1975 Château Gruaud Larose - Saint-Julien 2ème Grand Cru Classé - 2 Bottles (0.75L)

Château Gruaud Larose, 2nd Growth (Deuxième Grand Cru Classé) 1975

The Gruaud-Larose estate extends between Branaire-Ducru to the east and Lagrange to the west. Its sprawling vineyard (82 hectares) rests on mid-sandy gravel soils. In the 18th century, the domain, owned by the Gruaud brothers, covered up to 115 hectares. One of the brothers’ sons-in-law, Mr. de Larose, took over the estate and became its tireless ambassador of this wine, which reached the royal table, hence the famous label phrase still readable today: "the king of wines, the wine of kings." A claim largely deserved, for for many years the wines were among the most massive and slowest to evolve in Saint-Julien. And yet, Gruaud Larose’s history was not a smooth sailing one. After numerous ownership changes during the 19th century, the estate suffered a troubled succession, emerging divided in 1867. One of the proprietors was Baron Sarget, who gave his name to the current second wine, Sarget de Gruaud Larose. The Cordier Group, which became owner in 1917, managed to reunite the two plots of the former estate in 1934. Gruaud Larose was sold in 1993 to the Alcatel Alstom company, then in 1997 to the Merlaut family. Gruaud Larose wines rank among the best produced in Saint-Julien. The vineyard has been fully certified organic since 2022, with a dominance of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), complemented by Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (7%), and Petit Verdot (3%). The winemakers employ biodynamic-inspired practices, notably using herbal teas from various plants as an alternative to fighting certain parasites, as well as trace-element inputs at the foot of the vines.

About the cuvée
Gruaud Larose wines today show less tannin and less roughness than in the past, combining finesse and balance. They are built for a long, even very long aging in great vintages, but still require a good ten years of aging before softening. The color is almost black, and the wine releases powerful aromas of red fruits. On the palate, it presents a fat, full, and rich texture.