Château Gruaud Larose 2018 is the Saint‑Julien Second Growth in a warm, ripe Médoc vintage, and it shows a clear tilt toward concentration and texture over strict classical restraint. The grand vin is a Cabernet-led blend—“67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc,” as Lisa Perrotti-Brown notes in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate—built around dark fruit, oak spice, and firm tannin.
Several reviewers were particularly enthusiastic. Jeb Dunnuck awarded an excellent 97 points, calling it “a brilliant wine,” praising its “flawless balance,” “masses of tannins,” and long-term horizon, suggesting it “should cruise in cold cellars for 20-30 years.” James Suckling (95) also delivered an excellent review, highlighting “ultra fine tannins,” a “juicy core of ripe fruit,” and a “silky and delicious” feel, while recommending patience: “Better from 2025.”
At 94 points, Wine Spectator emphasizes both ripeness and control, citing “polish” to the “cassis, crushed plum and blackberry” fruit, with “bittersweet cocoa, tobacco, and iron” on the finish, noting it is “muscular and grippy” yet carried by “ample freshness,” and forecasting a wide window: “Best from 2023 through 2036.” Wine Enthusiast (94) similarly describes a “densely textured and rich wine” with “power and concentration,” advising “Drink from 2027.”
Perrotti-Brown’s assessments underline the vintage’s generous profile. In Wine Advocate (92), she finds “bags of baked berries flavors” and “just enough freshness,” while pointing to “slightly rustic tannins” and suggesting “3-4 years in bottle should soften the tannins.” Her later note in The Wine Independent (95) describes a wine that “needs a little coaxing,” finishing “long and opulent.”
Winemaking and vintage details reinforce the style. Jane Anson (93) reports “40hl/h yield, 90% new oak,” with harvest “September 20 to October 6,” and calls it “seductive and creamy,” if “a little less St Julien in signature” in this warm year. Decanter (94) notes careful extraction and confirms 85% new oak in their report, calling it “packed full of flavour” and “a wine that will age well without question.”
