Chateau Lascombes 2024

JAMES SUCKLING: "A touch of warm bread, graphite and fresh blackberries with a touch of black pepper. Richer and more concentrated than many from this vintage, this has excellent depth, full body and very complete, fine-grained tannins. Long, broad and juicy. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet franc and petit verdot combined. Around 60% new oak with lighter toast now."

WEINWISSER: "65 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 5 % Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, 38 hl/ha, Alkohol 13 vol%. Tiefgründiges Bouquet, frischer schwarzer Johannisbeernektar, parfümierter Pfeifentabak und zarte Fliedernoten. Am saftigen Gaumen mit ungeheurer Souplesse, straff und geradlinig, engmaschiges Tanninkorsett, nervige Rasse und trainierter Körper. Im konzentrierten, feinaromatischen Finale kleine schwarze Beeren, eine volle Ladung Grafit und körnige Adstringenz mit zarter Bitternis. Kann noch zulegen."

ANSON: "This has elegance, fine tannins, a clear expression of how Cabernet Sauvignon can perform in the vintage, rosebud, peony, slim, savoury, with fine and attractive aromatics, lovely salinity on the finish, nuanced and mouthwatering. Rises above the reputation of the vintage. Axel Heinz director. As of this vintage, only the original 1855 plots are in the wine Harvest 23 September to 9 October. 38 hl/ha yield, Julien Viaud consultant. Tasted twice. 60% new oak for ageing, 38 hl/ha, harvest 23 September to 9 October."

VINUM: "Tiefgründig, in keiner Weise vom Holz geprägt, rote und dunkle Beeren, florale Noten, kühler Kamin; cremiger Auftakt, knackige Frucht, diese wird von seidenweichen Tannin umgarnt, der Wein schwebt über die Zunge, wirkt vertikal, tänzerisch, fokussiert, hinterlässt im Abgang ein salines Mundgefühl. Ein hervorragender, finessenreicher und äusserst präziser Lascombes, der bestätigt, was sich schon im 2023 angedeutet hat: es weht ein frischer Wind auf Lascombes."

DECANTER: "Blackcurrant, dark cherries, lovely bramble fruit - crystalline purity on the nose. Clean and silky, sleek and svelte, definitely light footed but with clarity and bright, zingy acidity giving a touch of austerity and salty, minerality on the finish. Complex and layered with structure and lots of elegance and nuance. Axel Heinz director. A yield of 38hl/ha. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.64pH. Ageing 60% new oak. 5% press. Julien Viaud consultant."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and aging in 60% new oak, the 2024 Château De Lascombes is deeper hued than the Chevalier de Lascombes and offers more cassis, graphite, classy oak, and scorched earth. Medium-bodied, it has remarkable purity, ripe, building tannins, solid mid-palate depth, balance, and length. It's another brilliant effort by technical director Axel Heinz at this château that's up there with the crème de la crème of the vintage."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart nach Nougat und Edelholz, schwarze Waldbeeren, Cassis und Brombeeren. Saftig, elegant, rotbeerige Textur, frisch strukturiert, mineralisch, ein Hauch von Ribisel im Abgang, präsente Tannine, verfügt über Entwicklungspotenzial, wird von Reife profitieren."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple in color. Features scents of black cherries, fresh strawberries, and charcoal with touches of bay leaves and crushed rocks. The light to medium-bodied palate is bright and breezy with plush tannins and a red berry lift on the finish."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Black currants, smoke, forest leaves, and tobacco aromas crowd into the perfume. On the palate, the wine is juicy, energetic, and complicated by the cedar, and tobacco that blends with the black currants on the palate. There is a spicy touch of refreshing mint that pops in at the end of the finish. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and an even mix of Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. 13% ABV. Harvesting took place September 13-October 9. The aging program is 60% new French oak, with a lighter toast, used barrels, and foudres. Drink from 2028-2042."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Reserved aromatically but fresh and appealing. Supple fruit and finely integrated tannins. Firm and persistent on the finish with marked length. Vertical in expression. Should age."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Aromas of cassis, lilac and nicely integrated creamy new oak introduce the 2024 Lascombes, a medium to full-bodied, dense and youthfully structured young wine underpinned by a bright spine of acidity and concluding with gently chewy tannins. This was cropped at 38 hectoliters per hectare and saw a combination of tank bleeds and reverse osmosis to amp up its concentration. Maturation is in 60% new oak, with lighter toasts than was formerly the case at this address."