Gruaud-Larose - St.-Julien 2015 (750ml)

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Producer	Gruaud-Larose
Country	France
Region	Bordeaux
Subregion	St. Julien
Varietal	Bordeaux Blend
Vintage	2015
Sku	33074
Size	750ml

The end of the winter 2015 is rather dry but with fairly low temperatures. April is average when it comes to rainfall and temperatures.
The beginning of May is marked by heavy precipitation that fortunately stops around the second decade.
Then temperatures are pleasant and typical for the season. Flowering happens in the perfect conditions! July is hot and dry with heatpeaks accelerating the phenology. August is rather cool with rainy episodes. Early September, the weather is beautiful, but heavy rainfall around the 10th; then mild temperatures with intermittent rainfall.
The sanitary status is perfectly right until the end , enabling a perfectly ripe harvest.

The 2015 Gruaud Larose is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, picked from 21 September. It has a rather conservative bouquet, reticent at first, gradually unfolding with truffle-tinged black fruit, the oak nicely integrated but perhaps needing a little more energy. The palate is ripe and rounded on the entry, fleshier than many of its Saint Julien counterparts, quite sumptuous in terms of mouthfeel with a suave texture. There is a sense of linearity here, a strictness that particularly comes through on the finish. The purity is commendable and the tannin, fine, but what it needs is that final flourish. It just misses that killer blow on the finish and saunters to its conclusion. I hope that it gains more in barrel.

A velvety and flavorful red with dusty tannins and lots of ripe fruit. It remains fresh and balanced. Harmonious. Excited to see it develop in barrel.

Red-berry driven, this wine is fresh in character, with a stream of acidity counterbalanced by structured tannins.

Nicely focused, with a beam of red and black currant fruit inlaid with subtle spice notes and carried by velvety tannins. A little shy on range, but this is solidly built.