"A very strong effort for Gruaud Larose, possibly eclipsed by what they have done in 2009, this is a pure, full-bodied Gruaud Larose with plenty of new saddle leather, cedar wood, black currants, cherries, licorice, and Provencal herbs. Spicy, earthy, full-bodied, and rich, it has hit its plateau of full maturity, where it should stay for another 20 or more years. 94 points" Robert Parker

Château Gruaud Larose is a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé in St.-Julien. The estate is first mentioned in the early 1700s as being owned by a knight, the interestingly named Joseph Stanislas Gruaud. Later in that same century, it was owned by a Joseph-Sébastian de La Rose, also adding his name.

In the 19th century the estate fell into debt and was split into two halves; Gruaud-Larose-Faure and Gruaud-Larose-Sarget (owned by Baron Sarget, who built the château). In 1917 Gruaud-Larose-Faure was purchased by the Cordier family and the whole estate reunited by them by the 1930s. They sold the estate in 1983 and a series of owners followed (in part accounting for some of the inconsistency in vintages of this wine) until it was bought in 1997 by the Taillan group of companies (which includes Bordeaux merchants Ginestet, a Loire wine business and various other wine holdings).

The vineyards consist of 84 hectares on a gravel-rich plateau to the west of Beychevelle, planted to 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. The second wine is Sarget de Gruaud Larose.