Château Gruaud Larose 2020

Elegant yet driven with gentle power, nothing going overboard or trying too hard. This takes a beat, then it comes strongly – evident spice and flesh, full of raspberry, blueberry, blackcurrant pastille, fennel, hawthorn and liquorice. The tannins build up through the palate and press in on the final moments. Virginie Salette winemaker since 2017. A yield of 32hl/ha. Vinify at around 22-23°C, so an extremely low and slow extraction. Harvest was from September 14 to 29. A big shouldered St-Julien but with a wide nuance of flavours. Drinking window: 2028-2042. Score – 95. (Jane Anson, decanter.com)