| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
While not at the level of the phenomenal 2005, Grand-Puy-Lacoste has produced another classic wine with the creme de cassis fruit that I often find in both Mouton Rothschild and Pontet-Canet, yet both of those vineyards are closer to the Gironde River. This wine has a pure personality, with the aforementioned classic creme de cassis notes, medium to full body, beautiful density, purity, texture, and length. If anything, this recalls a hypothetical blend of their brilliant 1995 and 1996. Tannins are elevated, so patience will be required. This was Xavier Borie's first vintage in his new state-of-the-art winemaking facility. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2027.
I raved about the 2006 Château Grand Puy-Lacoste when I tasted it from barrel ten years ago. It has evolved a really quite beautiful, very classic Pauillac bouquet with vivacious blackberry, raspberry and wild mint aromas that deftly absorb the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perhaps a more forward "GPL" than other vintages, but there is genuine fineness to the tannin and that backward finish has great precision. There is the substance to suggest that it will be a long-term Left Bank and you could probably broach it after another 3-4 years.
A clean young wine, with fine, silky tannins, good focused fruit and a medium-to-long finish. Caressing and refined.
Picking began relatively early, on 21 September. The terroir is warm and tends to ripen early. Xavier Borie likens it to 2000 and 2001. This is the final assemblage. They chose to include more press wine (11%) rather than to work too much on extraction, retaining the wine’s freshness.
No darker than Haut-Batailley. Thick and opulent on the nose. Very sweet and engaging, with lots of fine tannins - something reminiscent of port about this! The tannins are not at all green - very mouth-cleaning, This wine rinses the mouth. Really complete. Very gentle extraction. Much rounder tannins than most other similar wines. Totally charming. Not big but great balance and vivacity, Bravo!
Good dark red. Perfumed, ineffable aromas of currant, cherry skin, floral oils and incense. Then juicy and penetrating on the palate, with excellent concentration and thrust to the soil-inflected flavors of currant, minerals and iron. Very suave, pure wine with the structure to age.
The fragrance of violets covers the blackcurrant and bilberry. The mix of black fruits feels ripe and the roundness of the tannins gives flesh to the mid palate. A much needed backbone does come through towards the finish.
While not at the level of this estate’s blockbuster 2005, the 2006 exhibits a deep purple color as well as classic aromas of cassis and blueberries, ripe tannin, medium body, a distinctive minerality, and a long finish. It recalls the brilliant 1995 and 1996 made here. Fashioned from yields of 47 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Tasted blind at Southwold '06 Bordeaux tasting. One of those wines that sulks at being poured blind in this beauty pageant and yet with patience it begins to accept the situation. The bouquet is curmudgeonly at first, dense and introverted with traditional blackberry, wild hedgerow and pencil box aromas. Very fine definition and lift. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grippy tannins, superb concentration with a touch of black pepper sprinkled over the dense black fruits that take aeons to unfurl. This is a brilliant wine from Xavier Borie but like all great GPL's: think 20-years not five. Tasted January 2010.
Tasted at the château. The nose is rather subdued at first with blackberry, graphite and a touch of tar. Very tight. Further swirling reveals a touch of black coffee. The palate has good intensity of fruit, a certain coolness and reserve about it. Wonderful balance and definition, very pure, again a "no frills" Cabernet which is not problem because there is no need for any "extras" on this wine. Elegant slightly peppery finish. Reminds me a little of the 1996, but with a little more purity and expression. Sublime. Tasted April 2007.
Good red-ruby. Ripe, complex aromas of plum, minerals, cedar and nutty oak. Sweet, supple and deep, with classic Pauillac flavors of currant, plum, cedar and tobacco. Wonderfully suave and juicy wine that's not at all hard; in fact, this is filling out nicely. Finishes with subtle building length. A lovely showing.
