Gruaud Larose - St. Julien 1982 Champagne Note that the structure is

Note that the structure is almost completely resolved

spectacular and about the only nit is a discreet touch of backend warmth

balanced and moderately austere finale

Otherwise the succulent and opulent massively-scaled flavors possess seemingly endless reserves of dry extract that make the mid-palate and finish of this very firmly structured and almost painfully intense effort appear almost pliant

Both wines boast opaque black colors

Gruaud Larose - St. Julien 1982 Champagne Note that the structure isA massive wine that is clearly of first growth quality in this vintage, the 1982 Gruaud Larose remains a youngster. A broodingly dense, thick, unctuously textured, inky plum garnet purple color offers up scents of beef blood, steak tartare, cassis, herbs, tobacco, and underbrush. One of the most concentrated wines of the vintage (as well as one of the most concentrated Bordeauxs I have ever tasted), it is a huge, full bodied, weighty, rich wine whose