Château Gruaud-Larose 1982 and 1986
Saint-Julien, 2ème cru classé
1982
Levels: bottom neck; four slightly depressed corks (6)
1986
Levels: into neck (3)
9 bottles per lot

ABOUT THE WINE
Though rated a second growth in the Classification of 1855, Château Gruaud Larose at times seems to garner less respect and remuneration than some of its fellow St. Juliens. This is partly due to the difficulty of tasting and accessing this traditional and uncompromising claret in its youth. Sturdy and full-bodied wines with excellent depth and concentration, good old Gruauds are just hitting their full stride in their thirties and forties. At a tasting of twenty seven vintages back to 1928 that organized by Christie's several years ago, the remarkable consistency of the château through the decades became readily apparent. The critically acclaimed '82 and '86 came out of their shell with the tumble of double decanting and gentle swirling; but were brought back to earth by an otherworldly nineteen sixty-one, which along with the victory vintage, was simply sublime and celestial. The 2000s on offer in this sale promise to come into their own over the upcoming decades, or can be enjoyed now.