003, not at all over the top or too ripe. The fruit is just starting to mature yet the tannins have integrated beautifully. Mid palate has mouthwatering acidity that leads into a very complex and satisfying finish.
Very surprising for 2003, not at all over the top or too ripe. The fruit is just starting to mature yet the tannins have integrated beautifully. Mid palate has mouthwatering acidity that leads into a very complex and satisfying finish.
Dec 27th, 2018
Scampi NYC is a popular new Southern Italian influenced restaurant in Manhattan's Flatiron district, led by a chef whose previous gigs included Ai Fiori (good food, corporate vibe) and The Spaniard (don't look beyond the burger). The extensive wine list was put together by @Kimberly Prokoshyn, former head somm at Rebelle and stalwart of many a La Festa del Barolo. The list's main strength is its reasonably priced back vintages from Bordeaux and Burgundy - of all possible strengths, that's about as good as it gets.
My father in law's birthday made for the ideal occasion to visit. The restaurant is loud but not quite excessively. Dishes are all designed to share and range from delicious light dishes, of which the fluke crudo was a highlight, to more hearty fare such the half chicken and rib eye steak. The pastas were innovative, rich and addictively good.
Our first wine was a 2003 Gruard Larose. It is rich and ripe, mocha, black fruits and leather. It sustains nicely while the tannins are pleasingly resolved. It's probably about as good as this wine will get. The power of this Bordeaux stood up well to the vivid flavors of the cuisine, and was a dream with the campanelle with fennel sausage.
The appetite was whetted for the next bottle...
Scampi NYC is a popular new Southern Italian influenced restaurant in Manhattan's Flatiron district, led by a chef whose previous gigs included Ai Fiori (good food, corporate vibe) and The Spaniard (don't look beyond the burger). The extensive wine list was put together by @Kimberly Prokoshyn, former head somm at Rebelle and stalwart of many a La Festa del Barolo. The list's main strength is its reasonably priced back vintages from Bordeaux and Burgundy - of all possible strengths, that's about as good as it gets.
My father in law's birthday made for the ideal occasion to visit. The restaurant is loud but not quite excessively. Dishes are all designed to share and range from delicious light dishes, of which the fluke crudo was a highlight, to more hearty fare such the half chicken and rib eye steak. The pastas were innovative, rich and addictively good.
Our first wine was a 2003 Gruard Larose. It is rich and ripe, mocha, black fruits and leather. It sustains nicely while the tannins are pleasingly resolved. It's probably about as good as this wine will get. The power of this Bordeaux stood up well to the vivid flavors of the cuisine, and was a dream with the campanelle with fennel sausage.
The appetite was whetted for the next bottle...
My favorite BDX of the night in a runaway. Inviting warm sweet red fruit, some oak treatment, full mouthfeel and ample lush length. In an excellent drinking window. Good to see the 03s settling down a bit. Thank you @romo
My favorite BDX of the night in a runaway. Inviting warm sweet red fruit, some oak treatment, full mouthfeel and ample lush length. In an excellent drinking window. Good to see the 03s settling down a bit. Thank you @romo
1 person found it helpfulFeb 18th, 2019
Wow, violets fresh floral notes dusty palate powerful yet tame tannins
Wow, violets fresh floral notes dusty palate powerful yet tame tannins
1 person found it helpfulSep 26th, 2017
Served with lunch during En Primeur week. Drinking beautifully.
Served with lunch during En Primeur week. Drinking beautifully.
1 person found it helpfulApr 6th, 2016
Every time I open a bottle of this (and I've kept my eye on it for a decade now) I think it's flawed. It just retains this dumb tannic hold for the first day after opening it. So I sucked the air out of it and kept it in the cabinet for 72 hours. Now it tastes great! Not a lot of primary fruit left but a seriously delicious musty blackcurrent compote. If the secondary berries that seem to be poking their buds through the soil now develop as I hope they will over the next two decades, this will be a very nicely integrated, balanced, and textured wine. It'll be fun to find out!
Every time I open a bottle of this (and I've kept my eye on it for a decade now) I think it's flawed. It just retains this dumb tannic hold for the first day after opening it. So I sucked the air out of it and kept it in the cabinet for 72 hours. Now it tastes great! Not a lot of primary fruit left but a seriously delicious musty blackcurrent compote. If the secondary berries that seem to be poking their buds through the soil now develop as I hope they will over the next two decades, this will be a very nicely integrated, balanced, and textured wine. It'll be fun to find out!
Dec 22nd, 2015Very nice somewhat mature. Still has a ample fruit. Tannins have mellowed.
Very nice somewhat mature. Still has a ample fruit. Tannins have mellowed.
Nov 29th, 2015