1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a 125-acre estate in the Pauillac appellation. It is a Fifth Growth estate according to the 1855 Bordeaux classification. Several centuries ago this estate and Château Grand-Puy Ducasse were one estate, but in the 18th century part of the original estate was sold to Pierre Ducasse, and the remaining vineyards changed names as daughters of owners married. Today Grand-Puy-Lacoste is owned by the Jean-Eugene Borie family. The family has modernized the estate and its wines are now considered among the leading wines of Pauillac. The blend is usually 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. About 15,000 cases are produced a year.

Pauillac is Bordeaux’s most famous appellation, thanks to the fact that it is home to three of the region’s fabled first-growth châteaux, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild and Latour. Perched on the left bank of the Gironde River north of the city of Bordeaux, Pauillac is centered around the commune of Pauillac and includes about 3,000 acres of vineyards. The Bordeaux classification of 1855 named 18 classified growths, including the three above mentioned First Growths. Cabernet Sauvignon is the principal grape grown, followed by Merlot. The soil is mostly sandy gravel mixed with marl and iron. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “the textbook Pauillac would tend to have a rich, full-bodied texture, a distinctive bouquet of black currants, licorice and cedary scents, and excellent aging potential.”