Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste 2014

JAMES SUCKLING: "This red shows lots of redcurrants and fresh flowers on the nose. It’s full-bodied with juicy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Needs three or four years to resolve some of the tannins. Beautiful cabernet character, but already a joy to taste."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "This is really outstanding in every way. The wine has generosity, with all its ripe, juicy, fruits, spice, tobacco, cassis and blackberry. The tannins are soft and smooth. There is structure and ample raw material to age, and complexity, meshed with character, from start to finish. It is going to be hard to find a better Pauillac for the money than Grand Puy Lacoste this year."

WEINWISSER: "82 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 % Merlot. 33 hl/ha. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicht in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Das Bouquet ist präzise, zeigte einen reifen, direkten Cabernetausdruck welcher fast parfümiert wirkt. Im zweiten Ansatz Cassis, Brombeerblüten, Veilchen und Edelhölzer, fast tänzerisch vom sehr eleganten Körper her. Im sehr eleganten Gaumen gibt er sich balanciert und saftig und setzt dabei auf Finessen, dabei wird seine Power in keiner Art und Weise geschmälert, die Adstringenz verbindet sich mit ganz feinen Muskeln, die Aromatik im langen Finale bleibt faszinierend im blaubeerigen Bereich. Genialer, hochwertiger Pauillac-Spass. Diesen Wein werde ich kaufen! Die Erklärung für die Qualität vom Jahrgang lieferte uns der Besitzer Jean François Borie beim Verkosten gleich selber mit: «Wir haben diesen 2014er Grand-Puy-Lacoste einfach nur begleitet. Er brauchte keine Hilfe!». Ich verkostete ihn einmal auf dem Weingut und noch einmal an der Union-des-Grand-Crus-Probe auf Lynch Moussas. Fast war ich geneigt die 19-Punkte-Karte zu zücken."

FALSTAFF: FALSTAFF:"Komplex und pur in den Aromen: Blaubeerkonfitüre, Sandelholz, auch Minze und Kräuter, mazerationsfruchtig. Karamell und Holz. Floral. Druckvoller Gaumen, homogen präsente Gerbstofffracht, fein- bis mittelkörnig, nervig und mineralisch begleitet. Saftiger und cremiger, blätteraromatisch begleiteter Abklang. Korrekte Reife des Leseguts, keine Hoch- oder Überreife."

WINE SPECTATOR: "A sleek, graphite-fueled version, with ample cassis and black cherry fruit racing along, picking up light tobacco, anise and bramble notes along the way. The fruit is vivid, presenting pleasant coiled-up energy. Should age nicely. Best from 2020 through 2030. 10,000 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2014 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a much more approachable nose than usual, vibrant with red cherries, wild strawberry and cedar aromas, backed up with mineral-soaked blackberry fruit. This gathers momentum wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. The acidity is very well judged with purity and elegance on the finish, if not the structure or backbone commonly found is very top vintages. I've been a bit conservative with my score at the moment, but I am sure it will prove its worth with 3-5 more years in bottle, hence the plus sign. One to watch."

DECANTER: "All the clarity and depth expected of GPL, with an added level of fragrance, elegance and purity. Simply wonderful in this vintage. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035"

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Firm with dark tannins, this is a structured wine. It is still reticent, likely to take several more years to show its fruit. It is dense with the black-plum fruit behind the firm tannins. With all this concentration, expect this wine to need at least until 2024 before drinking."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Crimson. Well composed and confident – well-integrated. Lots of cassis here. Lifted finish and not too heavy though there is certainly depth here. Polished and racy. Lots of thought seems to have gone into this savoury wine, with acidity just the right side of too much."