2015 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse

Château Grand-Puy Ducasse is unusual in Pauillac because its vineyard is not centred around a single château. Its 41 hectares were historically assembled across three major sectors of the appellation: northern parcels near Mouton, Lafite and Pontet-Canet, vines on the Bourdieu of Grand-Puy, and plots on the Saint-Lambert plateau in the south.

This distribution gives the estate access to several expressions of Pauillac’s gravel terroir. Garonne gravel mixed with silica provides the free drainage and stored warmth required by Cabernet Sauvignon, while sandier gravel is particularly suited to Merlot. The poor, stony soils encourage deep roots and produce the cassis, graphite, cedar and firm tannic structure associated with Pauillac.

Grand-Puy Ducasse was ranked a Fifth Growth in the Bordeaux Classification of 1855 by Napoleon III, under the historic name Artigues Arnaud. The classification is a permanent ranking of the estate within the Médoc hierarchy, not a score applied to the 2015 bottle. Fifth Growth therefore denotes historical classified status rather than a modest level of quality.

The 2015 is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The grapes were harvested by hand, sorted in the vineyard and again by optical sorting at the winery, then vinified in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. The wine was matured with 40% new French oak.

The growing season combined a dry summer with relieving rain before harvest, allowing the Cabernet Sauvignon to retain structure while reaching full maturity. The wine shows blackcurrant, cassis and cherry, followed by cedar, liquorice, violet. The palate is broad and firm, with ripe fruit, powerful tannins and a long, balanced finish.

Grand-Puy Ducasse 2015 is a clear expression of Pauillac’s gravel architecture: Cabernet-led, structured and aromatic, with enough Merlot to give the wine generosity through the centre of the palate.

Roast beef, lamb cutlets, slow-cooked beef cheek, duck cassoulet or other delicate preparations, cheese platters.

Serve: 16–18 °C
Drink: 2022–2040