Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse is known for its aromatic complexity, fine structure and great potential for ageing. A fantastic example of the quality in Pauillac.
Dense ruby-purple in colour. The wine shows rich, expressive aromas, woven from the notes of blackcurrant and cherry, complemented by nuances of spice. On the palate it's powerful, clean and well structured, with good acidity, ripe tannins and a lovely long finish.
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse's story began when Arnaud Ducasse bought a “modest“ house
on the banks of the river in Pauillac in 1675. Little did he know that it would become a large
estate that would remain in his family for almost three centuries. Pierre Ducasse, a lawyer
with a passion for wine, considerably extended the land over three parishes - Pauillac,
Saint-Lambert and Saint-Sauveur - and three seigneuries: Lafite, Latour and Beychevelle. In
1820, his son built the Château's winery facing the Gironde estuary. At the time, this was a
daring decision: Grand-Puy Ducasse would be the only Château in the area to vinify its
grapes for 200 years. In 1855, the property was included in the prestigious classification of
great growths; with 40 hectares of vines spread over 11 different types of soil, its vineyard
can be considered as the most representative of the diversity of Pauillac's terroirs. Since
the 1990s, major investments have been made in restructuring the vineyard. In 2004, CA
Grands Crus, a subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole Group, has embarked on an ambitious
optimization plan. The subsequent construction of a new vat room and barrel storage
facilities completed the “Renaissance†plan. The guiding principle of Château Grand-Puy
Ducasse and its teams lead by Anne Le Naour and Benjamin Cassoulet is to push rigorous
standards even further.
The luxurious, rich wine of Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse fully expresses all the features of Pauillac terroir. Its production uses a blend of two grape varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon (49%) and Merlot (51%). Cabernet Sauvignon grows on sand and gravel soils, and Merlot - on clay. The average age of the vines is 33 years.
At the winery the grapes are sorted and destemmed, followed by a traditional vinification in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barriques, 40% of which are updated annually.
The wine goes well with meat dishes like braised beef ribs, as well as other gourmet cuisine such as duck with peaches or partridge with truffles.
95 Points - The Wine Enthusiast. 93 Points - Bettane & Desseauve.
