The 2022 Château Gruaud Larose is largely Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in 95% new barrels. It's an inky-hued 2022 that has a killer nose of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, liquid violets, and a beautiful, crushed stone-like minerality. This powerful, full-bodied Gruaud La Rose has plenty of mid-palate depth, fine, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's probably best hidden in the back of the cellar for a decade if possible, but it should be incredibly long-lived. I think it's as good as the 2018 and one of the absolute classics from this château.
97+ points, Jeb Dunnuck (Feb 2025)
A very Cabernet-focused blend on the 2022 Gruaud, with 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, with the 14% remaining being all Merlot. It starts with a dark, brooding and savoury character on the nose, with threads of liquorice, tar, currant and smoke, but this is nuanced with a little white peach and sandalwood lift. The palate is fresh and supple, textural with plenty of dark fruit substance, and riven with ripe and beautifully integrated tannins, giving the palate a real sense of grip and lift. There is a significant tannic grip here, but it is so ripe and tightly knit, and it sits cohesively integrated in the body of the wine. The finish is a delight, a long and lingering presence of dark fruits and powdery, smoky, close-knit tannins. This structure will surely carry this wine forward for decades;this is surely a return to form for Gruaud-Larose, reminiscent of the great 2000 vintage. It is certainly one of the better vintages I have tasted here in recent times, at the very least. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 13.5%.
97 points, Chris Kissack, Wine Independent (Jun 2025)
Compelling from the first sip, this has excellent balance on the palate delivering a wine with freshness and lift as well as depth and breadth. Lovely licks of bitterness and salty stones join ripe blackcurrants and juicy plums. You can feel the power no doubt but it's under the silky frame tempering it and making this rich but utterly charming. A great Gruaud and comes in at 13.5% ABV.
97 points, Georgina Hindle, Decanter (Jan 2025)
Bottled in May 2024, the 2022 Gruaud Larose has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets, vine smoke, pen ink and tar. Medium to full-bodied, dense and layered, it's rich and broad, with terrific depth at the core, sweet structuring tannins and a long, expansive finish. Checking in at 13.6% alcohol, it's the estate's first organic-certified vintage.
96 points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Mar 2025)
The 2022 Gruaud Larose, the first year made organically, left a big impression when tasted from barrel, evoking some of the legendary wines from the estate encountered in the past. Bottled in May 2024, it has a supremely well-defined bouquet featuring intense black fruit laced with pencil box and forest floor scents. Typically Saint-Julien in style—this communicates where it comes from. The palate is fresh and vibrant. This is a more structured and delineated Gruaud than previous vintages, with greater brightness. It has "clean lines," so to speak, gently fanning out toward the finish that contains just the right amount of sapidity and becomes peppery with time in the glass. This is an outstanding success that completely justifies my positive review—who knows, it may kick on from bottle.
96 points, Neal Martin, Vinous (Feb 2025)
Quite a discreet nose of dark fruit and minerals, with excellent depth. Uncoiled power and intensity, with a full body and firm but polished tannins that dissolve into a long and close-knit finish. It goes on for almost a minute. Try from 2028.
96 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling (Jan 2025)
Savoury, intense, enjoyable, Cabernet Sauvignon dominant in blend and character, balanced, finessed, charcoal and campfire, cassis, blueberry and pomegranate, good stuff.
95 points, Jane Anson (Mar 2025)
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