Chateau Larcis Ducasse 2022

A Premier Grand Cru Classé B of Saint-Émilion, Château Larcis Ducasse is celebrated for its limestone terroir and remarkable elegance. It reveals aromas of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, violet, graphite, licorice, dark chocolate, and subtle baking spice. Richly concentrated yet beautifully refined, it delivers velvety tannins, vibrant freshness, exceptional depth, and an extraordinarily long finish.

Food Pairing: Pair with beef Wellington, roast lamb, duck breast, venison, mushroom risotto, black truffle dishes, aged Comté, or braised short ribs.

100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

One of the more muscular, concentrated 2022s in my tastings, the 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a deep ruby/plum hue to go with serious aromatics of ripe red and black cherries, smoked tobacco, new leather, truffle, and an incredible sense of crushed stone-like minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and massively concentrated on the palate, this intense, flawlessly balanced, voluptuous 2022 has a stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and fabulous length on the finish. I wouldn't be surprised to see this close down with 3-4 years of bottle age only to re-emerge after a decade. Based on 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new oak, this modern-day legend has a terrific pH of 3.48 and an alcohol of 14.8%.

97 Points - Decanter

Violet-edged cherries, blackcurrants and liquorice on the nose, smells lovely. Clean and clear, such a graceful and elegant texture to this wine - smooth but full of energy. Tannins have a lingering salty grip, an iron and liquorice tang that adds a saline aspect to otherwise cool and fresh blue fruit. Still quite tense and compact, this is muscular but funnelled with such precision to the overall expression. Nothing feels overdone. Well worked with enough acidity to counter the dark fruit and savoury bitter chocolate and espresso aspects delivering a characterful, charming and classically styled wine.

97 Points - James Suckling

This is marked by the chalky tannins, which are very cohesive and caressing. The ripe and dry year gave a more savory character to the wine, with notes of mussel shells, fine spices and dried orange peel coloring the fruit. Medium- to full-bodied with a compressed mouthfeel from the vibrant, powdery tannins. Drink or hold.

95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Less super-ripe than was sometimes the case in the past, the 2022 Larcis Ducasse has a completely seductive bouquet of cassis, mulberries, licorice, pencil lead and menthol, combining beautiful spices and dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's seamless and concentrated with a multidimensional core of fruit, velvety tannins, a vibrant mid-palate and a long, saline finish.