Since 2010, Gruaud Larose has hosted a vertical tasting for a small group of wine writers. In 2010, the theme was wines from vintages that end in zero. We tasted 1840, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1920, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000. This year, the theme was vintages that end in one. We tasted 1831, 1841, 1851, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1921, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001. Most of the 19th century wines were curiosities and faded very quickly in the glass. The wines that most impressed me were the wines from the 20th century. Last year, my favourites were 1900, 1990 and 2000. This year, my favourites are 1921, 1961 and 1971. This is a wonderful tasting that shows how well Bordeaux can age.

1. 1831 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Recorked in 1996, the 1831 is now a pale garnet brown, with a watery rim, but is still very much alive. The wine offers leather, dried herbs, and pot pourri on the nose, but every element – including the tannins – tastes fragile and delicate. With its soft, moderate length and lasting impression of dried flower leaves, this is an amazing wine for its 170 years! (88)

2. 1841 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Recorked in 1996, the 1841 is also a pale garnet brown with a watery rim, with a delicate bouquet of dried herbs, spices, and cedar. Very light bodied with lightly-spiced flavours fading in the glass, this wine retains good acidity but is hollow in the middle, leaving just a faint perfume on the finish. (84)

3. 1851 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Recorked in 1996, this 1851 in magnum is very lean and acidic. Pale garnet brown, with notes of dried herbs, spices and cedar on the nose, the dried herbal flavours are starting to fade. The tannins and acidity are still very much present and angular, ensuring an interesting rather than captivating wine. (85)

4. 1871 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Recorked in 1996, the 1871 is pale garnet brown, watery rim in colour, with aromas of dried herbs, spices, and cedar. Unfortunately, the wine faded very quickly. (84)

5. 1921 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Medium garnet brown with a fading rim, the 1921 offers a seductive perfume of sweet aromatic spices, pot pourri, and dried flowers that carries through in the finish with amazing intensity and length. A delicious wine that is simply astonishing in its evolution and delicacy of layered flavours. (94)

6. 1961 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Medium garnet ruby in colour, the 1961 smells of sweet dried berries, pot pourri, and dried prunes, and has acquired a delicious evolved flavour with sweet mid palate fruit. This is not a dense, full bodied or powerful 1961, but on the nose and palate there is incredible depth and a very long finish. Very light, probably only about 10% alcohol, this is a remarkable 1961! (93)

7. 1971 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Fairly deep garnet in colour, the 1971 gives off notes of sweet dried berries, pot pourri, tobacco and fresh mushrooms. This is a delicious wine that has plenty of depth and sweet mid palate fruit. Though still amazingly fresh and lively with silky tannins and a gentle evolved flavour, the wine that may be just starting to fade, so enjoy it soon. (92)

8. 1981 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France The 1981 is a gentle delicate wine that surprisingly has more depth than the 1991. Medium garnet ruby in colour, it has notes of pot pourri, cassis, cedar, and tobacco. I love the gentle grace of this wine and its subtle soft tealeaf finish. This won’t impress or win blind competitions but here you have the delicious drinkability of a mature wine at its peak. (91)

9. 1991 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France Fairly deep garnet in colour, the 1991 has gorgeous tertiary aromas – pot pourri, cassis, cedar, ripe plums – but on the palate, the wine is rather thin, with an astringent finish. Given how difficult the vintage was, this wine is holding up pretty well. Supple on the palate with light body and good acidity, it’s a perfect food wine, to be enjoyed now. (87)

10. 2001 Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien, France This is a wonderful, elegant Gruaud Larose that gets high marks for sheer drinkability. Fairly deep ruby with a touch of garnet, the 2001 is very aromatic, with notes of plums, dried flowers, cedar, and spices. There is a freshness of fruit, with tertiary flavours like chanterelle mushrooms and leather notes just beginning to creep in. The wine is just reaching its peak though it can still keep for at least a decade. (91)