The 1989 Château Gruaud Larose is the grand vin of this Saint-Julien Second Growth (Deuxième Cru Classé) from Bordeaux’s Médoc. It comes from an estate known for Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends (typically supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot), grown on a substantial single-block vineyard of gravelly soils in Saint‑Julien. In bottle today, the wine shows the classic mature claret profile—fruit still present, with savory, tobacco-cedar complexity and structure that hasn’t fully faded.
The strongest headline is the excellent 94-point review from Wine Spectator (Jan. 2010), calling it “fabulous” and praising “crushed red fruits, with leather, tar, tobacco and mint,” alongside “supersoft and silky tannins” and “a beautiful polish.” They describe it as “open and luscious,” with “amazing richness of fruit,” and recommend: “Drink now.”
Neal Martin (92 points, 2012) also positions it as a high performer, writing it was “one of the standout wines of the tasting.” He notes “wonderful definition on the nose,” with “sandalwood, Provencal herbs, white fennel and a touch of mint.” On the palate, he emphasizes balance and control: “medium-bodied and beautifully balanced… I like the control here, the sense of finesse,” concluding it is “Drinking perfectly now.”
More recently, William Kelley for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (92 points, Mar. 2022) argues it may still be underappreciated, highlighting an “impressively youthful structure” and “vibrant flavors,” plus “sweet berry fruit, cigar wrapper, loamy soil and cedar.” Kelley notes it is “evolving very slowly,” with “fine but still present tannins,” and calls it “a comparatively underestimated 1989 Médoc.”
Jeb Dunnuck (92 points, Feb. 2023) frames it as “a classic, old school Saint-Julien,” citing “saddle leather, cigar box, and smoke tobacco.” He notes it’s “not the most elegant wine” and “still has some present tannins,” but adds it “brings plenty of character” and could have “another 15 years of evolution.”
