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Grand Puy Lacoste 2012

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

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Tasting Notes

Always a favorite among consumers, Xavier Borie’s is a fifth-growth Pauillac that consistently performs at a much higher level. The 2012 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has the classic, tell-tale crème de cassis as well as some bluer fruits and floral notes. Medium-bodied, its ripe tannin, beautiful fruit and low acidity give it an up-front appeal. There’s no harm in drinking it now or cellaring it for another 12-15+ years. Drink: 2015-2030.

91
Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (218), April 2015

Tasted en primeur at the château. The Grand Puy Lacoste 2012 is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot picked between 3rd and 16th October at 36hl/ha and matured in 75% new oak. The aromatics are reticent at first, demand coaxing from the glass. It reluctantly offers blackberry, small dark cherries and a fragrant seaweed scent. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins that appear fully ripe. There is a very attractive symmetry to this wine, wonderful focus with a fresh, refined finish that is not powerful like the 2009 or 2010, but offers a pleasant salty tang. This is a well crafted wine for the vintage. Tasted April 2013.

92/94
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, May 2013

This is very muscular with blackcurrant, blueberry and mineral character. Full and tight now but this shows a serious backbone of tannins and length. Try in 2018.

93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2015

Stands out in the lineup, violet-ringed in colour (where many have softened to a gentle ruby at this point). A kick of cloves and ripped blackberry fruits on the aromatics, studded with violet flowers. Less depth through the mid palate that you find in Grand Puy Lacoste in the biggest years, but there are still muscular tannins and grip, and a sense of pushing forwards towards pleasure. Plenty of Pauillac signature, one to recommend and can begun to be opened from now. Harvest October 3 to 16, 75% new oak for ageing.

93
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, March 2022

Well-built, with a charcoal frame that melds nicely with steeped
currant, blackberry paste and dark plum fruit flavors. The long finish
has a graphite underpinning. Best from 2018 through 2030.

93
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Insider, January 2015

GPL is one of those châteaux that delights its followers year after year without ever getting
the recognition it deserves from American critics. This is typical of the style, with the
emphasis on grace and balance, chiseled acidity, medium-weight tannins, pure cassis fruit
and a nuanced, sweet finish.
Drink: 2020-35

94
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2013
Read more tasting notes...

Aromas of tobacco leaf, roasted herbs and red and black currants cascade from the glass of this medium-bodied, restrained, down-sized 2012 Grand Puy Lacoste. Displaying a dark ruby/purple color and no herbaceousness, this lighter-styled wine is somewhat reminiscent of the 1999 and 2001. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.

87/89
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (206), April 2013

Extremely well done for the vintage with a serious depth of fruit and firm, silky tannins. Creamy texture and a mineral, dark fruit character

92/93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2013
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.