Larcis Ducasse - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2021

Vinous

94

par Antonio Galloni le 02/04/2024

The 2021 Larcis Ducasse has turned out better than I expected. It is a shy, introverted Larcis built along super-classic lines—the sort of Saint-Émilion that will emerge only with a number of years in bottle. Spice, tobacco, cedar, menthol, licorice and d

Vinous

94

par Antonio Galloni le 28/02/2024

The 2021 Larcis Ducasse has turned out better than I expected. It is a shy, introverted Larcis built along super-classic lines—the sort of Saint-Émilion that will emerge only with a number of years in bottle. Spice, tobacco, cedar, menthol, licorice and dried herbs all build effortlessly in the glass. This is such a classy, elegant wine. Tasted three times.

Wine Advocate

91

par William Kelley le 22/02/2024

Offering up exotic aromas of minty blackberries and cherries mingled with dark chocolate, confit orange and melted asphalt, the 2021 Larcis Ducasse is medium to full-bodied, with a rich and creamy palate framed by powdery tannins. It's unusually sweet and unctuous for the vintage and concludes with a discreetly herbal finish. Maturation in wood, now featuring some foudres and 500-liter barrels in addition to barriques, lasted until April, with bottling just over three months later.

Jamessuckling.com

96

par James Suckling le 22/02/2024

N°67 TOP 100 JS FRANCE
Very complex and subtle with cedar, dried herb, green tobacco, berry and lavender aromas that follow through to a medium body, with ultra-fine tannins that give a sophistication and beauty to the wine, especially from this vintage. 86% merlot and 14% cabernet franc. Drink after 2027.

Wine Spectator

91

par James Molesworth le 22/02/2024

Offers red currant and damson plum notes lined with savory accents throughout, while light chalk and potpourri hints underscore the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 2,400 cases made.  –JM

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

94

par Jane Anson le 07/12/2023

A ton of spice on the opening beats, focused on cloves, black pepper, Sichuan pepper, raspberry leaf, oyster shell and crushed rocks. A little austere, still closed down at this stage, but with exceptional verticality and careful architecture on display. 34hl/h yield, 65% 1st wine a little less than usual, 50% new oak. Harvest September 29 to October 11.

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

par James Suckling le 08/06/2022

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

par Jeb Dunnuck le 02/06/2022

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

par Bettane & Desseauve le 24/05/2022

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

par Andrew Caillard MW le 17/05/2022

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

par Alexandre Ma le 16/05/2022

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

par Jeff Leve le 16/05/2022

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, Inside Bordeaux

94

par Jane Anson le 13/05/2022

Vinous

91-93

par Neal Martin le 12/05/2022

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

par Antonio Galloni le 11/05/2022

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

par Adrian Van Velsen le 10/05/2022

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

par Yohan Castaing le 06/05/2022

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

par William Kelley le 29/04/2022

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

par Georgina Hindle le 01/04/2022

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.