Barrel sample. This estate, whose chateau is in the main street of Pauillac, has produced a finely textured wine with rich tannins and a powerful structure. Its black-currant flavors are a fine layer of fruit and acidity.

Beautiful texture here. Tannins are dense and compact but finely polished and silky. Seamless and even with length and succulence. Medium- to full-bodied. Power with elegance. Endless for this. Finally the best ever.

The 2022 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is a gorgeous effort that might surpass the 2020 when all is said and done. Largely Cabernet Sauvignon (58%) yet with a solid dose of Merlot (40%) and a splash of Petit Verdot, this beauty exhibits a deep purple hue as well as powerful aromatics of blackcurrants, spicy oak, freshly sharpened lead pencils, and a chalky sense of minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this broad, layered, beautifully textured, and concentrated Pauillac has building tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's not, however, for the instant gratification crowd and needs to be forgotten for 5-7 years, if not a decade. It should see its 30th birthday in fine form.

The 2022 Grand Puy Ducasse is bold, punchy and explosive. Dark-toned fruit, chocolate, licorice and espresso are some of the notes that build as the 2022 shows off its notable depth and structure. This imposing Pauillac needs time to come around, but it is full of potential.

The 2022 Grand-Puy-Ducasse exhibits aromas of cassis, tobacco leaf violets and new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate with a sweet core of fruit, ripe acids and chalky structuring tannins that assert themselves on the finish. This is a solid but somewhat rustic effort.