Grand Puy Lacoste, wine of Pauillac

The history of Château Grand Puy Lacoste

Château Grand Puy Lacoste has belonged to the Borie family since 1978. This castle was maintained by François-Xavier Borie. This castle has never been in the hands of a large group or other, it is a family property.
This 90-hectare chateau, 58 of which are planted, located in Pauillac, is classified as the 5th Grand Cru in the official classification of Bordeaux wines in 1855. Two wines are produced there: Grand Puy Lacoste and Lacoste Borie.
In 1978, Jean-Eugène Borie, an enthusiast of the vineyard and of the Médoc, acquired Château Grand Puy Lacoste.
As a result, he decided to leave all decisions to his son François-Xavier Borie. This one realizes progressively the renovation of the castle and the technical installations. He is currently working with his daughter.

The Borie family is linked to a long-standing know-how of wine. Eugène and Emile Borie are at the origin of this demanding family.
It is while being in the Bordeaux region, that they have the idea to create a wine trade in the 19th century. They decided to travel in order to create and follow their clientele while their wives took care of the management of the castle.

In 1886, they decided to rent cellars in Pauillac, which allowed them to specialize in shipping to markets in northern France and Belgium. This is a competitive advantage because at that time the Bordeaux merchants are interested in the British market. This advantage will allow them to gain reputation and also prosperity.

In 1901, they decided to build their own wineries and raise their wines themselves in order to guarantee a high level of quality.
And to go even further, they decided to acquire the Château Caronne Sainte-Gemme, located southwest of Saint-Julien.

In 1911, when Eugene died, his sons, Francis and Marcel, decided to create together the company “Borie Frères”. This will be interrupted because of the 1st world war. After the war, the two brothers came back more determined than ever and chose to acquire Chateau Batailley, which is also a Pauillac 5th Growth.
However, in 1939, Francis and Marcel decided to create their own company and to divide the Château Batailley in two. Francis’ became Haut-Batailley, which today belongs to his daughter Françoise.

Finally, in 1941, Francis bought the Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. Passionate about this estate, Francis devoted himself entirely to it. With this château, which is a second Grand Cru Classé of 1855, he integrates his son in the management of the château. In 1978, the Château Grand Puy Lacoste was entrusted to François-Xavier, Francis’ grandson. His mission will be to turn on the lights of this castle.

This is how he and his wife, Marie-Hélène, undertook the renovation of the château and the winery, communicating their vision of art and quality.
Three generations of Borie have lived in this castle.

Grand Puy Lacoste vineyard, Pauillac: from vine to wine

Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste in Pauillac has many assets: quality of the soil, favorable climate, know-how and high standards. Its soil is composed of gravel which allows an excellent drainage of water. The soil layers consist of gravel, sand and clay. The fact of having a gravelly soil represents an advantage to keep the heat, but also to facilitate the ripening of the grapes.
The climate of Château Grand Puy Lacoste is oceanic. The grapes are harvested by hand and put into crates by hand to guarantee the best quality of the grapes.
Grand Puy Lacoste has 43 thermoregulated tanks. The wine is kept for about 3 weeks during the vatting period. After this step, the wine is put in barrels and placed in the aging cellar. The duration of the breeding is on average from sixteen to eighteen months.

Wine pairing and structure of Grand Puy Lacoste

The grape variety of the Château Grand Puy Lacoste wine is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. It is the Cabernet Sauvignon that provides the backbone of Grand Puy Lacoste wines. Finally, the second wine of the château, Lacoste Borie, is made of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Grand Puy Lacoste has an intense dark red color. The structure is well balanced, a bouquet of complex fruit aromas accompanied by notes of very ripe cassis. We also find the spice and the violet.
The tannins are elegant and charming, combining finesse and freshness.
For Lacoste Borie, it is a garnet color with ruby reflections. A bouquet fed by a wide range of ripe fruits and spices.
The tannins are round and the mouth is generous. There are several vintages to taste such as 1929, 1975, 1982, 1990, 2005 and 2009. The average shelf life is 15 to 35 years. To keep this wine well, it is ideal to store it in an aging wine cabinet between 12 and 14 degrees and in a wine cellar: 10 to 13 degrees and a humidity level between 70 and 75%.

Concerning the food and wine pairing, we advise you to accompany these wines with charcuterie as a starter, red meat or poultry as a main course and an assortment of hard cheeses for dessert or a fig tart.