66% cabernet sauvignon 28% merlot 6% petit verdot. Aged in 70% new oak barrels and the balance in one year-old barrels. A lovely perfumed and feminine nose of violets lavender and rhubarb. Darker and more brooding on the palate the dark purple fruit really comes forward supported by big structured tannins. Excellent length without being too drying. Another top performance from Saint Julien that may be more approachable in youth than others from the appellation. Drink 2015-2030.

This has plenty of fleshy tannins and depth through the mid palate, with waves of cassis, rosebud and liquorice root, melted cocoa and campfire smoke, totally charming and very St Julien, but the architecture remains fairly tight on the finish, and it will benefit from a little longer in bottle. Eric Boissenot consultant, 50% new oak. Harvest September 28 to October 13.

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a great showing from Gruaud Larose. It has a lovely bouquet with vibrant blackberry, wild hedgerow and cedar aromas that display fine vigour and intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and ripe tannins, plenty of ripe tarry black fruit with a dense, tobacco-infused finish that is very focused and persistent. Excellent.

For anybody looking for classic Bordeaux, this is the bottle to seek. “Classic” here means a wine with a tannic structure that also relies on a black currant flavor, with acidity providing freshness but not losing any concentration or aging potential. Keep for many years.

The 2010 Gruaud Larose has a more capable nose than the previous vintage, with layers of red and black fruit, a touch of garrigues and pressed flowers. Lovely delineation, this gains intensity with aeration and shades the previous vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, fresh and vibrant. It has better salinity than the 2009 with a little more finesse on the finish than it was showing several years ago. This is certainly moving in a positive direction. Tasted at the Gruaud Larose vertical at the château in February 2023. -- Neal Martin

Dark garnet/plum/purple, with loads of spice, earth, underbrush, red and black currants, licorice, and even a hint of Provencal garrigue, this full-bodied, tannic, masculine style of St.-Julien needs 5-6 years of cellaring, but is full, beefy, rich and impressively endowed. There are plenty of firm tannins in the background of this blockbuster wine, which has been built for the long haul. This is one 2010 where patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040. 93+ - Robert Parker

The 2010 Gruaud Larose is medium to deep garnet-colored with a touch of brick. A little closed and broody to begin, it unfurls to reveal notes of unsmoked cigars, crushed rocks, and fallen leaves over a core of dried blackberries and fruitcake. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam packed with rich black fruits framed by firm, chewy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long with a whole array of exotic spices. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

This is distinctive, with an aromatic roasted alder wood streak leading the way, quickly followed by dense but sleek blackberry cobbler, currant paste and warm plum sauce notes. Well-polished through the finish, offering deeply embedded acidity. Best from 2015 through 2030. – JM

Tannic, structured, long, concentrated with cassis, black raspberry, stone, tobacco and spice, this blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot needs at least a decade, and probably longer before it’s fun to drink. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2010&wine=Chateau%20Gruaud%20Larose