Lascombes 2022 (750ML)

93-95 JD / 93-94 JS / 93 JA / 93 DE / 92-94+ WI / 90-92 VM

The 2022 Château Lascombes is a ripe, powerful wine that holds onto a terrific sense of purity and freshness. Black fruits, smoky oak, lead pencil, and tobacco all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. A killer bottle of wine, it’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring. Tasted twice. - Jeb Dunnuck

A more refined and focused Lascombes with blackcurrant, graphite, stone and blueberry character. Medium body. Polished finish. Needs a little more at the finish to be in the big leagues. - James Suckling

All eyes on Lascombes as of the 2023 vintage with the arrival of Axel Heinz, making this 2022 a particularly interesting vintage for future comparisons. You'll find a ton of black cherries, cassis, fragrant baked spices, bitter chocolate and fennel, with serious tannic grip and fresh acidities. Marked by the vintage, as you would expect from a vineyard that has plots in different soil types across Margaux, but it walks the line and there is plenty of lush fruit and personality to enjoy here. 60% new oak. The biggest change this year is the increase in Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, which was made possible by bringing the percentage of 1st wine down to 40%, 3.75, 36hl/h yield. New owners the Lawrence family with CEO Carlton McCoy involved in the blend, but not the growing season. The wine cellar was redone for 2021. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Perfumed and aromatic on the nose. Rich and concentrated on the palate, juicy but also there's a richness and power that focuses the black cherry and blackcurrant fruit and acidity and makes it quite serious. Tannins are grippy giving plenty of texture and structure, but this lacks a little energy and finesse. It's certainly stylish though with liquorice, dark chocolate, wet stone and tobacco notes. Tasted twice. The estate has new owners as of November 2022 with the acquisition by Lawrence Wine Estates, (also owners of Napa wineries: Heitz Cellar, Burgess Cellars and Stony Hill). The group was established by the Lawrence family, led by US entrepreneur Gaylon Lawrence, alongside managing partner and Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy Jr MS. 2022 is the last vintage by winemaker Dominique Befve with ex-Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz taking over as of the 2023 vintage. Harvest 7-27 September. Yield of 36hl/ha. Ageing in French oak, 60% new. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Lascombes explodes with powerful notes of creme de cassis, fruitcake, and baked plums, giving way to suggestions of unsmoked cigars and dried herbs. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and impactful, with velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and spicy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

The 2022 Lascombes is a bold, sumptuous wine. Inky dark fruit, cloves, chocolate and copious French oak fill out the layers. Soft contours wrap it all together. As always, Lascombes is done in a flamboyant style. It will be interesting to see the direction new Estate Manager Axel Heinz takes when he assumes his post this summer. Tasted two times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous