Chateau Lascombes Margaux 2015

Chateau Lascombes is a fabulous Margaux winery that was ranked as a Second Growth in the original 1855 classification. It bears the name of its first owner, Chevalier de Lascombes, who was born in 1625. At the turn of the 18th century, Jean-Francois Lascombes, a councillor at the Bordeaux Parliament, dedicated his wealth to making a great wine at Lascombes. Ever since then, the winery has been one of Margaux’s top Second Growths, threatening the wines of First Growths in great vintages.

The Chateau Lascombes vineyard stretches over eighty-four hectares within the Margaux appellation. The present varietal distribution is 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot though the exact distributions defer from year to year as the winemaking and vineyard teams are constantly tinkering.

In the outstanding 2015 vintage, the winery turned in one of their best bottlings in recent memory. The nose is pretty and expressive, even at this young age. It boasts rich aromas that come through with ripe black fruits, and sweet oak. Everything integrates harmoniously with silky tannins that set the tone. The entry on the palate is powerful and loaded with fruit that comes through on the mid-palate. The wine is precise, concentrated, opulent and lively all at the same time. The oak mingles discreetly in a lovely fleshy mouth-feel, while the finish is extremely long. It’s a true beauty – which is why it received a number of massive scores from the top wine critics in the world. Definitely one to enjoy over the next 5-10 years, or to continue to lay down for the next 15-30. It’s versatile, and should age gracefully for many moons.