2015 Lacoste-Borie Pauillac

2015 Lacoste-Borie Pauillac

2015 Lacoste-Borie Pauillac If Xavier Borie’s wonderful Grand Puy Lacoste doesn’t offer enough value for money, then Lacoste Borie, the highly impressive second wine of this high flying 5th growth Chateau should do the trick! Produced from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc it is very much a little GPL with its beautifully Cabernet scented bouquet of lilacs, cassis and minerals. The palate is crunchy and black fruited with hints of juicy damsons. There is definitely greater precision to the fruit and the tannins are more refined than normal. This should be an excellent value for money Pauillac.

This is a very enjoyable wine. There’s subtle and welcoming grilled oak on the nose with smooth brambly fruits and acidity that is present but balanced. The tannins are well integrated with touches of menthol on the finish and a certain restraint that give clues to the appellation. It definitely works as an entry point to the main Grand-Puy-Lacoste bottling. Drinking Window 2020 – 2034

Pauillac

The leader on the Left Bank in number of first growth classified producers within its boundaries, Pauillac has more than any of the other appellations, at three of the five. Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild border St. Estephe on its northern end and Chateau Latour is at Pauillac’s southern end, bordering St. Julien.

While the first growths are certainly some of the better producers of the Left Bank, today they often compete with some of the “lower ranked” producers (second, third, fourth, fifth growth) in quality and value. The Left Bank of Bordeaux subscribes to an arguably outdated method of classification that goes back to 1855. The finest chateaux in that year were judged on the basis of reputation and trading price; changes in rank since then have been miniscule at best. Today producers such as Chateau Pontet-Canet, Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste, Chateau Lynch-Bages, among others (all fifth growth) offer some of the most outstanding wines in all of Bordeaux.

Defining characteristics of fine wines from Pauillac (i.e. Cabernet-based Bordeaux Blends) include inky and juicy blackcurrant, cedar or cigar box and plush or chalky tannins.