Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château Gruaud Larose came into being in 1725, when Abbé Joseph Stanislas Gruaud founded the estate of Fonbedeau at Saint-Julien-Beychevelle. The first writings attesting to the castle date back to 1742, and in the 1750s, the property already appeared in Abraham Lawton's brokerage records, foreshadowing his future ranking. In 1757 Gruaud enlarged the estate to 50 hectares, but it was after his death in 1771 that Joseph-Sébastien de Larose, his heir, took possession of it. The name Gruaud-Larose was born only in 1791, after estate disputes and an auction in 1812.

The motto "the king of wines, the wine of kings" was created in the 19th century by Baron Sarget, after the acquisition of the castle by Bordeaux traders Balguerie-Stuttenberg and Sarget. In 1846, the estate was divided between the Sarget and Bethmann families, giving rise to two distinct wines: Gruaud-Larose Sarget and Gruaud-Larose Bethmann. Despite the wine crises (oidium, phylloxera, mildew), the castle obtained the status of second grand cru classified in 1855, confirming its prestige.

Reconstructed in 1879, the castle went through a period of modernization in the 20th century. Désiré Cordier purchased and reunited the two parties in 1935, before the Merlaut family became owner in 1997. Today, the estate combines wine tradition and innovations, with an encépagement dominated by cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and environmentally friendly methods. Its wine, raised 18 months in new barrels, perpetuates a reputation for excellence, as evidenced by the legendary vintages (1961, 1982).

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