Grand Puy Lacoste 2010

Pauillac, Fifth Growth

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Tasting Notes
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is a strong marine influence on the Grand Puy Lacoste 2010: seaweed and brine infused into the black fruit. It is very well defined and focused, building in intensity in the glass. The palate is silky smooth on the entry - very plush and sensual - with a cashmere texture that indicates some beautifully integrated creamy oak. It fans out wonderfully towards the finish, perhaps a little more modern in style than its peers but still beautifully crafted. Score: 96 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 31 March 2014
A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot, the Grand Puy Lacoste ’10 has 13.6% alcohol with a total acidity of around 3.5gms/L. It has a very complex bouquet that I leave over 5 minutes to open, developing ripe blackberry, cassis, oyster shell and a faint tang of Japanese nori (seaweed.) Very good complexity. The palate is beautifully balanced, this GPL revelling in this vintage that countenances the Cabernet Sauvignon so much. Very refined, powerful, beautifully focused with an unerring sense of symmetry. This is a magnificent Pauillac - bravo Xavier. Drink 2020- Tasted March 2011. Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020+ 15 April 2011
Intense hazelnuts and blackberries on the nose follow through to a full to medium body, with chocolate and berry flavors and firm tannins. Not giving away a lot at the finish at the moment. Reserved and sophisticated. But structured and chewy. Try in 2017. Score: 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2017+ 04 February 2013
An absolutely magnificent wine from this very popular estate, which sits well off the Route du Vin, just to the southwest of the town of Pauillac, its classic crème de cassis and floral notes are well-displayed. The wine possesses supple tannin, a full body, voluptuous character and a layered, impressively textured mouthfeel. This is a brilliant effort from Grand Puy Lacoste that can be drunk in 4-5 years or cellared for three decades or more. Score: 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 February 2013
The greatest Grand Puy Lacoste since the 2005, 2000 and 1990, the fabulous 2010 reveals all the hallmarks of this estate. It boasts a dense purple color along with classic notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, blackberries, crushed rocks and flowers, sweet tannin and an exceptionally full-bodied and multilayered mouthfeel as well as a boatload of tannin. Cellar it for a decade and drink it over the following three decades. Proprietor Xavier Borie’s 2010 recalls the 2005. Score: 93 - 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 04 May 2011
Vanilla-scented lifted cassis on nose and palate. Chalky tannins are quite drying at the moment but I think it will flesh out a bit - that would help. Score: 17 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2029 10 April 2012
Francoix-Xavier Borie describes 2010 as an easy vintage to make, setting aside the press wine to use like salt and pepper to season as in 1996. 83%CS, 17%M. 60% production. 60% new oak for 16-18 months. A super-spicy complex nose, really interesting. Then in the mouth, excellent depth and richness combined with restraint. Clean and pure. Classical Bordeaux with added freshness on the finish. A great success. We loved the 2009 but this is even better. Score: 93 - 96 Albany Vintners, - 27 April 2011
Dramatically intense colour. But both samples I tried were a little bit tired. Sweet start but without great intensity on the mid palate. Very chewy end. Just a bit awkward and unfocused. Correct balance though with good Pauillac character. I’m just a little worried about the freshness of samples... (Stupidly, I had the chance to re-taste this chez Dourthe but was dashing for a plane and missed both it and its stablemate Haut-Batailley. I may well have underestimated this usually very reliable wine.) Score: 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2018-2032 20 April 2011
Still rather reserved, but excellent depth of violetty-irony Pauillac fruit and great length and elegance, a fine classic wine that will repay cellaring over a long period. Score: 18 Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2017-2035 01 April 2011
Juicy and still a bit compact, but with red currant, blackberry and roasted vanilla flavors. Shows the racy style of the vintage, with a solid core of fruit for balance. The pure, lengthy finish has nice polish, and this is rock-solid, with a flash of coffee at the end. Score: 92 - 95 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 31 March 2011

Tasting Notes

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. There is a strong marine influence on the Grand Puy Lacoste 2010: seaweed and brine infused into the black fruit. It is very well defined and focused, building in intensity in the glass. The palate is silky smooth on the entry - very plush and sensual - with a cashmere texture that indicates some beautifully integrated creamy oak. It fans out wonderfully towards the finish, perhaps a little more modern in style than its peers but still beautifully crafted.

Score: 96

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 31 March 2014

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot, the Grand Puy Lacoste ’10 has 13.6% alcohol with a total acidity of around 3.5gms/L. It has a very complex bouquet that I leave over 5 minutes to open, developing ripe blackberry, cassis, oyster shell and a faint tang of Japanese nori (seaweed.) Very good complexity. The palate is beautifully balanced, this GPL revelling in this vintage that countenances the Cabernet Sauvignon so much. Very refined, powerful, beautifully focused with an unerring sense of symmetry. This is a magnificent Pauillac - bravo Xavier. Drink 2020- Tasted March 2011.

Score: 97 - 99

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020+ 15 April 2011

Intense hazelnuts and blackberries on the nose follow through to a full to medium body, with chocolate and berry flavors and firm tannins. Not giving away a lot at the finish at the moment. Reserved and sophisticated. But structured and chewy. Try in 2017.

Score: 95

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2017+ 04 February 2013

An absolutely magnificent wine from this very popular estate, which sits well off the Route du Vin, just to the southwest of the town of Pauillac, its classic crème de cassis and floral notes are well-displayed. The wine possesses supple tannin, a full body, voluptuous character and a layered, impressively textured mouthfeel. This is a brilliant effort from Grand Puy Lacoste that can be drunk in 4-5 years or cellared for three decades or more.

Score: 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 February 2013

The greatest Grand Puy Lacoste since the 2005, 2000 and 1990, the fabulous 2010 reveals all the hallmarks of this estate. It boasts a dense purple color along with classic notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, blackberries, crushed rocks and flowers, sweet tannin and an exceptionally full-bodied and multilayered mouthfeel as well as a boatload of tannin. Cellar it for a decade and drink it over the following three decades. Proprietor Xavier Borie’s 2010 recalls the 2005.

Score: 93 - 96

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 04 May 2011

Vanilla-scented lifted cassis on nose and palate. Chalky tannins are quite drying at the moment but I think it will flesh out a bit - that would help.

Score: 17

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2029 10 April 2012

Francoix-Xavier Borie describes 2010 as an easy vintage to make, setting aside the press wine to use like salt and pepper to season as in 1996. 83%CS, 17%M. 60% production. 60% new oak for 16-18 months. A super-spicy complex nose, really interesting. Then in the mouth, excellent depth and richness combined with restraint. Clean and pure. Classical Bordeaux with added freshness on the finish. A great success. We loved the 2009 but this is even better.

Score: 93 - 96

Albany Vintners, - 27 April 2011

Dramatically intense colour. But both samples I tried were a little bit tired. Sweet start but without great intensity on the mid palate. Very chewy end. Just a bit awkward and unfocused. Correct balance though with good Pauillac character. I’m just a little worried about the freshness of samples... (Stupidly, I had the chance to re-taste this chez Dourthe but was dashing for a plane and missed both it and its stablemate Haut-Batailley. I may well have underestimated this usually very reliable wine.)

Score: 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2018-2032 20 April 2011

Still rather reserved, but excellent depth of violetty-irony Pauillac fruit and great length and elegance, a fine classic wine that will repay cellaring over a long period.

Score: 18

Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2017-2035 01 April 2011

Juicy and still a bit compact, but with red currant, blackberry and roasted vanilla flavors. Shows the racy style of the vintage, with a solid core of fruit for balance. The pure, lengthy finish has nice polish, and this is rock-solid, with a flash of coffee at the end.

Score: 92 - 95

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 31 March 2011

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