Camille Braun, Pinot Gris Bollenberg 2022

The 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is fabulous, just as it was from barrel. Strong Cabernet inflections soar out of the glass, giving the wine a compelling aromatic profile laced with the essence of graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark fruit. One of the most classic (for lack of a better word) wines in the Left Bank in 2018, Grand-Puy-Lacoste is super-impressive right out of the gate. Grand-Puy-Lacoste is ultimately a wine of tremendous class that remains restrained and aristocratic in breeding.

When tasted, Lilian Ladouys always reveals a rich and crisp structure with ripe tannins and refined oak which melts into an explosion of fruit. It has the opulence and length of a Saint-Estèphe fine wine. Thanks to the appellation’s limestone-clay subsoils, its power is balanced out by a wonderful sensation of freshness. Our top wine is matured for an average of 14 months in our superb barrel store (40-60% new oak depending on the vintage). Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot make up the majority of the blend, with the proportions varying from one year to the next. They are supplemented by Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The estate’s wines go into gravity-fed vats and undergo vinification with a partially gravity-based system, which is more sensitive to the integrity and subtleties of the grapes and the wine.

Situated on seven hectares in a plot which borders the south entrance of St Emilion, the 2017 is a blend of 80 percent Merlot and 20 percent Cabernet Franc. It has attractive aromatics of red fruit, blueberry, crème de cassis and a suave, bright texture. A long, persistent finish.