Grand-Puy Ducasse is a Fifth Growth Pauillac with a quirk: unlike almost every other classified estate, its chateau doesn’t sit among its vines. It stands right on the quay in the town of Pauillac, looking out over the Gironde, while its vineyards are scattered in three plots across the commune, some rubbing shoulders with Mouton and Lafite. That patchwork of gravel and clay gives a classic, structured Pauillac led by Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2022 is earthy and elegant, full-bodied but poised, with the mineral backbone this appellation is famous for. A benchmark Left Bank claret that rewards a few years in the cellar.