2016 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2016
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
Cedar, tobacco leaf, blackberry, currants, leafy herbs, and underbrush aromatics open the wine. Interestingly, at the moment, the wine is better on the palate with its non-stop layers of concentrated, ripe, sweet, powerful fruits. There is a rustic purity to the fruits which linger and expand in the finish. This could be the finest vintage of Grand Puy Lacoste ever produced. This is a steal for a Pauillac Classified Growth of this quality! Drink from 2028-2060. 11,713 Views Tasted Jul 8, 2022Dewy and succulent cassis, smoke, tobacco, cedar wood and blackberry aromas pop up with just an easy swirl or two. Refined, polished, elegant with a medium-bodied personality, ending with loads of sweet, dark fruit. This vintage from GPL has the structure to age, coupled with the silky-mouth feel that its loyal tasters enjoy. From a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot, the harvest took place September 21 to October 5. 10,030 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019Another super effort here. The wine is spicy, long, fresh, character driven and concentrated. There is a depth of flavor, ripe tannins and all the tobacco, cedar and ripe red, juice filled fruits you need. The wine is firm, and joyous. 9,545 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2019Full-bodied, concentrated and loaded to the gills with its black fruits, cedar chest and tobacco nuances, the wine is powerful, refined and long. There is density that never feels heavy due to all the freshness and sweet fruits. This has the potential to be the best vintage of Grand Puy Lacoste produced yet. 9,176 Views Tasted May 13, 2018Dewy and succulent cassis, smoke, tobacco, cedar wood and blackberry aromas pop up with just an easy swirl or two. Refined, polished, elegant with a medium-bodied personality, ending with loads of sweet, dark fruit. This vintage from GPL has the structure to age, coupled with the silky-mouth feel that its loyal tasters enjoy. The wine was made from a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot. The harvest took place September 28 to October 13. 9,789 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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.