Grand Puy Lacoste 2008

Unsmoked cigar tobacco intermixed with plums, red and black currants presented in an evolved style characterize this dark plum/garnet-colored effort. Medium-bodied, delicious and evolved, it is best consumed over the next 10-12 years.

Mid crimson. Very fresh - less dense than some. A hint of greenness. Light, transparent, and a bit sweet and simple. Not a huge success in 2008. Very light. And the sweetness is a little strange - and atypical.

The 2008 has a lovely, lifted bouquet of blackberry, blood orange, crushed stone, cedar and tar. It is much more vigorous than the previous bottle. The palate is medium-bodied is very supple on the entry with crisp acidity. Smooth and harmonious, the oak needing time to subsume into the fabric of the wine. The finish is fresh, vibrant, nicely poised with good grip and a fine, supple raspberry and briary.

Not a blockbuster such as the 2005 or 2000, the 2008 Grand Puy Lacoste is an elegant, deep ruby/purple-tinged, pretty Pauillac offering plenty of red and black currant fruit interwoven with touches of spice box and tobacco leaf characteristics. Fresh acidity, medium body, and a pleasant, long finish with excellent depth as well as ripeness suggest it will be a delicate, finesse styled offering to enjoy over the next 10-15 years

This has a lovely, far more expressive nose than I expected with black cherries, a touch of iodine and violets (redolent of the superlative 2006) with superb definition. Just a faint hint of oyster shells. The palate is full-bodied, fully ripe tannins, a little more rounded than usual but superb depth, a wine that really caresses the palate. Blackberry, a touch of briary and cedar with a dash of vanillary new oak towards the finish. Superb length. Up there with Pichon Lalande. This is a more feminine GPL compared to other vintages, but one imbued with great breeding. Excellent.