Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (5ème Cru Pauillac) 18+

(80 Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 Merlot) 13.2% alcohol. Yields were down 15% at 31 hl/ha.

More exotic on the nose than expected in this vintage and initially beautifully velvety on the palate. The tannins are strict but not out of balance - this is a wine which will age well. There is clever balance here and the wine is finely tuned. Just the right amount of press wine has been added (10%) after very careful assessment of the stock. The feeling was that the more structured elements must be chosen to suit the character of the vintage. This careful addition has broadened the flavour without adding any of the harshness or sour notes of many of the other wines. This is a terrific, lighter-styled GPL with all of their own classic hallmarks and a really clean finish. A masterful piece of winemaking in a very difficult vintage hence the big score.

http://www.matthewjukes.com - 25 Avril 2015