Château Gruaud Larose, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2004

Name: Château Gruaud Larose, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien
Brand: Château Gruaud Larose
Price: 672 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2000 2004 2014 2015 2022 2023 2024

justerini & brooks tasting note

Very dark, inky appearance, almost black but with a vibrant purple rim; attractive nose of deep red fruits with spice, chocolate and oak for complexity; great clarity of fruit fully ripe and creamy on the palate. Admirable balance and poise, neither fat nor lean, with a fine, peppery grip and a final hint of sweet, caramelly oak on the finish. Very good indeed, and definitely a keeper.

critic reviews

89/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2004 Gruaud Larose is consistent with the bottle I drank at the château a few months earlier. It offers a relatively light bouquet with black fruit and a touch of melted tar. The palate is conservative in style, fleshier than I remember, and nicely balanced with a touch of truffle towards the soft landing on the finish. Fine.

DRINKING WINDOW 2024 - 2034

date of review 06/2024

91/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,The Wine Independent

Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 2004 Gruaud Larose strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of cigar box, pencil lead, preserved plums, and dried mulberries plus hints of bay leaves and damp soil. The light to medium-bodied palate is soft with good intensity and restraint, delivering a refreshing burst of spiciness on the finish.

DRINKING WINDOW 2024 - 2032

date of review 01/2024

93/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

Toasted caramel notes on the opening beats, with a gourmet roundness through the mid palate that is a little more marked than you might expect. Clear sense of freshness and lift, along with a silky texture to the tannins. This is a very successful 2004, particularly in comparison to some of the more abrupt tannins that you find from many in this vintage. Extremely high yields, over 50hl/h, 35% new oak, harvest Septembe 27 to October 19.

DRINKING WINDOW 2021 - 2038

date of review 11/2021

87/100Robert Parker,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

This estate continues to under perform, particularly in view of what the previous owners accomplished. Nothing made today resembles the great vintages of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, or even the top-flight 2000. Nearly every St.-Julien chateau is making better wine, and Gruaud Larose needs a wake-up call. A stricter selection might be a place to start. The dark ruby/garnet-colored 2004 reveals an herbal nose displaying hints of dirty saddle leather intermixed with roasted herbs, spice, black cherries, currants, and a green pepper-like character. It is a lightweight effort with medium body, superficial depth, crisp acidity, and sharp tannins in the finish. While it will keep for 10-15 years, and may become slightly more complex, it remains a major disappointment.

DRINKING WINDOW 2007 - 2017

date of review 06/2007