Chateau Lascombes 2005

Château Lascombes, 2eme Cru Classe, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2005 

Grapes: A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot & 3% Petit Verdot, 120ha vineyard on a combination of gravel, clay/gravel & clay/limestone soils, aged 18-20 months in French oak barrels

Producer Tasting Note:

Nose: On swirling the glass, the wine reveals a subtle nose of spices, black fruits and liquorice, all enveloped in fine, toasted notes and roasted coffee bean aromas.

Palate: The palate, following a smooth entry, is explosive, while the discreet oak only comes through in the background, leaving the fruit to come to the fore.

The 2005 vintage is constructed around a perfect balance of freshness, power, roundness and suaveness, while very classy tannins add the ideal finishing touch. Château Lascombes 2005 is a wine of extraordinary opulence.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"A gorgeous example of Lascombes, the 2005, a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, continues the remarkable turn-around in quality that began five years ago. A stunningly opulent wine with a dense purple color, the 2005 possesses a beautiful perfume of spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creosote, and graphite, full body, silky but noticeable tannins, a layered mouthfeel, and a stunning, 45+-second finish. This is a brilliant, modern-styled Margaux that should age for 30-35 years."

95/100 points, Robert Parker, robertparker.com, April 2008

"Pungent aromas of vanilla, blackberry, blueberry, licorice, black cherry and espresso. Thick, rich, dense, lush and polished, this powerful, fruit filled Margaux wine demands up to a decade to shed its oak dominated personality."

92/100 points, Jeff leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, July 2011