Château Grand Puy Ducasse 2023 Pauillac 5e Grand Cru Classé

Jeb Dunnuck
(93-95+)/100 punten
The 2023 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is concentrated and inward, with a dense bouquet of smoky black fruit, iron, leafy tobacco, and lead pencil. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that has beautiful overall balance, ripe yet certainly building tannins, ample background oak, and a great finish. I love its overall balance, as well as its purity, but this brilliant Pauillac is going to be for those with a touch of patience. I suspect a solid 7-8 years should put it in the early stages of its drinking window, and it should have at least three decades of overall longevity.

Antonio Galloni (Vinous)
(93-95)/100 punten
The 2023 Grand-Puy Ducasse is fabulous. In fact, the 2023 is one of the best recent vintages I have tasted here. A wine of grandeur and sweeping intensity, this Grand-Puy Ducasse is seriously impressive. Silky tannins enshroud a huge core of dark fruit. Hints of graphite, dried flowers, mint and spice appear later, adding shades of complexity. It’s a magnificent effort by the team lead by Technical Director Anne La Naour.

Neal Martin (Vinous)
(92-94)/100 punten
The 2023 Grand-Puy Ducasse has one of the most impressive bouquets encountered from this estate in a number of years: blackberry, cedar and light floral notes, with a hint of pencil shavings in the background. This is Pauillac through and through, with newfound conviction. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, and a touch of dark chocolate and black pepper. There’s much more body and grip compared to previous vintages. Excellent. This may surpass their 2022.

James Suckling
(93-94)/100 punten
Creamy and round tannins that are tight and polished, with a juicy character. Blackcurrant, chocolate and spice. Medium body. Chewy and polished.

Jane Anson
93/100 punten
Inky plum colour, loaded up with Left Bank cassis and inky black fruits, crayon and liqourice root, balanced and sappy, but not giving too much away at the same time. A sign that this is becoming an estate to watch in Pauillac, got to be one of the values of the vintage. Benjamin Cassoulet is the technical director from 2021.

The Wine Cellar Inside
(92-94)/100 punten
Espresso, mint, incense, flowers, currants, and licorice form the core the wine. On the palate, the fruits are fresh, chewy, and energetic, with a brightness to the finish, that's made even more refreshing with its sprig of mint. This should age for at least 2 decades with ease. Drink from 2029-2050.

Falstaff
92/100 punten
Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening on the edge. Delicately floral, blackberries, black cherries, subtle herbal savouriness. Medium body, red cherries, subtle tannins, good freshness, mineral finish, offers uncomplicated drinking pleasure.

Lise Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent)
(90-92)/100 punten
The 2023 Grand-Puy Ducasse has a deep garnet-purple color. The nose opens with cedar and pencil lead notes, before giving way to a core of fresh blackberries, Bing cherries, and raspberries, plus an undercurrent of dried Provence herbs. The medium-bodied palate delivers a good amount of savory-laced black berry flavors, with lightly chewy tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing on a woody note.