The 2019 Grand Puy Lacoste has been uncorked and other ramblings....

[JimHow]

Long week in court, let's see if this Comte Flaneur kind of wine is any good.
I've enjoyed the 2014 and 2016 GPLs, I don't believe I've tried the 2018.
That 2019 Lynch the other night was really compelling.

[JimHow]

14.5% like the Lynch.
Dark ruby/purple, expressive bouquet right from the outset, seems to have promise.

[JimHow]

Patrick Dempsey is in town for the "Dempsey Challenge."
I never watched Grey's Anatomy but I guess he was quite a heartthrob.
He is from central Maine. His mother was treated for cancer here at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, he comes back to Lewiston every year for a half marathon or some such thing, he has donated millions to the Dempsey Center cancer wing at the hospital.
I met him once, he's a very nice guy.

[StBlGT]

I haven't tracked down the 2019 yet, but I do have 2014, 2015, and 2016. Jim, have you tried the 2015 yet? Just curious what your thoughts are if you did. Also, very interested in your thoughts on this 2019.

[JimHow]

Had a quick trip scheduled to Bordeaux in a couple weeks now I'm contemplating bowing out in light of the big blow up.
We've got visits at Branaire, Pavie Macquin, Tour St. Christophe, and Belfont Belcier among other places.

This GPL seems quite powerful, I'm wondering if the alcohol will integrate during dinner. It seems a little more present, at least at the outset, than was the case with the Lynch. My initial sips are positive though.

[JimHow]

I haven't tracked down the 2019 yet, but I do have 2014, 2015, and 2016. Jim, have you tried the 2015 yet? Just curious what your thoughts are if you did. Also, very interested in your thoughts on this 2019.

First impressions are positive, SB, I'll check back in on it with the grilled chicken legs.

[JimHow]

Ha I see over 12,000 views on the big BWE blow up, I guess people like gossip.
It's too bad, I didn't expect things to blow up like that.
I'm still pissed at what happened in NYC but certainly not pissed at Patrick and the rest of the guys.
I posted a longer explanation and sort-of apology earlier but took it down, I figured it wouldn't make anybody happy, including me.

[JimHow]

I was in a bad mood this week as it was, I lost an OUI trial (my first OUI trial loss ever in 38 years), the jury was out 3 hours before coming back with a Guilty verdict.
My client was 0.19 so that was problematic but we had stuff to work with, the video recordings of the field sobriety tests were quite exculpatory.

But my client was Black. I'm not blaming it on race, the jury seemed very thoughtful, but it is definitely tougher to defend a Black person than a white person. I just think we would have won if the guy was white. But, I can't complain. Certainly the blood alcohol level 2.5 times the legal limit was problematic.

[JimHow]

This is a very serious GPL, SB.
I have not had the 2015. I've been down on GPL over time but they really seem to have picked it up since 2014.

[StBlGT]

That is great news...very happy to hear this. I am going to try to track a few bottles down. I tend to like GPL, but I wouldn't call them a real "favorite", but I do enjoy this chateau.

[JimHow]

I'm gearing up for a big murder trial in Portland, jury selection is on November 13th and the trial is scheduled to start on November 28th and last 2-3 weeks. State of Maine v. Damion Butterfield, a 23 year old kid charged with Murder and Attempted Murder. He is a "would-be gangster" with tattoos all over his face. A very difficult case, the evidence is pretty compelling against him, but the state is looking for 65 years so we are going to go to trial. A little press snippet on a recent pretrial hearing:

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/08/14/ ... -evidence/

This GPL is a very serious wine, this just seems like a whole different style of winemaking from that period at GPL circa 1997-2012. as I understand it the daughter took over, I'm wondering if that's a factor.

[JimHow]

I think Ian was trying to get us into GPL during our trip there in a couple weeks, not sure if we ever heard back from them.
I'd be interested in visiting GPL.

[JimHow]

I'm really pleased with my experiences from 2014 to present. I'm going to have some more with cheese, but the alcohol is not present, it is delicious with the grilled chicken. I'll revisit with the cheese for dessert.

[JimHow]

As for the 2019 GPL:

The 2019 GPL joins the 2016 and 2014 GPLs as the best GPLs since 1996. This 2019 was beautiful: The 14.5% alcohol was of course a concern but after an initial appearance it integrated into a sassy (very) young Pauillac. It needs at least two maybe THREE blanquitos. the thing that is great about this wine: It is a PAUILLAC. It is a bit racy and alcoholic, but not overwhelmingly so, and in the end it is just a true to form Grand Puy Lacoste.... Extremely young, mind you. But very solidly put together. Love it. I'll buy more of this.

Rating: 95+ points.

[JimHow]

I really enjoyed this wine last night, I'm going to buy another 6 bottles. $73.95 at Saratoga Wines, $65.19 for a case on pre arrival. I thought it was a little hot at first but it really opened up into a lovely fresh velvety Pauillac with dinner. Mmmm, Pauillac in the new era. I like it.

[Nicklasss]

Thank for opening one for the (smaller?) group. I have 3 bottles and have high hopes with these.

When you write, it is PAUILLAC, i understand cassis, lead and kind of cedary?

[JimHow]

Indeed, Nicola, it satisfied my Pauillac cravings. Very impressed with it, you will like it.

[Dandersson]

Sounds great Jim, I will likely hold of another 4-5 years before I try it.
Best, Dan

[JimHow]

Indeed, Dan, that would be wise. I think this wine will age gracefully. I just ordered six more through Saratoga. At $73 that's a few dollars above what it is offered there and elsewhere on pre arrival, but I've been real pleased with the service I've gotten from them. I'll give these wines at least a blanquito, perhaps two.

[Dandersson]

Jim, you mentioned the greatness of GPL 14, 16, and now 19. How would you rate these three years against each other?

Best, Dan

[JimHow]

Boy that’s a good question, Dan, because I think they are all so representative of their respective vintages. I’ve said before that I think the 2014 vintage tends to coax the best out of these wines in a classically styled way, and I think that is especially true of the 2014 GPL, the first GPL I went back and bought in multiple quantities after trying it in two decades. Then there is the 2016, which of course I picked as the BWE wine of the year. It has the best of everything that 2016 has to offer, those just beautifully ripe tannins, the balance, the nose, the structure balanced by elegance. And then we have this 2019, which, like the 2019 Lynch I tried recently, is clearly a beautifully put together wine, pure, velvety, 14.5% but it doesn’t seem to intrude. Phil Bernstein at MacArthur’s told me and Nicola a few years ago that GPL was “finally realizing its terroir,” and I agree with him. I think the best thing about all three of these vintages is that they are “very Pauillac,” which, as we know, when it is on GPL can epitomize. I love all three vintages, I think I have (or have coming) six bottles of each which I’ll revisit over the next 15 years. The 2014s of course will be first to be ready, then the 2019s, and the 2016s will last a long time.