Hell with the tariffs, and merci again by the way, for the Statue of Liberty!

It really don’t matter if you’re a Francophile, a Francophobe, or roam anywhere in between. There is NO DENYING that the world owes the notion of “vins fins” or fine wines to them. That’s why we piled up on some ‘extreme’ gems, rarities at unbelievable prices, ranging from irresistible to collectible, for day 12 of Next Gen Launch Party Cellar Stocker deals.

So, Vive la France it is.

AND ONCE AGAIN the Store is stocked to the brim - with CULT French gems for today and today only. Until they are gone-gone, and that they too shall be. So, you’re a Rhône fan? We got you covered north to south. Into Burgundy? 1er AND Grand Cru galore. Bordeaux too, including our first-ever 1st Growth, a 500-pointer (what???) nonetheless, at the best price in the world. As they say, oh là là!

And to lead the day, let’s hand the mic over to Robert Parker the King of Bordeaux, with a tasting note of his from back in 1994: “A fragrant nose of cedar, blackcurrants, and woodsy, truffle-like aromas. Gorgeously opulent and full-bodied, it is a super-concentrated, velvety-textured, fully mature wine.”

The 1949 Grand-Puy-Lacoste that is.

That’s the kind of property we are looking at today, and not much has changed really, since the initial plantings of Grand-Puy-Lacoste in the – gulp – 1500s!

Fast forward to the 21st century, when Neal Martin of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate reports from a dinner at the Château, “Xavier Borie’s wines showed brilliantly that evening, in particular one of the best 1990 Pauillac’s money can buy and yet another gorgeous 1985, the fleshiness and voluptuousness of the vintage counterbalancing the austerity with aplomb. Wines like Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 1985 beg the question: why buy a First Growth?”

Especially with perfect provenance access direct from the Château, and the best deal you can find on this anywhere, guaranteed.

The 2009 vintage is as mythical in a modern-day perspective, as Robert Parker wrote in his “Once Upon a Time (1899, 1929, 1949, 1959, 2009)” report “First, and most importantly, for some Médocs and Graves, 2009 may turn out to be the finest vintage I have tasted in 32 years of covering Bordeaux…”

Big words indeed, yet the truth is in the bottle. We were flabbergasted by the way this wine drinks today, just floored by its sheer youthful energy, sublime texture, and astounding balance. It’s what great Bordeaux should be all about. Just L@@K at those consistently big scores!!!

Wish there were more…

96 Points – Decanter

“A full 80% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend of 2009, giving it an unmistakably Pauillac character in terms of its dense tannins, and its pencil lead, slate character. Power and finesse abound, with a pulse of electricity and a softening from smoked oak on the finish. One of the best Grand-Puy-Lacostes delivered under owner François-Xavier Borie. Tasting utterly gorgeous right now. Still young at 11 years old, as you would hope from a classified Pauillac.”

96 Points – Tim Atkin MW

“A very impressive Pauillac that won’t require you taking out a second mortgage to buy a case, this is deeply coloured and profound. Big and boldly structured, but not over-done. Very Cabernet in style, with lovely richness and concentration, fresh acidity and polished tannins. The decision to use less Merlot than usual is vindicated by what’s in the glass. 10+ years.”

95 Points – Robert Parker

“Performing better from bottle than it did from cask (and comparable to their wines 2005, 2000, 1990 and 1982), this is a great classic from Xavier Borie’s estate situated on the back roads west of the town of Pauillac. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by hints of spring flowers, crushed rocks, black currants, cedar and earth/underbrush. Precise and elegant as well as backward and foreboding, it should put on weight in the bottle and evolve for two decades. Very concentrated as well as velvety-textured, it is a beauty of finesse, balance, purity and nobility. It will benefit from 5-7 more years of bottle age. Drink 2019-2036.”

95 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“The 2009 Grand Puy Lacoste is one of the great vintages from this estate in the modern era. It storms from the glass with scents of blackberry, undergrowth, cedar and mint, retaining the classicism of GPL. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious with a gorgeous, lithe, graphite infused finish that lingers in the mouth. Bon vin. Tasted blind at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting. Drink 2022-2040.”

95 Points – James Suckling

“Complex and decadent. Blackberries and black currants, with fresh herbs on the nose. Tea too. Full body, with soft tannins and an earthy finish. Juicy wine. Turns to pure black currants. / Dark and delicately spicy this a very complete medium-full bodied 2009 that’s not a jot too ripe or too firm. Beautiful balance through the long polished finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)”