Two bottles of the 2010 Grand Puy-Lacoste were opened, the first showing just a little oxidation. The second has an attractive minty bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit laced with subtle marine/seaweed notes, a touch of graphite developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive tension and wonderful freshness right from the start. There is a sense of coiled up energy here and the finish just leaves you breathless.

An absolutely magnificent wine from this very popular estate, which sits well off the Route du Vin, just to the southwest of the town of Pauillac, its classic creme de cassis and floral notes are well-displayed. The wine possesses supple tannin, a full body, voluptuous character and a layered, impressively textured mouthfeel. This is a brilliant effort from Grand Puy Lacoste that can be drunk in 4-5 years or cellared for three decades or more.
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013

(93-96 pts)
2010: The greatest Grand Puy Lacoste since the 2005, 2000 and 1990, the fabulous 2010 reveals all the hallmarks of this estate. It boasts a dense purple color along with classic notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, blackberries, crushed rocks and flowers, sweet tannin and an exceptionally full-bodied and multilayered mouthfeel as well as a boatload of tannin. Cellar it for a decade and drink it over the following three decades. Proprietor Xavier Borie's 2010 recalls the 2005.

Intense and closed off at first, full of espresso and bitter black chocolate. I have tasted this a few times over the past few years, and it is still not budging. There is plenty of loganberry and blackcurrant fruit here but it continues to be dominated by tannins, spiced turmeric, cloves and crushed rocks. Needs more time and you have to hope you catch it at the right moment - or really ensure a long carafe.

Intense hazelnuts and blackberries on the nose follow through to a full to medium body, with chocolate and berry flavors and firm tannins. Not giving away a lot at the finish at the moment. Reserved and sophisticated. But structured and chewy. Try in 2017.
-www.jamessuckling.com, 'Tasting Report: 2010 Bordeaux "More Great Vintage"', 3 Feb 2012

(95-96 pts)
Lovely aromas already, with currants and blackberries. Full body, with very fine, yet dense tannins and a rich finish. Reserved and sophisticated. Noble tannins.

Bright red-ruby. Vibrant aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, licorice and mocha, with mineral and sexy oak notes adding complexity. Intensely flavored and sharply focused, with a restrained sweetness and lovely purity to its dark fruit flavors. Very rich and deep but not jammy, this superb Pauillac's depth of fruit is partly hidden today by its serious tannic structure. Hardly austere but this will be much better for several years of aging and should go on for two or three decades.

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a little subdued to begin, opening out to reveal notes of black cherries, stewed plums and blackberry preserves with hints of bouquet garni, tapenade and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm, chewy texture and lively acidity, slightly over-shadowing the delicate, fading fruit, finishing on a stewed tea note.

This is dense but silky around the edges, with crushed plum and black currant fruit lined with roasted vanilla bean, tobacco and loam notes. Everything hangs solidly through the finish, lined with finely beaded acidity and leaving an echo of singed anise. JM

(65% GV, 13.5%) [83CS/17M] Dense, refined, black fruit and mineral nose; rich, elegant, beautifully proportioned middleweight claret with a supple to fresh acidity and very fine, gentle tannin; ripe in fruit, sweet, refined, mineral scented flowing, fleshy core flavour, supple, generous, understated class; long and subtle across the palate and with lovely, gently warm, gently spicy aromatic and mineral persistence. Not a hint of force or excess, graceful, complete, understated. The GPL group a wonderful beverage trio. 2017-35+ [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2011]

(83% cabernet sauvignon and 17% merlot; 13.6% alcohol) Saturated ruby. Very-ripe-verging-on-overripe nose dominated by strawberry liqueur, black fruits and faded flowers. Creamy and sweet but with very good acidity giving shape to the middle palate, this shows distinct hints of surmaturite to its sweet, creamy red and black fruit flavors. Finishes with mounting, slightly dry tannins, but there's so much fruit here that I'm confident that time in bottle will bring more volume and flesh.

Tasted blind. Second bottle: smudgy deep garnet. Savoury, lots of black fruit and a charry savoury quality. Cedary too. Cool, fresh and unexpectedly elegant on the palate, refined and flowing. Sober exterior, elegant interior. And only about one-fifth of the price of first growths. (JH)

83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot. 42 hl/ha. Deep, youthful colour. Dark fruit with a blackcurrant note and a bit of complexity and intrigue as well. Lovely texture with plentiful but refined tannins. Length and depth. Pauillac power but harmonious. Clearly built to age. (JL)

Restrained but fleshy palate. Enjoyable, but doesn't have the purity and definition of other Pauillac 2010s. (RH)