Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse 2020

JAMES SUCKLING: "A transparent and clear young Pauillac with blackcurrant, mushroom, chocolate, and wet earth. Full-bodied, layered and flavorful with fine, velvety tannins. Plenty of graphite and blue fruit at the end. Drink after 2027."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2020 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is a brilliant, powerful, age-worthy Pauillac that will reward bottle age. Blackcurrants, tobacco, cedar pencil, and chocolate are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a dense, mouth-filling texture, plenty of ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It's not the most elegant Pauillac out there, but it has quintessential aromatics, structure, and density, and is beautifully done, as well as incredibly satisfying. It will probably take a decade of bottle age to hit maturity, and it should have 30-40 years of overall longevity. Tasted three times."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, fester Kern, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart floral, ein Hauch von Lakritze und Cassis, zart tabakig, angenehme Edelholzwürze, frische Orangenzesten, facettenreiches Bukett. Saftig, süß und komplex, pfeffrige Würze, reife Kirschen, integrierte, tragende Tannine, feine Fruchtsüße auch im Abgang, zeigt Länge und gutes Reifepotenzial."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "One of the best vintages of Grand Puy Ducasse ever produced is packed with multiple-layers of ripe, fresh, creamy, salt-infused, blackberries, currants, spearmint, cigar box, cedar and lead pencil. There is volume, balance, freshness, length and a fruit-filled finish that holds your focus. This is a top vintage for Grand Puy Ducasse that will age for 2-3 decades. Drink from 2025-2050."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Flows wonderfully from the start, with an already accessible feel to the mix of cassis and dark blackberry notes inlaid with singed alder, warm paving stone, tobacco leaf and graphite accents that then carry the finish. In the end, there's no rush at all here. A pretty gorgeous Pauillac. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2038. Tasted twice, with consistent notes."

DECANTER: "Milk chocolate laced black fruits on the nose - smells deep and inviting. Smooth, round and full, clearly powerful and concentrated from the get go. The structure is quite tight, tannins are pronounced and grippy though plush not severe or edgy. They support the very ripe fruit - a sense of heat and high alcohol abounds but it manages to stay just the right side of too much giving a hefty wine with backbone, structure and lots of potential for ageing. Acidity is there underneath but you don't feel it so much above the ripe fruit and firm tannins. A massive and characterful wine here."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2020 Grand-Puy Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with notes of crushed rocks, tar, and black pepper, over a core of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, and raspberry leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is taut, muscular, and earthy, with a firm backbone of grainy tannins and great length."