Château Lascombes 2024

Profound, in no way marked by oak, with red and dark berries, floral notes, and a cool hearth nuance; a creamy attack, crisp fruit, wrapped in silky tannins; the wine floats across the tongue, feeling vertical, dancing, and focused, leaving a saline mouthfeel on the finish. An outstanding, refined, and highly precise Lascombes that confirms what was already hinted at in 2023: a fresh wind is blowing at Lascombes.

Blackcurrant, dark cherries, lovely bramble fruit – crystalline purity on the nose. Clean and silky, sleek and svelte, definitely light-footed but with clarity and bright, zingy acidity giving a touch of austerity and salty minerality on the finish. Complex and layered with structure and lots of elegance and nuance. Axel Heinz director. A yield of 38hl/ha. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.64 pH. Ageing 60% new oak. 5% press. Julien Viaud consultant.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Reserved on the nose but fresh and appealing. Supple fruit and finely integrated tannins. Firm and persistent on the finish with marked length. Vertical in expression. Should age. (JL)

Black currants, smoke, forest leaves, and tobacco aromas crowd the bouquet. On the palate, the wine is juicy, energetic, and made more complex by cedar and tobacco that blend with the black currants. A spicy touch of refreshing mint pops in at the very end of the finish. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and an even mix of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. 13% ABV. Harvest took place September 13–October 9. The aging program is 60% new French oak, with lighter toast, used barrels, and foudres. Drink from 2028–2042. 91–93 points

Rich, hedonistic, monumental on the nose, with luxuriant notes of spice, fruit coulis, and sap, brimming with elegance and charm. On the palate, everything is fresh and tender. Harmonious, the wine settles on the palate like an infinitely gentle caress, with a hint of anise on the finish. A beautiful, characterful wine.

Lovely, elegant nose, textured, with depth, a certain intensity and beautiful spicy notes. There are notes of boysenberry, bright wild cherry and, more subtly, flowers/violet, with hints of infusion, bergamot, nutmeg, sweet pepper, as well as delicate touches of racy gravel (terroir) and clove. The palate is beautifully guided, fresh, supple, airy, beautifully pure/precise, offering energy, a tangy backbone, a linear/elongated delicacy, and a lovely creamy mouthfeel with finesse/delicacy. A fine sense of detail. An enveloping side. On the palate, this wine shows notes of bright blackcurrant, fairly ripe/juicy red cherry and, more subtly, small red berries, with hints of cornflower, a touch of small bright blue berries, smoke, tobacco, spices, infusion, tonka bean, and a subtle almost-vanilla hint/very discreetly sage. A subtle almost-mandarin note in the background.

This has elegance, fine tannins, a clear expression of how Cabernet Sauvignon can perform in the vintage, rosebud, peony, slim, savoury, with fine and attractive aromatics, lovely salinity on the finish, nuanced and mouthwatering. Rises above the reputation of the vintage. Axel Heinz director. As of this vintage, only the original 1855 plots are in the wine Harvest 23 September to 9 October. 38 hl/ha yield, Julien Viaud consultant. Tasted twice. 60% new oak for ageing, 38 hl/ha, harvest 23 September to 9 October.

Deep, dark colour with purple highlights. Intense, refined, fruity nose, pure and subtle. A creamy underpinning that develops in the glass. Delicate on the attack and subtle through the mid-palate, with a lovely texture and plenty of flavour, the wine unfolds seamlessly into a long, sapid finish, with no tannic harshness. A more Margaux-style expression than ever, breaking with the past. It’s very good. Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 13.3% - pH: 3.75. Yield: 38 hl/ha. Production volume has decreased by 40% since the new acquisition in November 2022.