Saturated medium ruby. Deep aromas of black cherry, currant, coffee, dark chocolate, meat and leather; liqueur-like without coming across as roasted. Then hugely sweet and rich, with a distinctly velvety texture. Good vinosity gives the mid-palate a sappy character. Finishes very long, with a boatload of sweet, building tannins. Director Pauli hoped to bottle the 2000 in May without filtration. Analytically, both this vintage and the 2001 are atypically rich in polyphe125nols. But this is far more opulent. 05/2002

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. 06/2010