CRITIC REVIEWS
Neal Martin
Tasted at The Ledbury Gruaud Larose lunch, this bottle is consistent with previous encounters. The nose has very good lift, opening up a little more with age with blackberry, tobacco and showing a touch of crushed stone this time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins but bold and there is much more cohesion than the 1999. There is a hint of Hoi Sin towards the finish that is still dominated by blackberry, cedar and graphite. It needs another five or six years to really come round, but great potential. Tasted June 2011.
Jeb Dunnuck
Fully mature (yet Id say in the early stages of its drink window), the 2000 Château Gruaud Larose offers a ripe, powerful, medium to full-bodied style as well as lots of currant and darker fruits followed by cedarwood, tobacco, iron, and assorted meaty, spicy nuances. Its a rich, almost chunky effort with a great mid-palate, still present yet ripe tannins, and a great finish. It lacks some of the purity and precision of todays wines yet is a satisfying, rich, impressively textured Saint-Julien to drink over the coming 15-20 years.