1961 Château Gruaud Larose St. Julien Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

A good, but not great bottle of this often sublime tasting experience was a bit more on the secondary side, with its focus on all of its leafy, spice, and herbal character, with glimpses of red berries. Concentrated, chewy, and earthy, with a lean to the cigar wrapper side on the palate, I have had better, more interesting bottles. Drink from 2023-2031.

2,667 Views   Tasted Sep 25, 2023

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It is hard to find a better non First Growth from 1961 than this. And if you do, let me know, as I want to try it too! This has everything needed in a great fully mature Left Bank wine. Powerful, regal, a bit stern and structured, with layers of elegant fruit, cedar, tobacco, cigar box and earthy nuances. There is length and complexity galore here. What a fabulous wine!

First Growth in quality, this has been a consistent winner for decades. It is the quintessential example of what aged, Left Bank Bordeaux is all about. It is full bodied, deep, concentrated and long. Stylistically, it offers a gentleman's, refined austerity, with fresh, bright, ripe berries and all the smells of a great cigar store! I've had better bottles, and this was quite strong.

This remains the best buy of a stellar wine from the legendary 1961 Bordeaux vintage. The tobacco, earth, cedar, lead pencil and cherry aromas in the nose are striking. Full bodied, concentrated and long, the finish, with all its fruit, tannins and acidity are still serving up a delicious mouthful of aged Claret.

I've been fortunate to have enjoyed this sublime wine at least a dozen times over the years. With 50 year old wines, bottle variation comes into play. This was a very good, but not ethereal experience. The nose offered truffle, tobacco, cedar chest, citrus rind, spice, black cherry and cigar box aromas. This particular bottle did not offer the same level of concentration or intensity found in the best examples, but there was enough ripe, soft, polished, spicy, soft, dark red berries to keep me focused on the wine and asking for more, once my first glass was finished.

Cedar wood, lead pencil, stone, wet earth, spice, cassis, tobacco ash and smoke aromas are a treat for the senses. At 50 years of age, this St. Julien is still fresh, clean and filled with layers of soft, round fruit that ends with a long, sweet, earth and cherry finish.

1961 Gruaud Larose can be a drop dread stunning wine with voluptuous charm. Sadly, not on this occasion. Great aromatics were easy to find in the melange of truffle, earth, smoke, tobacco, cassis and hot bricks. With elegant textures and charm, thus bottle offered pleasure, But it did not offer the same level of concentration, freshness or opulent textures experienced in the best bottles. Once again, this bottle proved the old axiom remains true, after 20 years of age, there is no such thing as a great wine, only great bottles. 93 Pts

This asks you to call George Orwell, because the aromatics say, “Animal Farm”. After the barnyard aromas simmer down, tobacco, dark berry, spice, earth and cedar fill up the perfume. The wine is concentrated, rich, elegant, fresh and long.

Perfume shot from the glass like a rocket. Truffles, spice, Cuban cigar, ripe dark cherry, earth and forest scents were all over the place and in your face. Silky like a Pomerol, coupled with the powerful, athletic body of a Medoc, this wine is everything a mature Claret is supposed to be!