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Wine Description
The Story
The name of Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of the vineyards selected in 1855 by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce, to figure in its famous classification.
This classification only recognized the well established reputation of the properties it listed, and because the first half century before listing were not the best times at Grand-Puy-Lacoste, it “failed” to make a noteworthy impression in terms of prices and reputation, achieving only a lowly 5th Growth classification. The reputation of Grand-Puy-Lacoste has improved a lot since then and today the quality and prices of Grand-Puy-Lacoste can often easily compare with 2nd Growth.
The origin of the property is very old, since its first mention in official documents appears at the beginning of the 15th century. The estate extends over 225 acres in a single unit to the south of Pauillac, on a rise, which is the origin of its name "Grand-Puy". Monsieur Lacoste gave his name to the Château when he bought the property and kept it until the epidemic of phylloxera at the end of the 19th century.
However Grand-Puy-Lacoste´s was built by Monsieur Raymond Dupin, a legendary figure in the Medoc wine world and president of the “Union of Médoc Classified Growths”, who bought Gran-Puy-Lacoste in 1932 and was the proprietor until 1978. He sold half of the estate’s shares to Jean-Eugène Borie, who took over the responsibility for the wine production.
Nowadays, François-Xavier Borie manages Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. He renewed the cellars of the château just before producing the great vintage of 1982.
There are currently around 110 acres of vine producing approximately15.000 cases on a soil planted with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are picked always by hand and the wines are matured in oak barrels for 14 to 18 months.
Wine Information
Among Pauillac's wines, Grand-Puy-Lacoste is considered "a great classic”, capable of aligning its consistent character with the spirit of each vintage. Wines are the expression of their terroir, their climate and their grapes, but they also carry the mark of those who made it. So while showing the utmost respect for the gifts of nature, François-Xavier Borie will proudly refer to Grand-Puy-Lacoste's "signature”, which is clearly evident in vertical tastings.
The wines have a beautiful, deep color, the aromas are very pure and complex, subtle and refined. Depending on the vintage, one's first impression may be of ripe fruit or flowers, often toasted notes, spice and vanilla... With time it develops a remarkably full, rich character.
In the mouth one is struck by its elegant individuality from the very first impression through the last moments of a finish which affords continual and subtly changing pleasure. The flavors support and amplify its aromatic sensations with a notably large range of fruit, particularly cassis which develops with age. The wines are well-built, with a powerful tannic structure which never loses its silky smoothness.
The fourth dimension of Grand-Puy-Lacoste is time. By nature a wine for long ageing, it needs between eight and ten years to reveal its full potential, bringing power and harmony together. Each vintage fully develops after a period corresponding to its profile. "Patience is rewarded with complex aromas of dried fruit, Havana tobacco and cedar wood, smooth tannins and an exceptionally long aromatic finish” Markus del Monego, world's best sommelier in 1998.
Date of harvest:15th to 29th of September 2011
Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon - 22% Merlot
Tasting notes
Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2011 owes its structure and style, yet again, to a significant majority of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) which reflects the richness and potential of our terroir. Its color is a deep and intense red. The bouquet releases the typical aromas of black fruits and blackcurrant with added spices. The attack on the palate is pronounced, showing a structure that is both elegant and balanced. All together the wine allies finesse, freshness and persistence. We find this wine very much in the idiom of the fine vintages of Grand-Puy-Lacoste where elegance aligns with tannins which are both ripe and suave.
Total vineyard surface: 90 hectares around the Château
Vineyard surface under production: 55 hectares in one block around the Château
Average age of the vines: 38 years old
Soil - Terroir: Very deep coarse gravel
Vineyard grape varieties: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon - 20% Merlot - 5% Cabernet Franc
Density of planting:10 000 vines/hectares
Rootstock:Riparia gloire & 101.14
Growing of the vines:Mechanical ploughing of the soil Viticulture practices: Spraying kept to the absolute effective minimum
Harvest:Exclusively hand picked
Grape sorting:Two successive selections before and after the de-stemming process
Vinification:A long period of maceration (about 3 weeks)
Ageing:In French oak barrels (75% new barrels each vintage) for between 16 to 18 months depending on the vintage.
Owner:M. François-Xavier BORIE
Vintage 2011
The 2011 vintage is not easy to handle.
Smith Haut Lafitte not only makes great white and red wine from Bordeaux in Pessac Léognan, they are also at the cutting edge of technology. They were one of the first Bordeaux wine producers to begin using optical sorting, which came in handy with the difficult 2011 Bordeaux harvest. Fabien Teitgen, long-time general manager, joined us for a long detailed conversation about what happened at Smith Haut Lafitte for the 2011 Bordeaux vintage.
“In my opinion, 2011 is balanced with a low pH and a medium alcohol level. So for those who picked at the right time, their wines will be balanced, with good concentration and good freshness. This vintage is not so easy to handle. »
Château Cos d’Estournel, Saint-Estèphe, began its 2011 Bordeaux harvest on Monday, September 5.
Jean Guillaume Prats told us that 2011 set a modern record for an early start to their harvest at Château Cos d’Estournel. He added: “It was the second earliest harvest on record. To find an earlier date, we had to go back to 1893! » Although the precise date to begin picking was not set in stone, the original plan was not to begin their Bordeaux harvest on September 5. But due to a ferocious storm that swept through the region, the massive 2011 Bordeaux storm hit the northern Médoc, any hope of waiting has gone out the window. “We had initially planned to start around September 9, with the young vines. After the storm, we gave ourselves time over the weekend to assess the situation and make the appropriate decision: wait and see how it will evolve in the coming days depending on the weather. We are “lucky” that this vintage is extremely early. The damage in terms of phenolic maturity of the grapes should be very minor. If it was a later year, like 2008, 2009 or 2010, the effects would be much worse.
" said Prats
The day starts before sunrise
Château Haut Brion and Château La Mission Haut Brion began harvesting their young Merlot vines on August 29. It’s early for the First Growth domain. To give you an idea of when Haut Brion started picking its young Merlot vines in 2010, September 8. In this vintage, the harvest continued until October 9.
Between the two properties of Pessac Léognan, with red and white grapes to pick, they have a busy schedule. Harvesters begin their day working on the grapes for their Bordeaux white wine, often starting their day before sunrise.
Jean-Philippe Delmas explains why they harvest early in the morning: “The goal of picking white grapes early in the morning is to ensure that the fruit stays fresh. This helps the berries retain their unique, fresh flavors. This year, we picked our white grapes between 7 a.m. and noon. The reason is that at this time of the day, the skin is dry. There is nothing left of the dew of the night. »
Château Lafite Rothschild began harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon from their northernmost plots, located not far from Château Cos d’Estournel, on Friday September 2. 2011. This is one of the first harvests recorded for the property. You will read quotes from many Bordeaux wine producers that 2011 Bordeaux, for many châteaux, will be their earliest harvest on record since 1893! However, producers located in certain districts of Bordeaux have brought forward their harvest calendars even earlier than expected.
Due to the enormous deluge and rain in the northern Médoc, centered near the border of Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, to avoid possible rot problems, many châteaux in this vicinity decided to start picking sooner than they had originally planned. The most notable property is the famous Premier Cru, Château Lafite Rothschild. It is possible that the storm, which dropped half an inch of massive rain in a twenty-minute period, caused flooding in Lafite Rothschild's cellars.
“With our 2011 harvest, we harvested earlier because the cultivation of the vines was earlier than usual, due to the very hot spring. But the ripening weather conditions in summer were cool and cool, so the wine is of a cooler style than a late vintage. The pleasant weather conditions at the end of August and September were very good for phenolic maturity.” Fabien Teitgen from Château Smith Haut Lafitte.
Bordeaux 2011 /The earliest harvest recorded since 1893
