CHATEAU GRAND-PUY DUCASSE 5eme Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Château Grand Puy Ducasse 2023 opens with an aristocratic Pauillac bouquet: blackcurrant, cassis and black cherry, pressed violet and graphite, with olive tapenade and cedar adding savoury depth. Gentle aeration reveals tobacco leaf, ironstone and a faint marine note. Medium–full-bodied, it offers a firm, structured arrival, bright acidity and compact, fine-grained tannins that provide backbone and precision. Concentrated dark fruit and plum are framed by black olive and a discreet liquorice thread; the mid-palate brings dark chocolate, toasted cedar and baking spice. A stony mineral seam and saline streak drive a long, focused finish. Oak is supportive and poised. Texture is focused and tactile. Drink now with decanting or cellar fifteen to twenty-five years. Serve at 16–18°C with roast beef.

ABOUT THIS WINE
Château Grand Puy Ducasse 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac 2023 opens with a reserved, aristocratic bouquet, classic Pauillac in profile, showing blackcurrant, cassis and black cherry, with pressed violet and graphite notes that give an immediate sense of authority. On closer inspection a savoury undercurrent appears, olive tapenade and cedar, with a hint of cigar ash and crushed bay leaf that add complexity. Gentle aeration reveals layers of tobacco leaf, ironstone and a faint marine note, reflecting the estate's gravelly soils.

The palate is medium to full bodied, with a firm, structured entry, bright natural acidity and compact, fine grained tannins that provide backbone and precision. Primary fruit is concentrated and pure, dark berry and plum framed by black olive and a discreet thread of liquorice. Mid palate development brings dark chocolate, toasted cedar and subtle baking spice from measured oak ageing, while a stony mineral seam and saline streak give forward momentum to the architecture. Oak influence is supportive rather than dominant, contributing vanilla and gentle toast that lift the core fruit.

Texture is focused and tactile, balancing tensile grip with a polished overlay, the mouthfeel serious rather than indulgent. As the wine opens it reveals savoury strata of leather, graphite and dried herb that play against a persistent, mineral driven finish. Secondary notes of truffle and undergrowth begin to emerge with time in glass, promising further complexity with age.

Drink now with generous decanting to reveal its layers, or cellar with confidence for fifteen to twenty five years to allow tertiary notes of forest floor, cured meat and cedar chest to knit with the fruit. Serve at 16 to 18°C with roast beef, hearty lamb dishes, venison or mature hard cheeses. Château Grand Puy Ducasse 2023 is a poised Pauillac, structured, meticulous and built for long term reward.

VINOUS 93-95 points
Drinking window: 2030 - 2048
The 2023 Grand-Puy Ducasse is fabulous. In fact, the 2023 is one of the best recent vintages I have tasted here. A wine of grandeur and sweeping intensity, this Grand-Puy Ducasse is seriously impressive. Silky tannins enshroud a huge core of dark fruit. Hints of graphite, dried flowers, mint and spice appear later, adding shades of complexity. It's a magnificent effort by the team led by Technical Director Anne Le Naour. Tasted two times. - Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: April 2024

JAMES SUCKLING **** 93-94 points
13 Apr, 2024 – Creamy and round tannins that are tight and polished, with a juicy character. Blackcurrant, chocolate and spice. Medium body. Chewy and polished.

DECANTER 91 points
Tasted by: Panos Kakaviatos (at Bordeaux, 18 Apr 2024)
Drinking Window: 2028 - 2043
Quite dark coloured wine with blackcurrant, plum and some tar aromas. A robust palate reflects Pauillac power, but I sense a bit of tannic austerity. Tasted on a second occasion, and it was better, but on both occasions, it lacked the mid palate depth of the top Pauillacs in this vintage, but there is enough of a vinous nature to the wine, so let's see how it turns out after barrel ageing (35% new).

JANCIS ROBINSON 16.5 points
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
Has a more edgy feel to the tannins. But there is good purity, allied to dark-berry and plum fruits. Grand-Puy Ducasse is certainly going in the right direction. Spice notes add complexity to the finish. (AWH)

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ABOUT CHATEAU GRAND-PUY DUCASSE
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, classified as a 5ème Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 ranking, is a respected Pauillac estate known for producing wines that combine Pauillac power with clarity and ageing potential. Located on the well drained gravelly soils that define the commune, the property benefits from optimal exposure and the maritime influence of the Gironde, conditions that favour Cabernet Sauvignon while allowing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to contribute aromatic depth and mid palate suppleness. The vineyards are managed with careful parcel attention, consideration for vine age and rootstock choice, and yield control to ensure concentration and a true expression of site, with sustainable practices increasingly guiding vineyard renewal and soil health.

In the winery, traditional technique is married to precise, modern practice, grapes undergoing thorough sorting before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where extraction is adapted to the character of each parcel to achieve balanced tannin and fruit expression. Ageing is carried out in French oak, a proportion of which is renewed each vintage to bring structure and subtle spice while preserving varietal purity and definition of fruit. The estate’s cellars and equipment reflect steady investment aimed at improving consistency and enabling the team to craft wines that will develop gracefully over time.

The Grand Vin of Grand Puy Ducasse typically offers a bouquet of blackcurrant and dark cherry, notes of cedar and spice, and a mineral thread that speaks to Pauillac terroir. On the palate the wine shows firm, fine tannins, concentrated fruit and a bright acidity that supports long term cellaring, revealing greater complexity and silkier texture with age. Second and reserve cuvées provide earlier access to the château’s style while reflecting the same emphasis on balance and typicity. Through careful stewardship and measured investment, Château Grand Puy Ducasse continues to represent Pauillac’s capacity to produce wines of structure, precision and lasting character.