Château Gruaud Larose · 2022

Saint-Julien is the smallest of the Médoc AOCs, with only 910 hectares of vineyards, and perfectly combines the virtues of its two neighbours: the elegance of Margaux with the strength of Pauillac. It is, without doubt, one of the regions with the greatest consistency in terms of quality and, despite not having any Premier Cru, 90% of its vineyards belong to eleven high-level wineries, five of them Deuxièmes Crus.Its location is fantastic, on two gravel plateaus overlooking the Gironde. The best vineyards are located on them and benefit from the estuary's microclimate, while the gravel, essential for good drainage of the rain, reflects the sun, increasing the amount of sunlight on the vines. Its main grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, which produces tremendously balanced wines here that are also capable of ageing with elegance. The slight variations in soil and orientation produce wines of slightly different styles, but in general, the wines of St-Julien have good structure, intense colour and marked complexity, adorned with hints of blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, plums, tobacco and liquorice. Châteaux Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Poyferré and Léoville Barton were originally one and the same winery, so the three share the honour, together with Château Gruaud-Larose (the roof of the AOC at just 22 metres above sea level) and the always elegant Châteaux Ducru-Beaucaillou, of being among the second estates classified in 1855. Châteaux Talbot, the refined Châteaux Branaire Ducru, the modern Château Gloria or Châteaux Lagrange, the largest in the region with 123 hectares of vineyards, are other safe options that clearly show the character of the region.