Château Grand-Puy Lacoste 2016

$114.00
Out of stock
SKU
2482-2016

• Domaine: Château Grand-Puy Lacoste
• Appellation: Pauillac
• Classification: Fifth Growth, 5ème Grand Cru Classé
• Origin: Left Bank, Bordeaux, France

The philosophy at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is all about a mixture of tradition and precision.  This Pauillac property is currently run by the well-respected Borie family and has been since 1978. Though the estate was classified as a Fifth Growth, François-Xavier Borie believed the terroir at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste truly had the potential to produce wines that were the same quality level as some of the top Pauillac estates.  It turns out his instincts were right.  Under Borie’s leadership, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste produces phenomenally elegant wines that are considered benchmark expressions of Pauillac terroir.

Part of the name Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste derives from the geography of the estate.  The French word, “Puy,” loosely translates to, “small hill,” which is used to describe the estate’s hilly terroir. Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of the oldest properties in the Médoc, with records of the very first plantings dating back to the 1500s.  The majority of the credit for forming Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste goes to the Dejean Family in the 1700s.  The Dejean family was one of the more active families in Bordeaux and they also owned what later became Château Lynch Bages.

The estate was passed down from generation to generation, largely through to the female side of the family. It was classified as a Fifth Growth in 1855 and eventually purchased by the Dupin Family in 1932.  During the 1930s, large parties were held at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste as the Dupins were renowned for their excellent hospitality.  Eventually, the estate went to the Borie family in 1978 and they were responsible for initiating a renaissance at Grand-Puy-Lacoste.  They renovated the vat room and implemented an extensive replanting program.  Some of the changes included the addition of 90 temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for vinification of the wines.

Francois Xavier-Borie currently lives at the estate with his wife, Marie-Helene and managing Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is very much a family affair.  This is highly unusual, as few families in the Médoc actually live on property and spend a significant amount of time overseeing operations at the winery.  The Borie family is one of the more well-known families in Bordeaux, and a talent for viticulture runs within the family bloodline. Francois’ younger brother, Bruno Borie, oversees the illustrious “Super Second,” Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, with the help of his sister, Sabine. 

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a 90-hectare property, with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.  The estate has some very famous neighbors, including Château Lynch-Bages to the West and Château Pontet-Canet to the South.  In the mind of Francois-Xavier Borie, the best techniques are meaningless if the wine doesn’t express terroir. Needless to say, a lot of attention is paid to their vineyard practices.  Winemaking is a team effort helmed by the Borie family and their consultant oenologist, Eric Boissenot – one of the most respected consultants in Bordeaux.  Like many of the top Pauillacs, the wines of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste demand time in the cellar.  They are full-bodied, juicy and powerful with tremendous ageability -- the perfect wine for Pauillac lovers.

Tasting Notes

"The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Grand-Puy-Lacoste gives up pure kirsch and red and black currants with violets and baking spices. Medium-bodied, firm and grainy, it's very expressive with good concentration and length." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (11/30/2018, Interim Issue), Ratings: 94+, Drink: 2021-2039

"The 2016 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot that matured in 75% new oak. It has 13.3% alcohol this year. It has an extraordinarily pure bouquet with blackberry, briary, touches of pencil shaving and cedar aromas--quintessential Grand-Puy-Lacoste, basically. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin. Gone are the days when this Pauillac was as hard as nails for the first decade. The tannins are nowadays much finer and the acidity lends this tension and plenty of freshness. There is an effortless quality to this Pauillac with wonderful length and such finesse on the finish that you immediately want to go back and re-taste it. Like so many others, this improved with aeration, gaining ever more harmony and precision. What a brilliant wine. It is classic Pauillac to its core." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/28/2017, Issue 230), Ratings: 95-97, Drink: 2024-2050

 

More Information
LWIN 1010787
Stock Status Out of Stock
Appellation Pauillac
Vintage 2016
Brand Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Shipping Weight 3.000000
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Pauillac is best known as the appellation that produces 3 of the 5 First Growths estates in Bordeaux. Blessed by an exceptional terroir, Pauillac is located in the northern part of the Médoc peninsula, on the Left Bank along the Gironde estuary, an ideal placement contributing to moderating the climate and providing optimal conditions for wine cultivation. Pauillac is bordered by two other prestigious wine appellations: Saint-Estèphe to the north and Saint-Julien to the south.

Pauillac's terroir, characterized by gravelly soils, is often considered one of the finest for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon, the predominant grape in Pauillac’s blends. The gravel helps with drainage and reflects heat, encouraging ripening and concentration of flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec grapes. Such exceptional predispositions explain that Pauillac is home to some of Bordeaux's most renowned and iconic wine estates. They include First Growths estates such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Château Latour. Other famous estates include Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, Château Pichon-Lalande, Château Duhart-Milon, Château Pontet-Canet, Château Batailley, Château Lynch Bages, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Château Haut-Batailley, Château Lynch-Moussas, Château d'Armailhac, Château Haut-Bages Liberal, Château Pedesclaux, Château Clerc Milon, Château Croizet-Bages.

Pauillac wines are known for their deep color, complex aromas, and rich, full-bodied flavors, including notes of cassis, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, and graphite, with a pronounced tannic structure, which require several years or even decades of bottle aging to reveal their full potential. 

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