Racy expression of a legendary terroir, the Château Grand-Puy Ducasse 2024, 5th Grand Cru Classé of Pauillac, reveals itself in a contemporary reading where precision, freshness and depth combine with subtlety. Sourced from a patchwork of emblematic plots in the heart of the appellation, close to the estuary, this wine unfolds an architecture worthy of a classic Left Bank. The 2024 vintage, offered en primeur, announces a straight, vibrant style destined to evolve. Here, the noble frame of Cabernet Sauvignon is married to the fleshy texture of Merlot, delivering a chiselled palate with fine spices, carried by a savoury finish that stretches out naturally. Hand-harvested, committed to Haute Valeur Environnementale, carefully aged in barrels, every detail contributes to signing a characterful Pauillac, ready to stand the test of time and to light up chosen moments.

Assemblage et vinification

La signature de Grand-Puy Ducasse s’articule autour d’un duo emblématique, Cabernet Sauvignon majoritaire et Merlot en contrepoint, pour un équilibre entre droiture et ampleur. Les raisins, récoltés à la main, sont triés avec exigence afin de préserver l’intégrité du fruit et l’identité du terroir. Les extractions sont conduites avec mesure, dans l’esprit d’une vinification qui recherche l’épure plutôt que l’esbroufe, afin d’exprimer une matière précise, tendue par une acidité salutaire. L’élevage s’effectue en barriques de chêne français, avec une part de bois neuf, sur une durée généralement d’environ 18 mois pour les primeurs récents, afin d’affiner le grain, polir les tanins et conférer au vin une dimension supplémentaire sans jamais dominer le caractère de Pauillac. L’engagement HVE depuis 2017 témoigne d’une attention durable portée à la vigne et au vivant, gage d’équilibres aromatiques limpides et d’une expression fidèle du millésime.

Notes de dégustation

• Appearance : Deep, shimmering shades with youthful highlights suggesting good concentration. Clarity and brightness point to precise material and a balanced structure, imbued with Bordeaux classicism.
• Nose : Subtle bouquet, initially restrained, that opens with aeration to aromas of ripe black fruit, blond tobacco, cedar, bay leaf, discreet graphite and a hint of sweet spices. Complexity unfolds in layers, promising harmonious development over the years.
• Palate : Clean, upright attack, juicy mid-palate framed by fine, polished tannins. The balance of power and freshness is clear, supported by a savoury length. The noble, persistent finish prolongs sensations of sap and gunflint, the distinguished signature of a Pauillac made for ageing.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve this Grand Cru at 16 to 18°C in large glasses to release its aromatic complexity and highlight its length. Gentle aeration, or careful decanting when young, will reveal the fruit and soften the tannic profile. Store bottles on their side, protected from vibration and temperature fluctuations, to preserve the wine's integrity during bottle ageing. The 2024 vintage, offered en primeur, will gain depth over the years and will express itself more easily after some seasons in the cellar, revealing a more nuanced bouquet and an increasingly silky texture.

Food pairings

• Aperitifs : delicate charcuterie, thin slices of dried beef, gougères with Comté, black tapenade toasts.
• Starters : game terrine, perfect egg with mushrooms, warm salad of confit gizzards, puff pastry pie with root vegetables.
• Main courses : roasted rib of beef, duckling lacquered with mild spices, braised beef cheek, milk-fed lamb stew, gratin Dauphinois, reduced jus.
• Cheeses : aged Comté, extra-old mimolette, sheep's tomme, farmhouse Saint-Nectaire, served at temperature.
• Desserts : measured pairing with a lightly sweet dessert, such as a pear poached in bitter cocoa or a low-sugar chocolate entremet.

Occasions to enjoy

Château Grand-Puy Ducasse 2024 accompanies with majesty the moments when the table becomes a theatre of flavours and conversation.

• To honour a gastronomic dinner centred on a fine cut of meat.
• At the heart of a collector’s cellar favouring characterful Bordeaux for ageing.
• As an exceptional gift to celebrate a milestone with panache.

Characteristics

• Name : Château Grand-Puy Ducasse 2024
• Appellation : Pauillac AOC
• Type : Red wine, 5th Grand Cru Classé 1855
• Vintage : 2024, offered en primeur
• Grape varieties : Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
• Alcohol : estimated at 13% vol
• Ageing : planned ageing in oak barrels with a proportion of new wood, typically around 18 months
• Bottle size : 75 cl
• Cellaring : long, improves over several years
• Serving temperature : 16–18°C