Larcis-Ducasse St-Émilion 2019

98 points James Suckling: "Baked-plum aromas., together with candied spices, earth, tobacco and light coffee, following through to a full body with firm yet polished tannins and a fresh, vivid finish. It really builds and shows loads of structure and intensity. Give it time to soften slightly, but the flavors and texture are already balanced and sophisticated. Classic style to this. The palate really builds. Try after 2026. (11/29/21)"

97 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "Composed of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Larcis Ducasse is a deep garnet-purple color. It prances out with open-knit, flamboyant scents of crushed blueberries, preserved plums, kirsch, and Christmas cake, leading to wafts of candied violets, jasmine tea, crushed rocks, and iron ore. The full-bodied palate shimmers with energetic black and blue fruits, supported by velvety tannins and perfectly judged freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Alcohol 14.5%. Drink: 2027-2057. (9/28/22)"

96+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2019 Larcis Ducasse is magnificent. Deep and beautifully layered, the 2019 offers tons of youthful resonance wrapped into a super-classic frame. There is a feeling of translucence here that is so beguiling. Sweet dark cherry, tobacco, cedar, menthol and dried flowers are some of the many aromas and flavors that take shape over time. Regal and refined, with an elegant, polished finish, Larcis is magnificent in 2019. Aging in equal parts barrique and 500L tonneaux (which are rare in Bordeaux) helps preserve vibrancy. Larcis Ducasse might be the single most under the radar wine in all of Bordeaux! Drink: 2029-2059. (Feb 2022)"

96 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "The 2019 from Nicolas Thienpont and David Suire is a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, aged for up to 18 months in barrels, including demi-muids, with about 50% new oak overall. Aromatically it is dark and brooding, very typical for Larcis Ducasse, a swirling morass of decadently dark macerated cherry, liquorice and toasted oak, nuanced with savoury black olive and essence of black violet. The impact on the palate is no less convincing, with a plush and integrated style, broad and seamless, with dark and savoury peppered fruits filling it out. An impressive composition here, the finish no less dark and savoury than the midpalate, here infused with a structure of ripe tannins. Top-notch work from the team here. The declared alcohol is 14.5%. (Dec 2021)"

96 points La Revue du Vin de France (2022).

95 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The 2019 Larcis Ducasse has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries, burning embers, spices and licorice. Full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit, ripe tannins and succulent acids, it's a giving, generous wine that's softer and rounder than Pavie Macquin, its stablemate. This beautiful vineyard, managed by Nicolas Thienpont, is located on the limestone slopes of Saint-Émilion, sandwiched between Pavie and Bellefont-Belcier. Drink: 2023-2049. (Apr 2022)"

95 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc). Extreme in all the right ways - in the verticality, the salinity, the density, the forward motion and the stretching out through the palate. But it is also mouthwatering and drinkable, with a ton of blueberry and raspberry puree fruits alongside still austere tannins. Love it. Owned by the Gratiot-Attmane family, made by the Nicolas Thienpont team. 38.5hl/ha yield. Alcohol 14%. Drink: 2027-2044. (11/3/21)"

94 points Wine Spectator: "Lushly layered with dark plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors, this is inlaid with singed alder and licorice root notes. Sports a burst of tobacco and warm earth hints through the finish, all while the fruit keeps pace. A lingering echo of violet is a sign of some buried purity as well. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. (3/31/22)"

94 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "Coffee and liquorice on the nose with some dark chocolate and black cherries. Wow, a deep, dark style here, majoring on liquorice but just gently spicy and quite savoury with some truffle and cedar notes. Really well defined, this has a lovely precision to it - you can feel the polish. Tannins are quite mouth filling and this feels like a fairly serious wine with so much potential. Potent is the word, with such a long lasting flavour. Needs time to come around but will be excellent. Drinking Window: 2025-2038. (Jan 2022)"

94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Moving to the Grand Vin, the 2019 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a deep ruby/plum color as well as a reserved bouquet of ripe black cherries, leafy tobacco, graphite, and damp earth. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, with clean, ripe tannins, it's holding things relatively close to its vest and is going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age. I don't see it matching the greats from this estate, but it's a beautiful wine. The blend is 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, and there are just under 3,000 cases produced. Drink: 2027+. (4/11/22)"