Château Grand-Puy Ducasse Pauillac 2019 - 5ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

This vintage is made from several plots spread throughout the appellation. One of these, located in the Grand Puy area, gave the wine its name and produces the most refined component of the blend, which has matured well under the guidance of the highly skilled Anne Le Naour. There is still room for improvement, which will be made possible by the imminent construction of a new fermentation tank, allowing for precise plot-by-plot selections and even more meticulous aging.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Built primarily in the 18th century by attorney Arnaud Ducasse, the estate took on its current name in 1932. The château, which overlooks the Gironde River, dates back to 1820. Three large plots of gravelly soil make up this 40-hectare vineyard, which has been owned by CA Grands Crus (part of the Crédit Agricole group) since 2004.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Like Meyney, Grand-Puy Ducasse is owned by a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole (CA Grands Crus). While we were somewhat disappointed by certain vintages from the early 2000s—which clearly fell short of the standard of a good cru classé—things are changing: the estate’s stated ambition is to produce a wine worthy of its status. Anne Le Naour, who manages the estate and oversees winemaking, is adding, bit by bit, the refinement that the wine often lacked. Since 2015, progress has been steady.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Barrel sample. From one of Pauillac’s lesser-known classified growths, this wine displays great structure as well as ripe blackcurrant fruit from the Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Its luscious fruitiness also shines through, hinting at a bright future.

Vinous

About the wine:

Grand-Puy Ducasse 2019 is class personified. Just as it was in the barrel, Grand-Puy Ducasse possesses tremendous freshness and energy, rather than the heavy, extract-driven style that was the norm just a few years ago. Readers will find a Pauillac with tremendous transparency and an abundance of pure class. The 2019 is wonderfully sophisticated in every way. I loved it. 2027–2044

James Suckling

About the wine:

Blackcurrant and walnut with subtle hints of berries and cherries. Full-bodied with chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. The linear, intense tannins run the length of the wine with intensity and persistence. Best enjoyed after 2026.

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

A subtle, predominantly floral profile—followed by notes of ripe blueberries and blackcurrants—lies beneath a sumptuous, velvety carmine hue. The rich, indulgent attack is quickly balanced by a tannic structure as grand as a cathedral, exuding freshness from start to finish. There are certainly plenty of tannins, but they are very fine-grained; the wine as a whole reflects remarkable mastery in both the harvest and the winemaking process.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

With each new vintage, Grand-Puy Ducasse gains in depth and in its ability to reveal subtle nuances. We are clearly in a phase of fine-tuning now; the bulk of the work is done, and it is the details that present the challenges to be overcome; the path has been laid out. The bouquet of the 2019 stands out for its finesse and complexity. It reveals multiple nuances of graphite, tea leaves, and licorice. These are followed by a hint of eucalyptus, quickly giving way to notes of blackcurrant. The wine is dense and features fine-grained tannins. This is precisely where there has been a major leap forward since 2016—in the finesse of the tannins. The wine combines freshness, power, and elegance. The profile of a great wine is taking shape and being confirmed. 2026–2044