Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse 5ème Cru Classé de Pauillac 2018

94 points Wine Enthusiast

From a 19th-century winery that’s a prominent landmark on the Pauillac riverfront, this wine is dense with tannins and vivid with black fruits. The estate’s three parcels have given a rich wine, concentrated and dense while also having layers of dark fruits. Drink this promising wine from 2026.

93 points Wine Advocate

The 2018 Grand-Puy-Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color and has quite a lot of cedar/oak on the nose to begin, opening out to a core of warm black and red currants, stewed plums and mulberries with touches of pencil shavings, fried herbs, lavender and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the palate gives a firm, grainy frame with some chew from the oak and fresh, crunchy red and black fruit, finishing savory.

93 points Wine Spectator

Very alluring, with a dark and winey core of cassis, steeped plum and blackberry preserve waiting to unfold fully while fine-grained alder, black tea, warm cast iron and licorice root notes form a prodigious frame. Long, dark, smoldering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2038.

94 points James Suckling

Dried currants, stewed blackberries, praline, dried herbs and pencil lead on the nose. Raw cocoa, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, ultra fine tannins. Structured with excellent intensity and focus. Very polished. Try from 2025.