Château Lascombes 2019

Deep, richly colored and beautifully velvety, this wine continues to assert itself as one of the most accomplished in its appellation, with a style all its own and an ideal introduction to Margaux’s charm.

Richly fruity and very forward, with plum sauce, Black Forest cake and black currant pâte de fruit notes flanked by violet and alder accents through the finish. This will have fans for sure; drink in the near term. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030.

Ripe, heady bramble fruit, plum and fig aromas. Excellent intensity of succulent juice and ripe fruit; there’s definitely a coffee/roasted element on the palate alongside liquorice and slate, all combining to give a truly spicy yet cleansing profile. The core of concentrated blackcurrant and black cherry fruit definitely takes a back seat while the other elements show their stuff. Tannins are pronounced but round and softly chewy; they frame the fruit well and deliver a slightly spicy, menthol-tinged finish. Really good quality and enjoyment here. A powerful wine showing restraint and refinement. One for long ageing. Tasted twice.

This is extremely linear and refined with a super-fine line of tannins running through the center of the wine. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and sophisticated, with a long, long finish. Plenty of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, walnut and cedar on the aftertaste. Try after 2025.

New owner, Gaylon Lawrence. Tasted blind. Very deep crimson. Sweet, attention-grabbing nose. Fruit just a little overripe and lacking freshness. Not the purest, and the fruit and tannin are currently miles apart, which is a bit of a worry for future development of this evolved fruit. (JR)

The 2019 Lascombes is a huge wine packed with black cherry, chocolate, new leather, spice and licorice. Creamy, rich and expansive, Lascombes is endowed with notable power and sheer breadth. As always, Lascombes is a heady Margaux that pushes the edges, but I find all the elements very well-balanced.

Dark in color, the wine is equally dark on the palate with its layers of black cherry, plum, licorice, and chocolate. The nose opens with oak, smoke, black fruit, herbs, and coffee bean before the wine hits your palate. Avoirdupois in nature, it is round, lush, opulent, with chocolate-covered fruits, licorice, and smoky oak lingering on the finish. The oak now seems dialed back, revealing more freshness and cleaner fruit, which I like a lot. Drink from 2024–2045.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Attractive aromas of oak and cherry, underlaid with background notes of liquorice and tangerine zest. Juicy and complex with an elegant texture, ripe, supporting tannins and a touch of nougat on the long finish. Already approachable, but a 'Vin de Garde', with definite further ageing potential.

A polished and modern expression, with fine oak and butterscotch underpinning layers of dark, ample fruit—cassis and black cherry—sprinkled with delicate spices. A dense, warm, and concentrated palate with layers of black fruit and a long, muscular finish.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 14.5% alc. vol.) Dense, spicy, velvety, powerful and sweet bouquet, strawberry jelly, blueberries, mint, pralines, slate, fine herbs, nougat. Balanced, tightly knit, creamy palate with powerful, sweet, delicate fruit, plenty of fine tannins, dense structure, varied, intense aromatics, fine minerality, long, full, fresh finish. Can improve further.

Silky, finely mineral, fruity bouquet with red and blue berries, strawberry jelly, flint, and a delicate hint of licorice. Densely knit, finely creamy palate with powerful, refined, sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a dense, velvety structure, complex and intense aromatics, and a long, aromatic, fresh finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2026 - 2050

Always love going back to the more classically balanced 2019 vintage after tasting an exuberant 2018, and it is no different here. It captures the gourmet pleasures and the lusciously seductive texture of Lascombes tannins, given muscularity and a stretched-out quality through sculpted black cherry, cassis, damson fruit, overlaid by sharper orange peel, mandarin, crayon and slate. Delicious, great quality, harvest September 19 to October 7, 48 hl/ha yield, 60% new oak. Delphine Barboux technical director, Julien Viaud consultant.

The Lascombes 2019 has a deep garnet-purple color. It bursts on the scene with flamboyant scents of blueberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles, and kirsch, followed by suggestions of candied violets, crushed rocks, and licorice. The full-bodied palate is dense, rich, and opulent, featuring velvety tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and layered.

With obvious charm, it seduces with the generous opulence of its fruit and its round, creamy mouthfeel. The finish shows impressive length, making it a wine built for aging. This is a Margaux with a more flamboyant style than many of its neighbors, yet it never lacks refinement.

A very beautiful, voluptuous nose with notes of dark fruits, sweet spices, mocha, and a hint of roast. The palate is elegant, supple, and full of energy. The tannins are juicy.

The nose is elegant and fruity, offering indulgence, well-judged richness, a subtle creaminess, and a lovely fine, elegant grain. It reveals notes of creamy blackcurrant, wild blackberry and, more delicately, violet, with small touches of cherry, cherry blossom and fine hints of licorice. The palate is fruity and shows minerality, a touch of creaminess, smoothness, and a delicate gourmand character. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of creamy blackberry and creamy cherry, and, more subtly, raspberry, with hints of chocolate, vanilla, toasted nuances, and fine notes of toasted hazelnut. Refined richness. A subtle hint of pleasant bitterness lingers on the finish.

Logo on the cork: JL (Lafitte Liège) Dark, intense, and deep color. Very aromatic nose—refined, fruity, and pure—becoming complex with aeration. Hints of smoke, black fruit, and wood. Delicate on entry, flavorful mid-palate, with a sleek, juicy body; the wine stretches out on the finish with great length, savory, fragrant, and without any angular tannins. For now, the wood imprint is a touch marked, but it will integrate. A fine success for the vintage.

94–96. Barrel Sample. This classed growth estate is entering an era of consistency. This vintage has the balance between fruit and wood that was missing in the past. It has vivid black fruits that are cut with acidity and tannins, all set to propel the wine to a long-term future.