Château Larcis Ducasse 2016

Château Larcis Ducasse is a Saint Émilion Premiere Grand Crus Classés Class B estate that has been described as, “a garden a world apart.”  If one were fortunate enough to visit this stunning and picturesque property with vines graced by laurel and fig trees, one would understand this phrase perfectly.  The grand vin is crafted here with the precision and expertise that many would ascribe to a fine jeweler and the resulting wine is excellent.  With the combination of its impeccable terroir and the craftsmen who tend to it, Château Larcis Ducasse is one of the Right Bank’s treasures.

Château Larcis Ducasse had a long history that dated back to the Roman era.  Even the ancient vignerons were seduced by the promise of the checkerboard of terroirs that give the estate such appeal.  Château Larcis Ducasse received its namesake in 1893 during the modern era when Henri Raba purchased the property at the time.  Henri Raba spent vast sums of his fortune to maintain the striking vineyards and would stop at nothing to ensure the grand vin was of top quality.  After Henri passed, his wife Emilie and her son took control of the estate. The property was largely unknown to most connoisseurs until the family hired Nicolas Thienpont to manage the property with his prodigy David Suire.  Together they made sweeping changes to the vineyards, such as transitioning Château Larcis Ducasse over to 100% Organic Farming methods in 2005.  In 2012, Château Larcis Ducasse received the high honor of earning its Premiere Grand Crus Classés Classification alongside other illustrious châteaux like Château Valandraud, Château Trotte Vieille and many other esteemed properties.  It was a happy ending indeed for an estate with such a long-lived history.

Château Larcis Ducasse hosts 11.3 hectares of vines that are planted with 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc.  Over the years, more Cabernet Franc has been added.  The property is very close from the legendary producer, Château Pavie.  The terroir is described as a “checkerboard,” of varying terroirs.  One can find a mixture of varying soils like limestone, clay and chalk that the 35 year old vines thrive in.  Nicolas Thienpont ensures that the team over at Château Larcis Ducasse maintains lower yields to ensure higher ripeness levels.  The winery is a gravity flow operation, and they use a lot of Burgundian techniques to create a fresh and soft wine.  After they are vinified, they are subsequently aged in French oak barriques for about 18 to 20 months before bottling. For those who love a rich and mineral Saint-Émilion, Château Larcis Ducasse is a phenomenal, opulently textured wine.  One can absolutely expect the minerality that is so synonymous with that region.  But in addition to that, the wines have a very pleasant, fruity, and ripe quality to them.  It is best to age a bottle of Château Larcis Ducasse for about ten to fifteen years prior to enjoying it.  With all that in mind, younger vintages can be decanted for two to three hours.

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Larcis Ducasse sashays gracefully out of the glass with beautiful Black Forest cake, red cherry compote, raspberry preserves and blackberry pie scents plus hints of cigar box, Ceylon tea, dried lavender and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers gorgeous red and black fruit preserves flavors with a wonderfully plush texture and very long, perfumed finish." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (11/30/2018), Ratings: 96, Drink: 2021-2049

"The 2016 Larcis-Ducasse is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc picked between 12-19 October, matured in 225- and 500-liter barrels. It matured in 50% new oak, which is a lower proportion than you would have found in 2009 or 2010. It has a lively, expressive bouquet with detailed blackberry, briary and cranberry aromas that are neatly embroidered with the new oak, allowing the terroir to show through. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well balanced, quite spicy and peppery in the mouth but maintaining satisfying tension from start to finish. This is a very well crafted Larcis-Ducasse although I hope that during the élevage it will just gain more persistence on the aftertaste. One to watch." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/28/2017, Issue 230), Ratings: 92-95, Drink: 2022-2050