Château Lacoste Borie 2019
Lacoste-Borie 2019 is the second wine of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, the fifth Grand Cru Classé of Pauillac in 1855 and one of the most consistent signatures of Médoc. Located in the heart of the Pauillac appellation, the estate benefits from deep gravelly terroir, naturally draining, particularly favorable to Cabernet Sauvignon. The property, managed by the Borie family, embodies a classic Bordeaux style, precise and without excess, where structure never takes precedence over elegance. Lacoste-Borie captures the spirit of the grand vin, but in a more accessible, softer, and more immediately open expression. It allows discovering the identity of Grand-Puy-Lacoste with more available fruit and a less imposing tannic framework. The 2019 vintage, very successful in Bordeaux, offers here a beautiful maturity, with a remarkable balance between density, freshness, and finesse. It is a serious Pauillac, faithful to its origin, but already pleasant to approach after a few years in bottle.
The Lacoste-Borie 2019 cuvée is based on a blend mainly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by Merlot and a touch of Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon provides the backbone of the wine, its notes of blackcurrant, its uprightness, and that graphite dimension typical of the great terroirs of Pauillac. Merlot rounds out the mouth, giving velvety texture and making the whole more accessible in its youth. Cabernet Franc adds a floral, spicy, and slightly fresh nuance that refines the aromatic profile. Manual harvesting and double sorting ensure only perfectly healthy and ripe grapes are selected. The long maceration of about three weeks builds a serious material, without caricatural extraction. Aging in French oak barrels, with a notable proportion of new wood, brings structure, finely toasted notes, and a structure capable of evolving harmoniously.
In the glass, Lacoste-Borie 2019 reveals a deep, dark, and shiny robe, characteristic of a Pauillac of fine maturity. The nose opens on blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, and plum, accompanied by notes of cedar, blond tobacco, graphite, and soft spices. The mouth is ample, upright, and well-defined, with a supple attack then a more assertive Médoc structure in the mid-palate. The tannins are present but polished by aging and bottle evolution, making the wine already pleasant while leaving it true potential. The finish retains a beautiful freshness, with notes of black fruits, noble wood, and a slightly smoky touch. This Pauillac will ideally accompany a grilled ribeye, a rack of lamb, duck breast, veal chop with mushrooms, or a matured cheese. It can be drunk now after decanting but will gain complexity over the coming years.
Grape varieties: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc
