Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2016

Appellation: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Classification: Cinquième Grand Cru Classé (1855)

Ownership: Borie family

Grape varieties: Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Vintage: 2016

Tasting

Colour: Deep, intense garnet red, brilliant.

Nose: Pure and complex. Dominated by ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry), with hints of cherry, fine spices, light tobacco and a graphite signature very typical of Pauillac. Perfectly integrated oak, with notes of cedar and subtle vanilla.

Palate: Full, silky attack. Exceptional tannic structure: dense, ripe, fine-grained and racy. Full, energetic mid-palate, combining power and freshness. Long, straightforward and persistent finish, marked by mineral and spicy notes that follow on from the black fruit.

Review

- Wine Advocate: 95+/100

- Vinous (Neal Martin): 95/100

- James Suckling: 96/100

Suggested pairings

Ideal with grilled or roasted red meats (entrecôte, rib of beef, fillet of beef en croûte), roast or braised lamb (leg of lamb, lamb mice), or duck (roast duck breast, confit). Excellent with game (venison, wild boar) or poultry with character (guinea fowl, duck with porcini mushrooms). It also goes very well with richly flavoured stews (daube provençale, bourguignon) and mature hard cheeses (Comté vieux, Parmesan) or blue-veined cheeses (Bleu d'Auvergne, Stilton).