TN: '94 Chateau Gruad Larose

[Van The Man]

Bucko -

I've had a number of the '94 Classified Bordeaux (We bought a lot as it was the year we got hitched.) and this was about the lightest of the bunch I've had.

I do agree that almost none of them, with the noted exception of Leoville Barton, are as good as their younger brothers from the '95 and '96 vintage.

As for prices, they were rumored to be coming down, but I gotta tell ya, I've yet to see it.

I got a note from Sokolin yesterday and 1st Tranche '98 prices from the Chateaux were rumored to be 20% below '97 offerings and guess what? Sokolin, who is VERY well respected in Bordeaux, had his prices on par with '97. Perhaps retailers are going to try to cash in on us as those in the know are claiming '98 to be superior to '97.

It'll be interesting to see who sells what and how.