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There’s something about Pauillac that just commands attention. Maybe it’s the deep gravel soils that have shaped some of Bordeaux’s most legendary wines. Maybe it’s the precision of winemakers who know that great things take time. Or maybe it’s just the magic of this Left Bank appellation, where Cabernet Sauvignon thrives and history runs deep.

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is no newcomer to this scene. This estate has been part of Pauillac’s story since at least the 16th century, but it truly made its mark in 1855, earning its classification as a Fifth Growth. Over the years, it has passed through only a few hands—most notably, the Borie family, who took the reins in 1978 and never looked back. Under the careful guidance of François-Xavier Borie, the château has been thoughtfully modernized while staying true to its roots. Today, it’s a name that serious Bordeaux lovers hold in high regard.

The 2022 vintage is a perfect example of what makes Grand-Puy-Lacoste special. The vineyard, with its deep gravelly slopes, produced fruit of exceptional ripeness thanks to a growing season that was both challenging and rewarding. Warm days and cool nights led to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes that were bursting with concentration and elegance.

Everything at this estate is done with precision. The grapes are picked by hand, sorted twice to ensure only the best make the cut, and then vinified with a long maceration period to extract maximum depth and complexity. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels—75% new—adding structure and layers of refinement.

The result? A wine that captures the essence of Pauillac in every sip. Dark, polished, and beautifully balanced, it opens with notes of violets and spice before unfolding into a rich tapestry of ripe blueberries, graphite, and fine tannins. It’s fresh yet powerful, elegant yet intense—a true reflection of its terroir and the craftsmanship behind it.

For those who appreciate Bordeaux at its best, the 2022 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a vintage worth savoring. Whether you’re adding it to your collection or planning a special dinner around it, this is a wine that will only get better with time.

2022 was an oustanding vintage for the Lef Bank Bordeaux. Wine Spectator gave it a 95 point review and said: "A new paradigm for Bordeaux. Reds have fleshy fruit, with fresh and pure aromas. More consistent than the 2018–’20 trio."

Aging: aged for 16 to 18 months in 75% new French oak barrels.

79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot. The 2022 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste presents a deep, intense crimson red color. The nose is a harmonious blend of floral violets, spicy notes, and ripe blueberry fruits, with a refreshing hint of graphite. On the palate, the wine delivers a smooth, dense attack that evolves into a balanced, fresh mouthfeel. It showcases richness, complexity, and elegance, with a long, refined finish supported by soft, yet powerful tannins.

The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say, the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential. ~98 Vinous Media

A very structured and rich red with blackberry and chocolate. Full-bodied with a solid core of fine tannins and a fresh and muscular finish. Dusty texture. Yet it remains bright and vivid. 3.55 pH. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot. ~97 James Suckling

Gorgeous vibrant purple colour in the glass, deep and darkly scented, black bramble fruits, flowers, cinnamon, dark chocolate and liquorice. Firm and forward, this is generous but sleek, so you get power and concentration but also juicy liveliness, great tension and energy. I really do like the ease of this, it's not trying too hard but delivered with poise, punch and purity. An excellent wine that really over delivers - so well presented, detailed, finessed and refined but still with the strength coming at the end in the wave of liquorice, dark chocolate and wet stone terroir markers. A brilliant wine with potential to deliver such excellent drinking pleasure. I love it. 3.57pH. A yield of 38hl/ha. 60% grand vin, 40% second wine. Eric Boissenot consultant. Harvest 7-23 September. Yield of 38hl/ha. Ageing in French oak, 75% new. ~96 Decanter

This version shows the floral side of the vintage, with a vibrant mix of iris, violet and rose petal notes leading the way, backed by a core of pure and racy red and black currant preserves. There's a well-integrated singed cedar note running along its flanks and a long beam of iron driving the finish. Textbook. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. ~96 Wine Spectator

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a brilliant classic in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets, and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to a full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that exhibits beautiful structural refinement and purity of fruit. Classy and integrated, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day and less forbiddingly structured version of this estate's brilliant 1982. ~95 WA