TN Chateau Gruaud-Larose 1961
 

Chateau Gruaud-Larose 1961 is at the peak and likely will hold a few
more years. It is still rather dark scarlet with only little evidence of
age around the rim. Everything now is in balance. It is classic St.
Julien that has much more depth and length than usual, as is typical of
most of the top Bordeaux wines of the exceptional year of 1961.
Ducru-Beaucaillou 1961 perhaps was a bit better with more depth and
complexity when I tasted it a few years ago. Of course the star of 1961
is Latour. However the quality of the 1961 Gruaud-Larose is as high as
that of many of the first growths in many other good years. If you have
not cellared the 1961s as I have and have to buy them now, all of the
decent ones are fairly expensive. However the Gruaud-Larose likely
offers as much quality for the price as any of the 1961s. You now would
have to pay a small fortune at auction for the much desired Latorur
1961.

Reply to .

Thanks for the notes. I'm organizing a Gruaud vertical next week,
unfortunately we won't have the '61 ('66 is oldest, but we have every
major vintage since then). But this way I get to at least taste the '61
vicariously. :)

"DaleW" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Thanks for the notes. I'm organizing a Gruaud vertical next week,

Where? Can I come?

Fred.

Dale Williams stated: "Thanks for the notes. I'm organizing a Gruaud
vertical next week, unfortunately we won't have the '61 ('66 is oldest,
but we have every major vintage since then). But this way I get to at
least taste the '61 vicariously. :)"

I find that both Michael Broadbent and Clive Coates also liked the 1961
Gruaud-Larose in fairly recent tastings. Broadbent still rated it as 5
out of 5 star. I believe Coates rated it as about 17.5 out of 20, but
then Coates tends not to give out as many of the very highest ratings as
many others. Unfortunately I do not have a wide range in Gruaud-Larose
vintages. Your upcoming tasting should produce some interesting notes
for you to post here.

Reply to .

Thanks for the notes and taste check.

I've only 2 of the 61's left and have my last tasting was in '85 when
my notes said "don't touch the other two for at least 8-10 years.

I've still several of the '61 Gloria's ... one of my all time favorite
"best buy" Bordeauxs and I use them as kind of a bench mark to warn me
about when to pop the last of the Larose's


Art Stratemeyer
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Cwdjrx _ wrote:
> However the Gruaud-Larose likely
> offers as much quality for the price as any of the 1961s. You now would
> have to pay a small fortune at auction for the much desired Latorur
> 1961.

Of the few '61s that I've had, the standout was the Lynch Bages, which
should sell for roughly the same amount as the Gruaud-Larose. Having
not tasted the latter, I can't offer any sort of comparison except to
say that the Lynch Bages was exceptional, too. Thanks for the notes,
BTW -- most interesting.

Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton stated: "Of the few '61s that I've had, the standout was the
Lynch Bages, which should sell for roughly the same amount as the
Gruaud-Larose. Having not tasted the latter, I can't offer any sort of
comparison except to say that the Lynch Bages was exceptional, too.
Thanks for the notes, BTW -- most interesting."

I just looked up auction prices for several 1961s in the March issue of
Decanter. Prices are for a case of 12 bottles in Pounds. They include
buyer premiums, but not VAT.

Latour - 34100;
Petrus - 32000;
Mouton-Rothschild - 5750;
Palmer - 4180;
Lynch-Bages - 2035;
Ducru-Beaucaillou - 1925;
Gruaud-Larose - 1744;

The price of 61 Latour started going into orbit a few years ago, and now
it costs several thousand $US per bottle. It is a bit more expensive
than even the 61 Petrus, and it is equal to the quote of 34100 Pounds
for a case of 1985 Romanee-Conti which is the most expensive one from
1960 through 1990. The least expensive 61 Bordeaux on the Decanter
listing is 315 Pounds for a case of Talbot.





Reply to .

Fred, a week from today in Manhattan. Alas, we already have a waiting
list (we limit to 12 to ensure everyone a decent pour). I'm really
looking forward to this- we have '66, '70, '75, '78, '81, '82, '83,
'85, '86, '88, '89, '90, '94, '95, '96, '97, '99, '00, & '01. If of
course someone had the '61, I might could convince group to go to 13 :)
Seriously, if anyone is in NY area and is interested in being on notice
list re tastings (generally BDx verticals and horizontals for this
particular group), drop me a line.

"DaleW" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Fred, a week from today in Manhattan. Alas, we already have a waiting
> list (we limit to 12 to ensure everyone a decent pour). I'm really
> looking forward to this- we have '66, '70, '75, '78, '81, '82, '83,
> '85, '86, '88, '89, '90, '94, '95, '96, '97, '99, '00, & '01. If of
> course someone had the '61, I might could convince group to go to 13 :)
> Seriously, if anyone is in NY area and is interested in being on notice
> list re tastings (generally BDx verticals and horizontals for this
> particular group), drop me a line.

Damn. I'm a few thousand miles away (Las Vegas). It sounds like a good
time.

Fred.