2008 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2008
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
The wine is showing some signs of aging, which matches its secondary development as you find forest floor, cigar wrapper, cedar wood and softening of the fruit and tannins. The wine is full bodied, juicy, crisp and fresh. You can start drinking this now, but it will be even better if you wait another 5-7 years for more of the tannins to soften. 4,043 Views Tasted Sep 17, 2018Coffee, earth, blackberry and tobacco notes open to a wine that still wants a few more years in the cellar to shed its tannins. The wine ends a peppery, cassis filled finish. 7,726 Views Tasted May 19, 2013Tobacco, earth and cassis scents lead to a medium bodied/full bodied Pauillac that ends with a dark cherry and olive tapenade finish. 8,675 Views Tasted Jul 23, 201108 Château Grand Puy Lacoste. This château, which takes its name from the high sloping, gravelly terroir, produced a lighter than usual style of wine in 2008. Similar to the 2001, with a blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, and 3% cabernet franc, this cassis, cedar, and spice perfumed wine is a bit restrained. It finishes with fresh blackberry flavors. 89-91 Pts 9,779 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
When to Drink Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste needs time in the cellar before it is ready to drink. Young vintages can be decanted for at least 2-4 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume.
Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste is usually better with at least 12-20 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste should offer its best drinking and reach peak maturity between 12-35 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste with Wine and Food Pairings
Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, pasta and a myriad of hard and soft cheeses.
Grand Puy Lacoste is a classic, age-worthy, style of Pauillac. It's a full-bodied, tannic, concentrated Bordeaux wine that ages well. This Bordeaux wine offers cassis, cedar, tobacco, and truffle scents and a juicy mouth full of flavor
Interestingly, the wine became one of the first popular, non First Growth Bordeaux brands to sell in China and in other countries in Asia as well.
In part, their initial success in China had to do with the last word for the name of the chateau, Lacoste. The name Lacoste gave a memorable nickname to Grand Puy Lacoste, which was soon called the alligator wine in China, due to the name being the same as the famous sports clothing designer, with the crocodile logo.
The wine of Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste has not always been consistent. But clearly, in some vintages, like 1982 and 1990, the wine can be as good as the Super Seconds. However, the estate has really been on a roll starting with the 2000 vintage. 2009, followed by an even better 2010 Grand Puy Lacoste are really great wines. In fact, those 2 years could be the two best vintages ever produced at Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste!
If you ever get the chance to visit this beautiful property do not miss the stunning gardens, a lake with swans, and greenery behind the house. And be sure to ask about the 2 full-sized, plastic cows near the lake.