Appellations

Grand Puy Lacoste 2018

Pauillac, Fifth Growth

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Tasting Notes

The 2018 Grand Puy Lacoste has a quintessential Pauillac nose of intense black fruit infused with graphite scents, pencil shavings and a very discreet marine influence. It is beautifully defined, less opulent than the 2018 Lynch Bages tasted alongside, yet maybe more complex. The palate is medium-bodied and taut, offering sappy black fruit, gritty tannins and a lot of crushed stone. The focused, graphite-driven finish could only come from this appellation. Superb. A wine to correct those bemoaning that Bordeaux no longer makes "proper Claret."

Score: 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023 - 2050 Date: 21 August 2021

The 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste was picked at 40hl/ha from September 21 to October 5. It is tightly wound on the nose, although it was due for a racking that will open up the aromatics. Black currant mixes with raspberry and a touch of graphite and brine, gradually revealing light floral topnotes. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Classic 'GPL' in some ways, delivering off-dry black fruit mixed with tobacco and black pepper, and cedar notes toward the finish. With around 14% alcohol, it has one of the highest levels at this property, although there is no warmth and it is not noticeable. Those who love Grand-Puy-Lacoste will enjoy this, and it should drink well for 20 years.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2050 Date: 01 November 2019

A beautiful Pauillac, the 2018 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a classic nose of ripe blackcurrants, scorched earth, cedarwood, and tobacco. This carries to a medium to full-bodied 2018 offering wonderful balance, ripe, polished tannins, and gorgeous purity of fruit. A wine that grows on you with time in the glass, it has building mid-palate depth and tannins, again, terrific balance, remarkable purity of fruit, and outstanding length on the finish. It should round into form in 4-5 years and keep for 20+.

Score: 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2025 - 2045 Date: 19 July 2021

The 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste displays a deep garnet-purple color and slowly emerging notes of ripe blackberries, blackcurrant pastilles and redcurrant jelly plus hints of cedar, underbrush, cinnamon stick and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate has well-managed, slightly chewy tannins and a refreshing line lifting the black and red berry layers, finishing earthy.

Score: 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2024 - 2040 Date: 15 July 2021

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is scented of warm blackcurrants, black cherries, spice box, florals and chocolate box with a menthol hint. Full-bodied, the palate is rich, plush and generous, finishing long and perfumed.

Score: 92 - 94 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 23 April 2019

Another success from Grand-Puy-Lacoste – it’s bright and full of juice, prioritising vibrancy over power. As such, it has a touch less Pauillac typicity than in the absolutely brilliant 2016 vintage at this estate, although as it unfurls through the palate you do get the menthol, cassis and smoked cedar that is just such a beautiful sign of ripe Cabernet up in this corner of the world. They were extremely careful with extraction because of the high alcohols, so grapes underwent the shortest maceration to date with no pumping over just an infusion during the extraction process. Harvest took place between 21 September and 5 October. 12% press wine. 75% new oak used. A yield of 40hl/ha.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2040 Date: 16 April 2019

This is a deep and beautiful 2018 with blackcurrant, wet-earth and fresh-tobacco undertones. Full-bodied, tight and polished. Gorgeous finish. The tannins kick in at the end. Fine texture.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 11 April 2019

A wine of precision, energy and nuance, the 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is fabulous. Freshly cut flowers, mint and sweet red berry fruit grace this exquisite, nuanced Pauillac. Medium in body, understated and classy, Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of the highlights of the year. In a word: impeccable. The 2018 is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot from yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 01 April 2019

This captures the style of the vintage to a T, with vividly ripe cassis and plum fruit, carried by solidly built but fine-grained structure. Lots of graphite and tobacco accents hang in the background for now. A firmly grounded wine.

Score: 95 - 98 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Date: 28 March 2019