After the good back-to-back vintages of 1995/1996, it’s been mainly chirping crickets on this producer (I’ve yet to taste my 2000s). Even in the 80’s, aside from the superb 1982, I don’t recall this producer making much of a splash. This 1978, however, was as good as any nicely-aged, old school Bordeaux I’ve had, that’s short of being a blockbuster. Expressive Pauillac bouquet, alluring tertiary characters, and truly enjoyable from first to last pour over the 2-hour dinner at a good French-Canadian bistro in Brooklyn. A-
I had one of these a couple of months ago and I think you’ve nailed it. Really lovely wine and precisely what one hopes for in an aged bdx. Thanks for the note!
I loved this wine at Les San Culottes at the Pauillac night Arv and Ian organized in the summer of 2006. It was quite cheap at auction for a while after then too, a real gem. Thanks for the update, Ramon.
So, very good-to-great GPLs? My list:
1978 (not had any pre-78)
1982
1990
1995
1996
2000
2005 (? Really loved it on release, been less wowed since)
I had a bottle in 2010 which I thought was good, not great. Glad you had a solid bottle.
I really love the '96. '95 is quite good as well. Every time I’ve had the '05 I thought it was awesome, though haven’t opened a bottle since 2011.
Here’s my note from the '45. I can still remember how good this was and it was on a night of many great wines
1945 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (7/23/2011) GPL vertical with '96 Pauillacs (Scenic Loop Cafe, San Antonio, TX)): Top shoulder fill. Cork came out in 1 piece, soaked to the top. Immediately decanted and poured. This was everything that you could want from a 65yo bdx. Very dark in the glass with some bricking. Nose was flamboyant and expressive, with strong notes of caramel, pepper, tobacco, and cigar box. This was a nose you could spend hours analyzing. The palate did not disappoint, coating the mouth with a soft initial attack showing layers of complex tertiary flavors—leather, spice, caramel, dried fruit. No primary fruit flavors and surprisingly very tannic with a chunky quality that reminded me of ’75 or ’86(not GPL specifically). Finishes with good length, adding mint to the leather and dried fruit flavors. This stood up well in the decanter for over an hour, adding depth, and the bottle finished before it ever started to fade. One of my top wine experiences ever. My score reflects the complete experience and enjoyment rather than an objective measure of quality, though this was clearly a great wine and great bottle. Hard to imagine this was drinkable when released given the hard tannins. (96 pts.)
had the '62 GPL in magnum at a restaurant in Paris (Chez Josephine before their cellar was burgled) a few years ago, (first decade of this century) and it was also “very good to great,” at least.
