Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2020

A tightly coiled Pauillac, with a blitz of iron and savory notes wrapped around a core of cassis, damson plum and black cherry. Sleek and tightly focused, with the iron note leaving a mouthwatering echo. Plenty tight through the finish, so patience is required. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2042. 10,000 cases made.

Milk chocolate, blackcurrants, some cinnamon, floral spice notes, cedar, a touch of liquorice. Smooth and supple, lovely energy and vibrancy here, really quite high-toned and focused, with lovely precision to the details — the tannins are firm, slightly coarse and grainy but do a great job of giving structure in the mouth — they provide the frame while the flavor and acidity do the talking. I like the combination of fruit, texture, and acidity; it feels serious while maintaining energy, focus, and drive. Lovely lightness of touch, it flows along the palate. I also love the red-fruit aspects — strawberry, red cherry — bright, searing, really so joyful here, with acidity that lasts and lasts. There’s a lovely crunch and bite to the tannins overall and a lovely fresh ending. Long, wide, open, generous, and friendly. Finessed and refined. A true signature here, where they don’t push too hard — not too heavy on the extraction.

The 2020 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is every bit as captivating from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and explosive to the core, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy and nuance right out of the gate. Bright acids run through a core of ripe red plum fruit, blood orange, cedar and pipe tobacco. The 2020 is an absolute stunner.

Cassis, cigar box, dried flowers, spice, herbs and blackberries crowd the perfume. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated and rich. There is a lushness to the fruit, along with soft, polished tannins that suit both the wine and the vintage perfectly. Length, purity, complexity and a seemingly endless, creamy finish cap it all off. This is the finest vintage ever produced at Grand Puy Lacoste. Fans of the estate and of Pauillac should be all over this wine. Drink from 2026–2060.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, DELICATE rim brightening. Delicately tobacco, some shy fruit, hints of plums, floral nuances, restrained bouquet. Medium complexity, red cherries, freshly structured, discreet tannins, mineral, DELICATEly leafy on the finish, still remains a bit short; it’s only a matter of time for this wine to gain volume.

Delicate bouquet, red cherry, blackcurrant drops and rosemary, with light tobacco and graphite in the background. On the elegant palate, silky texture, wonderful extract richness, balanced verve and medium body. In the focused, finely aromatic finish, red berries, straightforward, so fine and feminine. Scores with a long aftertaste.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: concentrated, profound, elegant, dark bouquet—black cassis, blackberry jelly, cedar, plums, tobacco, currants. Dense, multi-layered, elegant palate with dense, dark, velvety fruit, plenty of fine tannins, an elegant, creamy, finely muscular structure, diverse dark aromatics, and a long, dense, fresh finish.

Concentrated, profound, elegant, dark bouquet: black cassis, blackberry jelly, cedar, plum, tobacco, currants. Dense, multi-layered, elegant palate with dark, velvety fruit, plenty of fine tannins, an elegant, creamy, finely muscular structure, complex dark aromatics, long, dense, fresh finish. 19/20 2026 - 2050

The 2020 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a deep garnet-purple color. It bounds from the glass with eager-to-please notes of crushed black plums, wild blueberries, and warm cassis, plus touches of violets, licorice, and wild sage. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant with crunchy black fruits and a grainy texture, finishing on a mineral note.

93-94

The cru is consistently high-level and the 2020 is superb, embodying Pauillac classicism in the best sense of the term. The palate is straight, unadorned, with great definition and fruit carried by tannins of exemplary precision. Everything is in place to yield a great bottle in 10 years.

An evocative nose of purple, embroidered with gold, rich and finely woven. On the palate, the wine melts generously. One finds the famous, noble restraint of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, with an extra touch of luxury in this 2020 vintage

Highly diligent, GPL 2020 reveals itself with meticulous care, showing an evident flair for detail and precision. It aims to get everything right—and succeeds admirably. Dense and creamy on the attack, the wine is supported by slightly suave, fine-grained tannins. These are ideally backed by the acidic structure, which gives character and highlights the aromatic expression on the finish. Precise, powerful, linear, and persistent, GPL affirms its place among the elite of Pauillac!

Its character is above all juicy. The vintage has been well handled, as the exuberant fruit of 2020 is there, but you also find an elegant tannic framework that will enable ageing, and a fine texture that quickly brings a pleasant smoothness. On top of that, notable length. One to watch closely.