Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse Pauillac 2018 750ml

The purity of the fruit is simply striking, while the explosive energy in the glass is a thing of beauty. Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse will be fascinating to see where 2018 goes, but there is little question that this style towards more elegance driven by Technical Director Anne Le Naour and consulting oenologist Hubert de Bouärd is hugely appealing. 2018 is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot.

The 2018 Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color and has quite a lot of cedar/oak on the nose to begin, opening out to a core of warm black and red currants, stewed plums and mulberries with touches of pencil shavings, fried herbs, lavender and tapenade.

Medium to full-bodied, the palate gives a firm, grainy frame with some chew from the oak and fresh, crunchy red and black fruit, finishing savory.

Lovely, featuring a beautiful beam of pure cassis, lined with iron, savory and tobacco notes. The long finish really glistens. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 10,000 cases made.

Lovely, featuring a beautiful beam of pure cassis, lined with iron, savory and tobacco notes. The long finish really glistens. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Inky purple with black core. Fragrant black fruit. You can smell small, fresh, wild black berries over and above the sweet spice of the oak. On the palate the oak is much more dominant and seems to flatten the fruit. Tannins are layered, compact and dense. A bit flat on the finish but all to play for.