Chateau Grand-Puy Lacoste 2023

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.

"We are in classic Grand Puy Lacoste territory here, great balance, good freshness, Pauillac typicity, less concentration than 2022, showing instead bright cassis and blackberry fruits, salted cracker edge, liquorice, graphite, spiced cocoa beans, and flashes of fresher redcurrants on the close of play. Great quality, and you can see the fine ageing potential stretching ahead. 75% new oak, rest one year old, around 60% of production in this 1st wine (this is similar each year, as here the vineyard footprint has not changed since 1855). Harvest September 11 to 28." - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux, (04/15/2024), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2030-2046

This 90-hectare estate (some 60 hectares of which are in production), situated in a single block on a gravel dome around the château, has long been a favorite among Bordeaux insiders. Under Emeline Borie's direction, subtle refinements have been made: more than 100 soil pits were dug to better understand the château's geology; herbicides have never been used here, but now 20 hectares are devoted to a trial of organic farming; since 2013, a vertical press is used; and since 2012, the new vintage goes to barrel immediately after malolactic fermentation, before being blended early in the new year. Today's wines are a touch more immediately charming and structurally polished than the Grand-Puy-Lacoste of 15 years ago, yet they have lost none of their classic Cabernet-driven Pauillac character; and a subtle evolution in cooperage choices, favoring lighter toasts, means their oak has never been so well-integrated out of the gates." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (04/26/2024), Ratings: 93-95

"The Grand Vin 2023 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot (the 11th to the 28th of September) with the élevage in 75% new French oak. Its deeper plum hue is followed by beautiful aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, and flowers. This carries to a medium-bodied Pauillac with a pure, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and beautifully integrated oak. It's a little gem of a 2023 that has the pure, focused, elegant, yet concentrated style of the vintage." - Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur, (05/08/2024), Ratings: 93-95

"The 2023 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked September 11 to 28 at 48hL/ha and matured in 75% new oak. It has a classic "GPL" bouquet with blackberry, pencil box and light marine scents, obviously not as powerful as the previous vintage, yet in typical style, beautifully defined and focused. Just a touch of cracked black pepper surfaces with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle but insistent grip, just a light bitter edge lending tension and nerve. I perceive good depth here, but this is not a powerhouse of a Pauillac (is GPL ever?). It fans out toward the finish whilst maintaining control. There’s an impressive linearity to this wine, and thus I suspect it will require less bottle-age compared to recent vintages." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (04/29/2024), Ratings: 93-95