2018 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Community Tasting Notes (10) Avg Score: 92 points

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  9/3/2023 - Cailles wrote: 91 Points

  Bordeaux 2018 - 5 Years On - 7 Reds: Time to check in on some top 2018s, and the initial observations were all confirmed: A) This is obviously the ripest, sweetest Bordeaux vintage in the last decade. While only one wine (Cos d'Estournel, 88pts) was overripe and overdone, two others (Calon Segur - 94pts, Grand Puy Lacoste - 91pts) are not for purists and are quite sweet - at least this young. B) Despite the ripeness, the wines are generally very balanced and harmonious, not as extracted or thick as many 2009/2010s. C) The structural frames are of high quality with ultra-fine tannins and good acid backbones. However, with so many other great vintages produced in recent years, this is not the vintage to chase - especially for purists. The group winner was the highly elegant, seductive yet aristocratic Pichon Lalande (rated 95pts), just ahead of my WOTN, the floral, perfumed, airy Canon (96pts).
  
  TN: Tasted double blind. Expressive ripe fruit nose, very ripe. Same on the palate with lots of glycerin and ripe red fruit notes, strawberries, with some herbs and graphite to complement. Overall a bit too sweet. With all that sugar, sweetness and red fruit I guessed this to be a right bank Merlot – without knowing the theme of the evening I would have guessed this to be a Napa Cab. Fine structure and good freshness. This is a crowd pleaser but has a bit of a hole mid palate and overall not the depth to get to a higher rating. I guess this might shed some of its sweetness and baby fat with another decade in the cellar which might help. 91pts today.
  
  Decanting: Not decanted, no extensive decanting necessary.

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  6/19/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 Points

  Part of a small Bordeaux 2018 5-years on tasting. The wines were partially served single-blind. Main observations: 1/ the vintage pairs concentration and ripeness with weightless and elegant structures. 2/ tannins are generally finely grained and well-integrated. 3/ Extraction levels managed well with only 1 instance of heat and no overripe fruit. 4/ Best bottles were Canon and Pichon Longueville.
  
  Tasting note:
  Broader earthy base notes, mixed array of red, blue and dark berries, barnyard and elements of sweet spice. A fresh palate with plenty of acidity and finely grained tannin. This was not as harmonious as others, but did leave you with the feeling of more potential to come. A strong GLP, on a par with 2000.

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  5/25/2023 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 92 Points

  78% Cabernet Sauvignon
  22% Merlot
  
  Dense, near opaque appearance.
  
  Dense nose with a sense of depth and breadth, clearly ripe but has a cool frame with perhaps a touch of mint to the Cab. An impression of creamy fruit and low-key salinity, blue-black fruits, a hint of fig or something… ripe and mellow.
  
  Full side of medium-bodied, plenty of volume and lovely acidity. There is some heat and a pleasing austerity to the tannins, even a little green but overall ripe. Surprisingly supple, juicy and showing some toast on the finish, this is strangely classic with a great stony vein.

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  3/16/2022 - Tudz Drkl Likes this wine:

  Floral with dark fruits. Round silty tannins and a lifted profile. Very good.

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  9/26/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 94 Points

  Tasted twice, over several days. As per my go-to routine for sampling such young BDX, ~1/2 bottle was Coravin-decanted into a 16oz amber bottle ~4h before sampling on day 1. I followed up on it again ~24h later. Tasted alongside Gruaud Larose, Langoa Barton and Malescot St Exupery, this was one of the standouts in this solid lineup. Complex nose showing typical Pauillac aromas of pencil lead and cassis, along with jammy berries, wet leaves and minerals. Chewy, full-bodied, with a firmly tannic finish even on day 2. Black currant, saddle leather and graphite; slightly green and vegetal, but in a rustic old-school way that I very much enjoy. This barely budged over 30+ hrs, and took a lot of air and coaxing to show its potential. No doubt it will outlive me.

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