Margaux.
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.
Château Lascombes, located in Bordeaux's Margaux appellation, boasts 118 hectares of vineyards renowned for producing elegant red wines. Established in the 17th century, its terroir of gravelly soils and favorable climate yields wines celebrated for their depth and complexity, making Château Lascombes a cornerstone of Médoc winemaking tradition.
James Suckling: 95-96/100
Aromas of stone, black licorice, tar, blackberry and slightly burnt orange. Medium to full body with a solid core of tannins and tight but juicy fruit. More chiseled and tannic than in the past.
Jane Anson: 94/100
All eyes on this estate for its first full vintage with Axel Heinz. It's clear that the build and construction is more serious than in the past, but most impressive is the juicy pleasure to be found in the layers of inky, nuanced, textured fruits, with sculpted tannins and well-judged grilled cedar oak. Inky, savoury, black fruits, savoury and lifted. Tasted twice, thoroughly enjoyable both times.
William Kelley - Wine Advocate: 92-94/100
A wine that begins a new era for this estate, the 2023 Lascombes (which I examined from separate components before tasting the prospective blend) offers up aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with hints of crushed mint, violets and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and velvety, with good depth and purity, it's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. This estate, which was formerly one of the Médoc's poster children for over-ripeness and over-extraction, is assuredly coming in from the cold.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous: 92-95/100
The 2023 Lascombes marks a new direction for the Chateau. Dark and virile, with real intensity, the 2023 marries richness and energy. Black cherry, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice emerge from the glass. This fleshes out beautifully on the finish, showing terrific breadth and nuance. The 2023 is, without question, the most elegant, finessed Lascombes made in many years. That won't surprise readers familiar with wines here that were often monolithic and one-dimensional. The 2023 will be a fascinating wine to follow. This is also a new chapter for Estate Director Axel Heinz, formerly at Ornellaia, who strikes me as a liberated winemaker these days—someone freed from the burden of expectations. Tasted three times.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Wine Independent: 93-95/100
The 2023 Lascombes is deep garnet-purple in color. Scents of freshly crushed blackberries, cassis, and black raspberries leap from the glass, leading to touches of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and violets in the background. The medium-bodied palate delivers impressive intensity, with vibrant black and red berry layers and a fine-grained texture lifted by a racy backbone, finishing long and minerally. This represents a real change in style to a classic beauty! The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.
