2016 Chateau Larcis Ducasse Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe

Larcis Ducasse is one of the slam-dunk Right Bank deals of the spectacular 2016 Bordeaux vintage. The full-bodied and concentrated expression of prime terroir beguiles from the very first taste, and earned 99 points from James Suckling, who named it his #7 wine of 2019, calling it “spellbinding” and “archetypal 2016 Bordeaux.” 

You don’t need anything other than a deep sniff and big sip to tell you this is world-class Bordeaux, but consider this: That 99-point score puts Larcis Ducasse alongside $1,000 Château Cheval Blanc. Dense and vividly purple, this is the Right Bank at its best. Its aroma is laden with black plum, blackberry, tobacco, smoke, dried herbs, dried violets, and cocoa nibs. On the palate, black cherry, bramble, and oak moss notes are cradled by lush tannins that ease into a rounded, plush finish of toasted vanilla and baking spice. Layered and simply beautiful.

Terroir and talent: That’s what any estate needs to reach the pinnacle, and that’s exactly what Larcis Ducasse has. The château is led by the superstar team of Nicolas Thienpont—his family owns Pomerol’s Château Le Pin and Vieux Château Certan—and Stéphane Derenoncourt, the renowned consultant and author of 100-point La Mondotte. Together they preside over Larcis Ducasse’s meticulously farmed 11-hectare vineyard, which abuts Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé “A” Château Pavie on the famed Côte Pavie. 

In this blessed area of Saint Émilion, the clay-rich calcareous soils sit atop limestone, and the vineyards enjoy a dramatic southerly exposure. The grapes (87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc in the 2016) ripen beautifully under these conditions, and the perfectly drained hillsides imbue them with mineral richness and exquisite concentration. After aging in 50% new French oak barrels, the finished wine is softened with a touch of toasted vanilla and baking spice. 

Two decades ago, when Thienpont and Derenoncourt took over at Larcis Ducasse, Robert Parker declared it “a property to watch closely,” because “dramatic” things would be afoot. And if any wine delivers on Parker’s prophecy, it’s the 2016, an exemplar of Right Bank concentration and grace that stands with the absolute best in Bordeaux. 

Claim some at today’s fantastic price, and savor the rewards for decades to come.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 14.50%
• 1 hour
• Now – 2039
• 87% Merlot13% Cabernet Franc
• Serving temperature – 62°
• Cork