Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2003

An atypically superficial effort from one of my favorite Pauillacs, the 2003 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is very good, but it does not stand up to some of the finest northern Medoc offerings. A deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a moderately intense bouquet of black currants and underbrush. It hits the palate with good fruit and medium body, but tails off in the finish. It is an elegant, lighter-styled example of this generally high-class performer. It can be consumed over the next 10-12 years.

Blackberry and licorice aromas, with full body, very fine tannins and a long finish. Very silky. So much for jammy wines in 2003. Very fresh and refined. Best after 2008. 15,555 cases made.

Very ripe and intense on the nose with a stewed strawberry and cherry character. Full bodied, with a very jammy palate but so much fruit going on here. Ripe fruit dominates this. Pull the cork after 2013. Find the wine

Lots of evolution at the rim. Lift and raciness. Thick and sweet and just a tad heavy – and certainly oddly sweet! (Average group score: 15.5) (JR)

Good red-ruby color. Very ripe aromas of redcurrant and smoke. Dense and sweet but a tad rustic, with flavors of roasted dark fruits, chocolate and menthol. Offers a smooth texture, ripe acidity and sneaky length, but could use more precision of flavor and thrust.

Light in style, character and density, this is more than fully mature. Tasters should drink up before its remaining cassis, earth and tobacco essence fades away.

Deep garnet with ruby highlights. Ripe bouquet of red and blue berries, a peppery note and hints of truffle. On the palate, very racy, with lively astringency, well-supporting tannins and a long, powerful finish. Despite its overall very good quality, the GPL does not quite keep pace with comparable wines.

04: Dark garnet with ruby highlights. A ripe bouquet of red and blue berries, followed by a peppery note and truffle. On the palate, it shows plenty of pedigree, lively astringency, well-supporting tannins, and a long, powerful finish. Despite its fundamentally very good quality, it doesn’t quite keep up with comparable wines. (17/20££). 17: Dark purple. Creamy bouquet, wild strawberries, lactic notes, mocha yogurt. The palate is generous on the outside, more demanding at its core; the flow shows slightly grainy tannins. Somehow, one wishes for a bit more balance. (17/20). That was the impression at the tasting. The next day we drank the rest of this double magnum with sausages. After 24 hours of air contact, it had developed further in a positive way. Score now: 18/20!

Sweet, opulent, closed bouquet with blue berries, toasted notes, caramel, toasted notes. Velvety, sweet, creamy, powerful palate with good tannins, intense aromas, a dense structure, and a full, opulent finish. 18/20 drink by 2030.

The deep gravel soils that you find at Grand Puy Lacoste are not ideal for a vintage as hot and dry as 2003, and you do feel the impact of drier fruits, with fig and prune evident along with more generous blackberry and raspberry. Still has a fresh feel on the finish with fennel, eucalyptus and autumnal leaf aromatics. This is gentle and appealing, softer than many vintages but still with personality and hold. Harvest October 15 to 26, 70% new oak.

Medium to deep garnet-brick colored, the 2003 Grand-Puy-Lacoste delivers notes of dried mulberries, fruitcake, and sandalwood, plus suggestions of cigar box and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate has ample fruit on the mid-palate with plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with impressive length.

Evolved colour. Intense nose with ripe, smooth fruit. A hint of orange peel. Southern character. Supple, fruity and pleasant on the palate, but with a simple finish and a slightly dry edge. Drink soon. Blend: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc.