Larcis Ducasse - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021

Jamessuckling.com

94-95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe6/8/2022

This is medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Already has an expressive nose of blackcurrants, blackberries, white pepper, cloves and black licorice. Salty minerality. Fresh and fine. Spicy finish. Lengthy, too. 86% merlot and 14% cabernet franc.

Jeb DUNNUCK

93-95 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe6/2/2022

I think one of the undeniable successes in the vintage is the 2021 Château Larcis Ducasse, which hails from a magical terroir on the south-facing hillside just outside of Saint-Emilion. There's slightly more clay here, so Larcis-Ducasse always shows a ample density and power. A blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 34 hectoliters per hectare, harvest started September 29, extending to October 11 for the Cabernet Franc. The estate favors whole berry fermentations in cement tanks, and the élevage occurs in 50% new French oak, with the balance in second- and third-fill oak. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as powerful aromatics of darker currants, chocolate, tobacco, and damp earth, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, admirable concentration, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Tasted on numerous occasions, it never failed to impress, and this is one to seek out. 93-95+

Bettane & Desseauve

95 / 100

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/24/2022

Corps d’une grande pureté et définition, restituant avec précision une matière stylée et droite avec ce qu’il faut de subtilité et de souplesse subtile. Finale d’un charme fou à classer parmi les meilleurs de Saint-Émilion. Une priorité pour l’amateur. Coup de cœur.

The Vintage Journal

87-88 / 100

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2022

Deep crimson. Abundant dark cherry, brambly cedar aromas and flavours, fine gravelly/ al dente tannins, some savoury/ spicy toasty notes and mineral/ graphite flavours. Finishes al dente firm and sinewy. 86% merlot, 14% cabernet franc. 18 months in new and seasoned oak. 14.5% alc

Alexandre Ma

93-94 / 100

byAlexandre Mathe5/16/2022

Larcis Ducasse is a black pearl found in the limestone highlands, emitting a warm glow even in a cool vintage. I love the delicate expression found in the 2021 bottle. Besides the never-ending chalky tannins, it also possesses a seductive roundness. The rosy palate is exactly what I'm looking for. Even the fruit aromas are a bit plain, it still touches my heart. Larcis Ducasse??????????????????,??????????????????????2021???????????:????????????????,????????????????????????,????????,???????????

The Wine Cellar Insider

92-94 / 100

byJeff Levethe5/16/2022

Oyster shell, crushed rocks, flowers, smoke, licorice, espresso roasted cherries, and plums create the complex aromatic profile. On the palate, this is a finesse-styled vintage, medium-bodied, plummy and with a savory edge to the black cherries on the mid-palate and in the oceanic finish. The wine blends 86% Merlot with 14% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 29-October 9. Drink from 2026-2044. 92-94

Jane Anson

94 / 100

byJane Ansonthe5/13/2022

Vinous

91-93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/12/2022

The 2021 Larcis Ducasse was picked from 29 September until 11 October at a respectable 34hL/ha, representing 65% of the total production this year. It has an almost gentle, atypically understated bouquet with brambly red fruit, wilted rose petal and light undergrowth scents. The palate is linear and structured, far removed from the occasionally opulent Larcis Ducasse of warming seasons. Quite saline in the mouth, this is distinguished by a liberal sprinkling of cracked black and Spanish Padron pepper towards the finely persistent finish. Classy and full of character.

Vinous

91-93 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/11/2022

The 2021 Larcis Ducasse is a dark, brooding wine. The 2021 feels a bit pushed, something I am not used to saying about this cru. The 2021 is more power than finesse. Black fruit, leather, spice, cloves and licorice are front and center. Ultimately, the 2021 is heavy, with little of the nuance or sophistication that are typically so present here. Perhaps élevage will help. Today, Larcis is quite surprisingly underwhelming, even with the focus on core parcels that the château employed in 2021. Tasted two times.

vvwine

92-94 / 100

byAdrian Van Velsenthe5/10/2022

Kräftige Farbe und intensive, leicht rauchige Nase: Kräuterspeck, Gewürze, Pflaumen, dunkler Tabak, mit mehr Luft gesellt sich ein Aroma, das an Trockenblumen erinnert dazu, der Wein wird immer rotfruchtiger, sehr komplex. Im Gaumen kräftig, bleibt dabei elegant, die Tanninstruktur ist eindrücklich, die Frucht wirkt auf den Punkt gereift, ein Hauch von Blutorangenzesten im Finale erinnert an den schwierigen Jahrgang, doch dieser Tick Herbe macht den Wein umso spannender. Sehr gelungen. 2025-2044 (Verkostet im April 2022. UGCB/Dourthe)

Anthocyanes

94-96 / 100

byYohan Castaingthe5/6/2022

Violette, fruits frais, très beau nez complexe et élégant avec des notes de cassis et de mure à l'aération. Entrée de bouche veloutée et juteuse puis la tension et l'acidité se font jour pour offrir une très jolie empreinte calcaire et une finale aérienne et élégante. Superbe Larcis avec du fond et de la race.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byWilliam Kelleythe4/29/2022

A blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Larcis Ducasse wafts from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries, violets, warm spices and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, deep and attractively layered, with lively acids and a chalky, saline finish, this is a terrific effort. Nicolas Thienpont and his team were extremely selective this year, and the grand vin derives almost entirely from the slope, without much contribution from the plateau above.

Decanter.com

94 / 100

byGeorgina Hindlethe4/1/2022

Heady and fresh bramble fruits, herbal and savoury on the nose, some earthy tones with soft floral specks. Succulent, touching on sharp and sour, a hit of bright blackberry and blueberry and plum on the palate, searing but not unbalanced in terms of acidity. I love the gentle but bitter and stony flavour you get, it's a darker style with serious complexity on the palate and nuance of flavour. A confident wine, clearly concentrated and powerful but also sleek! A great effort. Tasted three times.