Gruaud-Larose castle

The castle Gruaud-Larose , is a wine field located at Saint-Julien-Beychevelle in the Gironde. In AOC Saint-Julien, it is classified second great wine with the classification of 1855.

History of the field

The first writings which attest existence of the castle go up with 1742. But the creation of the field by the knight Joseph Stanislas Gruaud would go back to 1725. As of the years 1750, the property of the sior Gruaud appears already in good place in the register of broking of Abraham Lawton, preceding the classification of 1855. The Gruaud knight acquires in 1757 a surface of exploitation close to the current one. The property then takes the name of “Fonbedeau”, although one finds Gruaud name regularly.

With died of the founder, on September 6th 1771, its single heir, Jean-Sebastien de Larose, elected présidial of Bordeaux and general lieutenant of the seneschalsy of Guyenne becomes owner of the Fonbedeau field. It is necessary to await 1791 to see appearing the name of Larose. November 28th 1795, the knight of Larose dies. In front of the incapacity of the descendants to get along on the heritage, a sale by sale by auction ordered by the Court of Appeal of Bordeaux will decide the division of the goods subjected to joint possession. The adjudication by way of legal biddings took place on December 21st 1812. At the time of the legal biddings in 1812, the traders of Bordeaux Balguerie, Sarget and Compagnie become purchasers of the castle for a ridiculous sum. On this occasion, the castle takes officially the name of Gruaud-Larose. The currency “the king of the wines, the wine of the kings” is then imagined by the baron Sarget.

The new owners separate quickly, thus returning the division of the inevitable property in 1846. After long negotiations, vineyard and buildings are divided between the Sarget family of the Fountain on the one hand, and Mesdames Bethmann and of Boisgérard on the other hand. The pieces are shared by moitiée, in the same way for the buildings (of the terminals attest some)! Thus two wines are marketed, under the names of Gruaud-Larose Sarget and Gruaud-Larose Bethmann.

The oïdium which fell down on the vineyard médocain between 1852 and 1860 terribly makes fall the outputs of the Gruaud-Larose castle. To fight against this plague, the technique of the sulphuring of the vines spreads with the whole of the fields. After one century of excellence, the official Classification of the wines of Bordeaux of 1855 confirms the place of the Gruaud-Larose Castle among largest. It is officially high with the row of second classified vintage.

The oïdium is now contained, and in the decade 1861 - 1870, the production of the castles of the Medoc increases again. The two fields of Gruaud-Larose can thus benefit from the high courses of the wine and a wine productivity of excellent quality. However, in 1874, the Phylloxéra endangers the vineyard médocain. Impotent vis-a-vis this plague, the owners are constrained, starting from 1895, to substitute for the sick feet of the more resistant seedlings of American origin, used like “understock”. As of 1878, the Mildew, another disease of the vine, damages in a disastrous way the bunches and the foliage, affecting the quality of harvest.

After one long period of crisis in the Medoc which begins in 1890, of many fields whose Graud-Larose are obliged, to ensure a minimum of incomes, to sell in advance their harvest, by the technique of the subscriptions. Gruaud-Larose Sarget recovers its “freedom” in 1916, and Gruaud-Larose Bethmann in 1919.

In 1917, Desired Rope-maker, wine merchant of the East of the France becomes purchaser of the castle Gruaud Larose Sarget. The family invests in all the Bordelais vineyard, and thus buys at the same time the Fanning-Lafontaine castles in the Graves, Lafaurie-Peyraguey in the Sauternais, Talbot with Saint-Julien-Beychevelle and Meyney with Saint-Estèphe. Désiré Cordier buys in 1935 Gruaud-Larose Bethmann and thus reconstitutes the initial field of the founder.

With died of Desired Rope-maker in 1940, Paul and Henri Lemaire manage the field then, until the nomination, in 1947, of Jean Cordier, his small son with the head of Gruaud-Larose. As of his taking of, Jean Cordier modernizes the management of the castle, increases his notoriety and renews most of the vineyard. Increased, renovated and renovated, the field will produce more abundant harvests, in particular thanks to the plantation of majority Cabernet-sauvignon in manner.

The Eighties mark a change in the methods of negotiation of large markets. The contribution of external capital becomes essential. In 1983, the group Suez invests in the Cordier company via his subsidiary company, Banque Hénin, giving to the family company an international scale. The group Alcatel Alsthom becomes purchaser of the castle in 1993 and decides to be invested in the restoration of the property: the castle is entirely restored, the green areas are reconsidered. The wine storehouses are increased, part of the tanks is rebuilt out of wood. The group also places at the disposal of the engineering team a single technological device in Médoc. The reception of the grape harvest as well as the tanks are followed by a computing system. An oenological laboratory, a weather station and a purification plant are installed in the enclosure even property.

In 1997, the Merlaut family becomes purchaser of the property and continues the policy impelled by its predecessor since the beginning of the Nineties: to produce a wine of world class while respecting the environment and the traditions.

The soil

Wine

The vineyard of Gruaud-Larose Castle presents one encépagement as follows:

57% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot
7% frank Cabernet
4% Small Verdot
2% Malbec

The wine remains 16 to 18 months in Barrique S of oak in new averages with 35%.

Years

The year 1961 will remain like one year exceptional. Will follow quite as famous years 1962,1966, and 1970. A series of great years will be done in decade 80: 1978,1982,1983,1985,1986, and 1989.

External bond

Official site of Gruaud-Larose.