Gruaud Goes to Hell

[SparrowsFall]

I adore Gruaud Larose. And Bordeaux-wise, it's a bargain.

But I should put that in the past tense.

I've drunk many, many bottles, vintages from '61 through '94. Consistently a big, strapping, tannic, non-"elegant" wine, which rough edges turn into tobacco, leather, cedarbox, smoke, and various other "how did they ever get this out of grapes" kinds of tastes and aromas.

Gruaud was sold to some international outfit around '96. I was worried, but what I read about the '97 sounded damned promising--especially in such an inauspicious year. Because of that, I guess, I found six bottles of the '97 online for $28 a bottle (plus shipping). Drank one last night.

Sigh. Overoaked. Overextracted. Tongue burning. Totally new world. All sorts of parker code words like hedonistic come to mind. In fifteen years this wine will taste just about the way it does now. It will never do what Gruauds of the past have done so miraculously.

Wave a sad farewell to another one.

Meanwhile, I'm seeing prices now for the '97 between $42 and $80. Sigh again.

[Ron Johnson]

I, too, used to consume a lot of Gruaud because of its excellent quality to price ratio. Sadly, you are correct that those days are gone. This post made me realize that I have not purchased any Bordeaux for at least the last 2 years. Similarly, I have not purchased any Cal cabs since 1997 vintage was released.

I wonder if these prices are going to plateau, what with the shaky american economy, or will they continue to climb through the stratosphere?

[mogsob]

So true.

But it is worth noting that the "industrialization" of Bordeaux has had benefits as well. Take Lagrange, for example. It wasn't too long ago that they were producing crap from crap vines. Now, thanks to significant foreign investment, Lagrange is producing pretty good wine these days.

The wine business is simply following the economics of taste. Today, Robert Parker's taste for big and lush wines predominate. I don't agree, but his influence has led to the significant improvement of standards worldwide. But taste is fickle, and it is not out of reason that a new trend could emerge (one hopes). Parker is mortal and his influence will not endure forever.