Grand Puy Lacoste

History of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste traces its origins to the 16th century when the Guiraud family established its first vine plantations on the lands of Pauillac. By the 18th century, the estate was already distinguished for the quality of its wines. In 1855, during the famous classification commissioned by Napoleon III, Grand-Puy-Lacoste was classified as a Fifth Growth, a distinction that confirmed its already well-established reputation.

Throughout the centuries, several families succeeded each other at the helm of the estate, each contributing to its legacy. The Lacoste family gave its name to the château after François Lacoste acquired the estate, to whom we also owe the construction of the magnificent château that can be admired today.

The Dupin family, who took possession of the estate in 1932, is also significant in the history of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Raymond Dupin, a colourful personality, managed to maintain the estate's prestige for several decades before selling the Château in 1978 to the Borie family, who already owned Château Ducru-Beaucaillou.

Since this acquisition, the Borie family, led by François-Xavier Borie, has engaged in a complete modernisation of the estate, both in terms of vines and facilities. Thanks to these constant investments and the expertise passed down from generation to generation, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste continues to produce wines that wonderfully embody the greatness of the Pauillac appellation.

The 2005, 1982, 1949 and 2019 vintages of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste were rated 96/100 by Robert Parker, confirming the quality and longevity of this great Pauillac.

Terroirs and Vines of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste benefits from an exceptional terroir on the left bank, typical of the Médoc, composed of deep gravel. This gravelly soil, rich in alluvial pebbles, ensures excellent water drainage while retaining the sun's heat, which it releases to the vines during the night. This process helps reduce temperature variations and promotes homogeneous ripening of the grapes, essential for producing wines of great finesse.

The estate's 55 hectares of vines are mainly planted on gravelly ridges, a particular relief that characterises the Pauillac terroir. This type of soil is particularly favourable to the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, which is predominant on the estate, representing about 75% of the grape varieties. This late-ripening variety, well-adapted to local conditions, benefits from the heat stored by the gravel to reach perfect maturity. Merlot (20%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) complete the grape varieties, bringing complexity and roundness to the blends.

The vines, with an average age of 40 years, are cultivated with particular care. The planting density is high, with 10,000 vines per hectare, which forces each vine to root deeply into the soil to thrive. This deep work results in the production of concentrated grapes, balanced between sugar and acidity, offering structured wines built for long ageing.

Vinification at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Vinification at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is based on a clever blend of tradition and modernity. François-Xavier Borie has installed temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, allowing precise control of grape fermentation. These vats of varying sizes, adapted to the different plots of the estate, allow each lot to be vinified separately to preserve the identity of each terroir.

Malolactic fermentation, a process that softens the wines by transforming malic acid into lactic acid, takes place in these vats. After fermentation, the wines are aged in French oak barrels, of which about 75% are new each year. This crucial stage, which lasts between 16 and 18 months depending on the vintage, allows the wine to refine and develop complex aromas while integrating the subtle tannins of the wood.

The care taken at each stage of vinification reflects the Borie family's commitment to producing wines of the highest quality that faithfully express the unique terroir of Pauillac.

The Cuvées of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

The estate's principal wine, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, is a classic Pauillac wine, renowned for its solid structure, complex aromas and great ageing potential. Composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon, it presents typical notes of black fruits, cedar and spices, supported by powerful but well-integrated tannins. As it ages, this wine develops more subtle aromas of undergrowth, leather and truffle, making each tasting a unique experience. In great vintages, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste can age for several decades, gaining in harmony and depth.

Lacoste-Borie

The estate's second wine, Lacoste-Borie, comes from the Château's young vines. Although more accessible than its elder sibling, Lacoste-Borie remains a high-quality wine, marked by the same attention to detail in its production. It is made with a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives it an elegant tannic structure and a beautiful freshness. Lacoste-Borie is a seductive wine, both supple and fruity, which can be enjoyed younger, while offering excellent ageing potential. It constitutes a perfect introduction to Pauillac wines for enthusiasts looking for a high-quality wine at a more affordable price.

Pauillac, one of the most prestigious appellations in the Médoc, ranks among the great Bordeaux wines, with remarkable vintages that have made history. Among the finest vintages are those from 1975, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1990, renowned for their complexity and longevity. The years 1995, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2005 also stand out for their richness and power. More recently, the vintages 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 have confirmed Pauillac's exceptional potential, offering wines that are both elegant and powerful, perfect for long-term cellaring.

The Fifth Classified Growths offer a beautiful diversity of properties in the Médoc, testifying to Bordeaux's winemaking expertise. In Pauillac, one finds renowned estates such as Château d'Armailhac, Château Batailley, Château Clerc Milon, Château Croizet-Bages, Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Château Haut-Bages Libéral, Château Haut-Batailley, Château Lynch-Bages, Château Lynch-Moussas, Château Pedesclaux, and Château Pontet-Canet. In the Haut-Médoc, Château Camensac and Château Cantemerle stand out with their own characteristics. In Margaux, Château Dauzac and Château du Tertre bring a touch of elegance, while Château Cos Labory from Saint-Estèphe completes this prestigious selection. Each of these estates reflects a unique facet of the Bordeaux terroir.

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste perfectly embodies the excellence of the Grands Crus of the Médoc. For centuries, this family estate has striven to produce refined, elegant and powerful wines that fully express the richness of their exceptional terroir. Thanks to judicious grape selection, precise vinification methods and constant care given to the vines, the wines of Grand-Puy-Lacoste have become essential references in the Pauillac appellation.