Chateau Larcis Ducasse 2022

JEB DUNNUCK: "Tasted on multiple occasions and one of the legendary wines in the making from this vintage, the 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse clocks in as 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc that's still resting in 55% new French oak. A hypothetical blend of the 2005 and 2018, it's a deep, powerful, opulent Saint-Emilion offering an incredible array of black cherries, blackberries, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. With a rich, full-bodied, expansive mouthfeel, it has ultra-fine tannins, beautiful symmetry in its tannins, acidity, and fruit, no hard edges, and a killer finish. I was lucky enough to taste this on four separate occasions and I thought it had the potential to be a perfect wine every time."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is really precise with a lazer-guided fine tannin structure throughout the wine, and juicy and electric texture. It’s so refined and polished. Endless. Wonderful young wine with a terrific future."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: „A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Larcis Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color. It wows as it powers out of the glass with bright, expressive notes of juicy blackberries, fresh black cherries, and warm plums, followed by suggestions of Indian spices, iron ore, iris bulb, and crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate is laden with rich, seductive, and amazingly energetic black and blue fruits, framed by super-ripe, velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with epic length. This 2022 is a triumph!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The dark, purple hue stands out. Licorice, smoke, oyster shell, espresso, black cherries, and plums are all over the perfume. The wine explodes from the glass with its layers of opulent, black and red fruits, dark chocolate, espresso, smoke and chocolate on the palate. Full-bodied, powerful, and most importantly pure, there is a depth of flavor, and richness on the mid-palate that sticks with you through to the extended, mineral-driven finish. I would not be surprised to see this score even higher once it is in the bottle. The wine blends 86% Merlot with 14% Cabernet Franc, 14.6% ABV, 3.5 pH. The harvest took place September 13-September 23. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2055."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Frische schwarze Herzkirschen, etwas Lakritze, florale Nuancen, kühles, attrraktives Bukett. Saftig, elegant und balanciert, feine Fruchtsüße, reife Frucht, feine Struktur, lange anhaltend, bereits sehr harmonisch, großes Zukunftspotenzial."

DECANTER: "Smells gorgeous, black fruits, milk chocolate and floral notes. Supple and lively, crystalline and pure, you get both the juicy, fleshiness of the dark and concentrated fruit but with tension and detail and definition. Clarity and bite, this really works and delivers everything you want in terms of tannins, minerality, freshness and density. Clearly powerful, but refined and sophisticated. Compelling and oh so drinkable. Wet stones, the minerality is gorgeous but the weight is too, this will be fantastic."

WEINWISSER: "86 % Merlot, 14 % Cabernet Franc, 34 hl/ha. Feingliedriges rotbeeriges Bouquet, Schattenmorellensaft, bezaubernder Irisduft und Baumnuss, dahinter Preiselbeersaft und Brasiltabak. Am komplexen, straff ausgerichteten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, balancierter Rasse sowie körnigem Extrakt. Im konzentrierten, langanhaltenden Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze, edler Kreideton und erhabene Adstringenz. 2030 – 2052."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A fleshy, opulent wine, the 2022 Larcis Ducasse bursts with aromas of rich, creamy berry fruit mingled with aromas of licorice, bay leaf and spices. Full-bodied, broad and enveloping, it's a textural, layered wine with a ripe core of fruit, supple tannins and an expansive finish. More dramatic and unabashed than the 2020, this will appeal to readers who place a premium on flamboyant extravagance; but samples tasted later during my visit to Bordeaux exhibited greater freshness and precision."