A blockbuster 1983, Gruaud-Larose can be drunk now, but promises to keep for at least another 20-25 years. Typical of the wines this property made in the late seventies and early eighties, it offers a full throttle style, an opaque dark ruby/purple color with no amber at the edges, and a huge nose of melted road tar, new saddle leather, grilled meats, and black fruits. It is sure to be controversial among those tasters looking for only new oak and fruit aromas. Powerful, spicy, and full-bodied, with surprising viscosity for a 1983, this wine's low acidity allows it to be appreciated now, but there are still formidable quantities of sweet tannins in the finish. One of the most successful wines produced in 1983, it is still available in the marketplace at a reasonable price. Last tasted, 4/93.

Beginning to show a few cracks around the edges, this once outstanding wine still has a very complex nose of roasted meats, cigar smoke, asphalt, licorice, and black, juicy cherries and currants. The wine’s succulence and fat, once one of its hallmarks, are beginning to dry out ever so slightly. The tannins and acids seems a bit more noticeable in the finish than I remember during its first 10-15 years of life. I would suspect this wine is still at its peak of perfection from magnum or bigger formats, but from regular bottle, even from my very cold cellar, this wine is starting to show some of the tell-tale signs of wear and tear. Anticipated maturity: Now-2008. Last tasted, 8/02.