2021 Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse

Deep ruby/purple-hued, the 2021 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot that spent 18 months in just 30% new oak. It's an outstanding effort that has the more medium-bodied, firmer style of the vintage as well as solid red and black fruits supported by cedary herbs, graphite, and tobacco that develop with time in the glass. I like its mid-palate depth, it has beautiful purity and enough tannins to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age, and it should evolve gracefully over the following decade.

The 2021 Grand Puy Ducasse is armed with the blackberry and tobacco notes observed out of barrel, though now there is a welcome seaweed/estuarine note that comes through quite strongly. The palate is well-balanced with crisp acidity, quite sharp—a little angular in fact, with that potent marine influence toward the sapid finish. It just needs to gel together, and it may do with time in bottle, hence the plus-sign.

The 2021 Grand-Puy Ducasse turned out well. Dark red cherry, scorched earth, plum, leather, tobacco and dried herbs stain the palate with intensity. This is an especially savory vintage for Grand-Puy Ducasse. The 2021 is marked by strong Cabernet Sauvignon savoriness and firm tannins that need to soften. Tasted two times.