Château Larcis Ducasse
Address: 33330 Saint Laurent des Combes
Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 24 70 84
E-mail: larcis-ducasse@nicolas-thienpont.fr
Website: www.larcis-ducasse.com
Vineyard/Terrior: 10 hectares on the southern slope of St Emilon with clay and fossil limestone soil, planted with 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc. Château Larcis Ducasse was classified a Premier Grand Cru Classé in 2012. Lush, ripe and delicious St Emilion that is pretty upfront in style but which is able to age well. I’ve sometimes conflicting experiences with the wines, often upfront early on, they can shrink a little in bottle before re-emerging nicely later. 2004 tasted recently was in very good nick indeed.
Winemaking/Elévage: 16-20 months in barrel, 60% new and 40% one year old.
Tasting notes:
- 2015 Big and bold in colour; vibrant at rim; lots of depth; plenty of fruit; not pretty exactly but there is a suave quality to the fruit profile; nicely cool fruit; excellent quality; purity and ripeness without over doing it; real clarity; fresh and still nimble. This will fill out and will probably get even better than the score I’m giving. Let’s see. Lovely terroir adjacent to Pavie. [9ha in production, 37hl/ha, 87% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted Pavie Macquin 3/4/16. Drink 2021-2035. 94-96+ [Second tasting UGCB 6/4/16]: Mid depth; purple edge; stone and mineral note; opens up with ripe black fruits; plums and cherries; lots of extract and matter but extremely refined palate; needs to meld a fraction on the finish. Lots of matter and extract – but not extracted in style. Pure. Drink 2021-2035. 93-95+
- 2014 Deep and saturated colour; bold and glossy; ripe and glossy; creamy fruit with that satin quality; cassis; ripe plums and cherries; some degree of voluptuousness on the nose; black chocolate and spices too; creamy; some oak to integrate; plenty of fruit; texture; lift; substantial and plenty of extract but glossy and voluptuous. Nice chew and saturated. Textured finish. [85% Merlot 15% Cabernet Franc alc14.1]. Tasted 3 April at Château Pavie-Macquin. Drink 2020-2035. 93-95 [Earlier tasting] Deep colour on nose; ripe and satiny nose; little strawberry; sublimated red fruits; depth of fruit on the palate; oak influence but integrated; this is substantial St Emilion; grip and freshness too. Very good effort. Length. Larcis Ducasse is fast becoming a favourite St Emilion of mine in the rich and ripe category. Drink 2020-2030. 5. Tasted UGC 1st April ’15. 92-94+
- 2013 Deep and dark at centre; legs; nice purity and minerality with a rich seam of fruit; deep and pure; good sweet entry with good fruit and a ripe palate; very correct with nice material. Mid-weight and good-ish length. Very good effort in the vintage context. Larcis Ducasse is an 11 ha vineyard next to Pavie on clay-limestone soils. Drink 2018-2030. Tasted April 4, 2014 at Pavie-Macquin. 89-91+
- 2012 Saturated colour; little closed on the nose; less flashy and flamboyant than usual [seems to be suffering from bottle shock more than others]; palate caressing with nice plushness evident; density and chew on the finish but the tannins are nicely ripe. Needs a bit of time. Drink 2017-2027. 91+ UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and dense; very saturated look; ripe and thick aromas, very lifted; some minerals, wet rocks as well as black fruits – plums – and spices; ripe and pure; very attractive. Better showing here than at UGC. Chewy palate with lots of lush fruit and ripe flavours with lots of layers. Very ripe. 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc. 91-93+ Tasted Friday 12th April 2013 at Chateau Pavie Macquin [Earlier] Deep and saturated look; plummy, spicy nose; some jam; very lifted with oak influence; palate very ripe and sweet; jam notes; some warmth; little bounce at end. 83% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc. 89-91+ UGC Weds 10th April 2013
- 2011 Deep and arterial; ripe, sweet, strawberry fruit; some forest floor notes; ripe and rich on the palate with lots of fruit and chew. Lots of depth and layers. Good effort in a modern style. Not overdone. Attractive now Drink 2014-2025. 90 UGC Oct ’13 Deep and saturated; red fruits, some new car interior notes and eau de vie; lots of strawberry fruit, nice; little dryness on the palate; oak tannin too. Palate feels unsettled and puckering. Needs to settle. Tasted UGC. 84-87?
- 2010 Deep and saturated look; lush, sexy and open – spicy plum and fruitcake notes; lush and forward palate with spicy plum tones; silk and satin quality here; wonderfully rich but just the right side of unctuous. Decadent certainly. Drink now-2035. 95 MW Institute Nov ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated look; sublimated nose; deep; lots of red fruits – strawberry, redcurrant; lift; ripe and layered palate with density. Thick tannins. Super concentrated style. Quite lifted notes [VA]. Will appeal to those who like their wines sublimated in a centrifuge. If they have balance that’s fine but think we’re lacking acid and freshness here. Have better recollections from primeur tastings. Disappointing showing certainly. 88?/100 UGC Oct ’12 [Earlier] Deep and saturated, really arterial in colour; very ripe, plush nose; lots of layers here; full; some jam, but very nice; palate ripe and full, lots of flesh and fruit; very, very god. Attractive and seductive. Some grip and chew at the back. Good length. Really nicely done. Seductive. 92-94+/100 6 April 2011 UGC
- 2009 Deep and saturated looking; think and inky, some liquorice, tar; pretty lifted effort; some mocha and coffee notes; fleshy and ripe on the palate; blackcurrants; thickness too but remains attractive overall. Drink now-2029. 91+ MW Institute Nov ’13 [Earlier note] Mid red; ripe, jammy nose; pretty fat palate, lots of fruit and saturation and density but tiring in the end I’d reckon. Prefer their 2010. 88/100 UGC Oct ’11
- 2008 Deep colour, legs; quite strawberry notes alongside super-ripe notes; good palate, very ripe and plummy with tannins at the end. Better than the La Tour Figeac, tannins less dry. 87/100 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. UGC Oct ‘10
- 2007 Mid red; attractive fruit nose; some raspberry and strawberry notes; moderate intensity; attractive sweet fleshy palate; soft finish with some acidity. Well balanced. Good. 88/100 UGC tasting Oct ‘09
- 2004 Glossy red; lively at edge; spicy, lifted and attractive on the nose; tobacco and some tea but lovely lush, sweet fruit beneath; very mature, soft palate; quite round; tobacco and sweet plum fruit tones; spice and some menthol too. Very mature but wonderfully sweet and ripe. [3rd vintage under the Thienpont consultancy here]. Joyful. Tasted Pavie-Macquin April 2014. Drink now – 2020. 91. Tasted April ’14.