Château Lascombes 2023

What a change compared to last year: more depth, more clarity, radiant fruit, subtle oak, floral notes; straight, crisp, finely chiselled tannins, racy acidity, medium weight, lively, fresh and red-fruited on the finish. Clearly more vertical than before; something’s happening here since Axel Heinz took the helm.

Now under the guidance of ex-Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz and an impressive debut vintage. Dark scents on the nose, blackcurrants and black cherries with some soft perfumed and liquorice accents. Smooth but with flesh, not chewy but this has a nice dollop of density as well as clear focus and drive from start to finish. Precise and juicy, a lovely generous feel about this. Charming but in a dark, ripe way. There’s clearly concentration and power but underpinned by a cool freshness. Very finessed and characterful, I love the elegance but this isn’t lacking in fruit, acidity, tannins or Margaux polish. Ends with graphite and liquorice, a touch of toast and wet stones. Clearly youthful but this has so much potential. 35hl/ha. 3.70pH. 78 IPT. Harvest September 7 - October 9. Ageing 60% new oak. Julien Viaud consultant.

The 2023 Lascombes is an incredibly classy, elegant wine. Lifted, deep aromatics make a strong first impression. Crushed flowers, mint, bright red-toned fruit, chalk and mint are beautifully delineated. This is such an elegant, refined, dynamic Lascombes. The 2023 is pure and total sensuality—a wine that very clearly opens a new chapter for this second growth.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Fine herbal savoriness, nuances of cassis and black cherries, tobacco, a hint of fine oak. Juicy, elegant, ripe cherries and plums, fine tannins, good freshness, mineral and persistent, a very balanced wine with good length and some ageing potential.

Good expansion through the mid-palate, combining depth and character, grilled black fruit and bitter chocolate, juicy black fruits. Oak a little dominant right now; give it five to eight years. First vintage with Axel Heinz, and it's a clear success. Harvest 7 September to 9 October, aged in a mix of oak barrels, large casks and amphora.

Score: 94–96. For his first vintage, Axel Heinz delivers a wine as elegant as a Florentine draped in velvet and satin. A composed, confident nose that gradually reveals its aromatic layers: black fruits, meaty and earthy notes, and iris perfume. Limpid and charming on the palate, seductive and delicate, full of sappy, savory grace, the wine is racy and of absolute elegance.

The En Primeur sample already hinted at a change of direction, and today this translates into a delightful, convincing definition of the bouquet! Notes of red berries and mint point in that direction, at least in terms of freshness, and we also find the inviting chocolate nuances we know from Lascombes. The wine stands out for its velvety attack and the finesse with which its elements unfold across the palate. The tannins, a little firm yet well-integrated and juicy, provide a solid, powerful framework and open up promising prospects for ageing. A truly delightful wine!

A lovely fruity nose, elegant, precise, racy, bright, with a certain infusion-like character and nice depth, a multilayered side. It shows notes of morello cherry, blackberry and, more lightly, roasted raspberry, with fine hints of violet, herbal infusion and star anise, plus a subtle touch of flowers (violet, lily…), and a discreet Mediterranean and licorice note. The palate is beautifully mineral, fresh and balanced, offering a juicy/tangy framework, gourmandise, lovely definition and precision, smoothness, and freshness. It delivers notes of morello cherry, almost roasted-fresh raspberry and, more lightly, juicy/fresh blackcurrant, combined with touches of bright/sparkling red berries, as well as hints of star anise, almost lavender, nutmeg, toasted tones, and a subtle touch of licorice, with chocolaty/mocha in the background. A fine, neatly judged concentration with finesse and elegance. The tannins are sapid and supple. Precision, freshness, and a subtle almost white-flower note and a saline touch on the finish/persistence.

The first vintage under the new owners, with Axel Heinz at the helm, opens with a bouquet of flowers before shifting to notes of sweet red fruit, cedar, and a touch of orange rind that shine on the nose. On the palate, sweet red berries show a soft, creamy texture, with a hint of crushed rock and a refreshing chocolate-mint note emerging at the very end of the finish. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink from 2028–2050.

Stylish notes of cedar, sandalwood and tea curl up from a core of gently warmed black currant preserves. Seductive through the dark, chestnut-tinged finish. Accessible now. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2034. 15,000 cases made.

Logo on the cork: an upside-down T (Trescases) Dark, intense, beautiful colour. Very aromatic nose, with ripe, subtle fruit. Delicate on the attack but also rather discreet aromatically, this wine charms with the quality of its texture, though I would have preferred it to be more fragrant and more flavourful. I didn’t find the lovely sensations I remembered from the En Primeur tastings.

Elegantly oaked and gently toasty, the 2023 Lascombes—a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot—emerges from the glass with aromas of dark berries, pencil shavings, spices and violets. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and enveloping, it is framed by powdery structuring tannins and concludes with a long, pencil-shaving-inflected finish. It's in keeping with the new direction taken by the estate.