Château Gruaud Larose 2005

Tasting notes and advice for Château Gruaud Larose 2005

Tasting

Color

This 2005 vintage displays a deep ruby hue with purple highlights, reflecting remarkable concentration. The visual intensity is striking, with an almost opaque core that transitions to slightly brick-tinged edges, a sign of elegant maturation.

Nose

The bouquet reveals great aromatic complexity. Black fruits dominate, with notes of blackcurrant and blackberry, joined by raspberry and plum. With aeration, tertiary aromas emerge: cedar, tobacco, thyme and sage bring an herbal dimension typical of Saint-Julien. Spicy accents and dark chocolate round out this sophisticated aromatic palette, while hints of leather and smoked meat attest to the wine’s evolution.

Palate

The attack is lively and broad, immediately unfolding a fine concentration of black fruit. The texture charms with its velvety, creamy character, delivering a sense of fullness without heaviness. The tannins, fine-grained and polished, have softened while retaining an elegant structure that carries the whole. Bright acidity adds energy and preserves balance. The finish lingers with spicy notes, touches of slate and smoky earth, and a hint of citrus that brings definition.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs beautifully with herb-roasted leg of lamb or beef Wellington. Game meats such as venison or wild boar also make excellent matches. Dishes featuring wild mushrooms and aged hard cheeses such as Comté or Cantal harmoniously complement this Château Gruaud Larose 2005.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve Château Gruaud Larose 2005 at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. Decanting for one to two hours helps fully release the aromas and soften the structure. This vintage can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve until around 2040, or even 2045 for bottles kept in optimal conditions.

A Second Growth from Saint-Julien with a powerful, refined character

The estate

Founded in 1725 by Abbé Joseph Stanislas Gruaud, Château Gruaud Larose is among the Second Grands Crus Classés of the 1855 Classification. Established in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle in the Médoc, the estate spans 82 hectares in a single block, corresponding exactly to the classified lands on Garonne gravel ridges. Owned by the Merlaut family (Taillan group) since 1997, with Jean Merlaut as owner and Nicolas Sinoquet as president, the château has been certified organic since August 2022 and practices biodynamics.

The vineyard

The Château Gruaud Larose vineyard benefits from an exceptional terroir in Saint-Julien, made up of Quaternary gravels accumulated over more than 600,000 years. These well-drained gravel soils lie over a clay-limestone subsoil, ensuring optimal surface drainage while giving roots access to deep water reserves during dry periods. This configuration proved particularly favorable in the 2005 vintage, marked by very dry climatic conditions.

The vintage

The 2005 vintage ranks among the most favorable of the past thirty years for the estate. Winter and spring saw below-average rainfall, encouraging deep vine rooting. Late budbreak limited the risk of spring frosts. Flowering took place in ideal conditions in May and June, with no significant rain, ensuring even fruit set. An exceptionally dry summer, punctuated by only three rainy episodes, promoted maximum concentration. In early September, temperatures neared 40°C before welcome rain in mid-September brought relief without compromising quality. Harvest took place from September 20 to October 10 in perfect sanitary conditions, with no rainfall at all.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Château Gruaud Larose 2005 were vinified with careful parcel-by-parcel precision. Aging took place in oak barrels, with around 35% new oak in line with the estate’s practices, allowing subtle integration of oak notes while preserving fruit expression. This maturation period helped refine the tannins and develop the wine’s aromatic complexity.

Grape varieties

Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec.