Description

Grand-Puy-Lacoste turned out a stunning wine in a difficult vintage. Dark fruits, chewy tannins, good length. All signs point to a good wine. Leave it until 2019 and assess the drinking window from there.

Having changed names a few times in the past this estate shares a hill with the similarly named Grand-Puy-Ducasse. Like many terroirs in Bordeaux these two estates used to be owned by the same family. Today they have 36 hectare in the ground consisting of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The wines here are quite old fashioned, so structure, acidity and elegance are the order of the day. They really want these wines to be cellared and enjoyed in the mid to long term.

Pauillac

The powerhouse of the Left Bank. It contains three of the five first growth wines in the Medoc and a wealth of other great Chateaux beyond that. It combines the cool charm of St-Julien to the South and the rugged richness of St-Estephe to the North and makes the wines that are often thought of as classic Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon reigns here and expect wines that are built to last 40 years in a great vintage.

2011

One of the hardest and most disappointing vintages in recent Bordeaux history. Experiencing both excessive heat and rain led to wines that were lighter, less concentrated and sometimes on the green side. Early ripening terroirs and Merlot tended to be more successful.