Lascombes

2019

Wine Advocate 92+: Offering up a rich bouquet of blackberries, cassis, burning embers and sweet spices, the 2019 Lascombes is full-bodied, lavish and textural, with a voluminous core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of ripe, powdery tannin that asserts itself on the youthfully firm finish. This is a powerful, muscular style of Margaux that remains nicely balanced in its register.

James Suckling 96: 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 in the aftertaste. Try after 2025.

Vinous 92: The 2019 Lascombes has more fruit concentration on the nose with blackberry and boysenberry fruit, not quite as floral as the d'Issan but still exuding the character of the appellation. The palate is smooth and quite opulent, very good weight, dense and structured, building in power towards its multi-layered and persistent, mineral-rich finish. This is a bit of a showstopper.

Decanter 94: 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 real spicy but cleaning palate. The core of concentrated blackcurrant and black cherry fruit definitely takes the background while the other elements show their stuff. Tannins are pronounced but round and softly chewy, they frame the fruit well and give a menthol slightly spicy ending. Really good quality and enjoyment here. A powerful wine showing restraint and refinement. One for long ageing.