The 2015 Château Gruaud Larose, from a bottle purchased in the US, checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc that was harvested all in September. A beautiful wine, it has an almost Pauillac bouquet of blackcurrants, truffle, cedar pencil, and tobacco leaf, with an alluring, meaty, forest floor-like character that develops with time in the glass. This ripe, powerful 2015 stays balanced and in check, with medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, present tannins, and a good finish. As with many 2015s, it’s already hard to resist yet should hit true prime time in another 4-5 years and I suspect evolve for 20-25 years.

This has a serious graphite spine, along with beautiful beams of black currant, bitter plum and blackberry paste flavors. Dried anise, black tea and licorice snap notes lurk in the background. The finish is long and gilded with a violet accent. Best from 2021 through 2035.

Dark, powerful and brooding, the 2015 Gruaud-Larose is a real bruiser. Iron, gravel, smoke, mocha and licorice wrap around a core of intense dark fruit, all with a backbone of big, rustic tannins that give the wine its shape. The 2015 needs a good few years to come together. There is certainly no shortage of personality or character.

Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Gruaud Larose simply sparkles with bright, vibrant red cherries, ripe raspberries and fresh black currants notes with underlying suggestions of cinnamon stick, rose petals, fallen leaves and dried Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied and possessing tightly wound red and black fruits layers intermingled with spicy accents, it has a firm, grainy frame and great vivacity, finishing long and perfumed. I'm probably being too conservative with my score here and expect this could blossom in 4-6 years into an even more impressive beauty!