| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
With an unbelievable nose of licorice, tapenade, black cherry and blackcurrant liqueur, as well as full body, super-sweet tannin, and astonishing richness and length, this prodigious effort in 2005 announced the resurrection of this great terroir on the slopes near Château Pavie. Dark garnet/plum/purple, this is compelling stuff and drinkable already, but capable of lasting another 25-30 years. This beauty is not to be missed! Only 3,000 cases were produced, from a blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink 2015-2045.
Tasted blind. Dark crimson with some evolution at the rim. Aromatic and attractive with some dustiness underneath. Very limpid and fluid, with the fruit preceding the tannin on the palate as it should. Lots of ambition here. Not yet ready.
Drink 2020-2040
Attractively sweet black cherry fruit aromas. Fresh and compact but smooth tannins. Juicy but not simple. Good, fresh acidity. Approachable but with a way to go. Lithe and delicious.Drink 2008-2017.Date tasted 12th Feb 08.
Ruby-red. Superripe, vibrant nose offers cherry, blueberry, blackberry, mocha and fruity dark chocolate. Rich and wonderfully fine-grained, with excellent acidity leavening the impression of superripeness and giving cut to the intense dark berry, plum and mineral flavors. Finishes very long and lush, with a fine dusting of tannins and noteworthy subtlety. With its 14.5% alcohol, this is a big boy, but its energy and balance are impressive for such an opulent wine.
Came 74th out of 184 wines
Great wine from a great plac: noble truffle scent, splendid body, refined texture, wonderful flavour supported by full and ripe tannins. The best perhaps since the legendary 1945. Drink from 2015.
This great terroir on the Cote Pavie has long been recognized as one of the most privileged spots in St.-Emilion, but it was not until the wunderkind duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt took over in 2002 that the wine finally began to live up to its potential. Old timers who remember the 1945 Larcis Ducasse will attest to how great this cuvee can be. Sadly, fewer than 3,000 cases were produced of the 2005, a blend of 78% Merlot and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc with a small dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields were a modest 27 hectoliters per hectare. This stunning effort reveals one of the most extraordinary aromatic displays of the vintage, offering up notes of sweet roasted herbs, jus du viande, black olives, espresso roast, creme de cassis, and kirsch liqueur. Extremely full-bodied, opulent, and lavishly textured with plush tannin as well as an ethereal elegance, a sublime personality, glorious sweet purity, and a layered texture, this amazing St.-Emilion is destined to become a legend. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2028.
This offering has been controversial as its price increase ranged between 300-400%, but this is a great terroir, and since the remarkable winemaking team of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt took over in 2002, Larcis Ducasse is finally showing its true colors. Located near Pavie, it possesses undeniable potential as demonstrated by the profound 2005. A 3,000-case blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon fashioned from yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare, it underwent all of the standard garagiste winemaking techniques. It is not surprising that just about all the famous estates in this neighborhood on the Cote Pavie, including Pavie and Troplong-Mondot, did unbelievably well in 2005. A dark, dense purple color is followed by an extraordinary perfume of roasted herbs, espresso, tapenade, creme de cassis, and sweet kirsch. It is a wine of sheer opulence, extravagant richness, sweet tannin, and an amazingly layered texture as well as length. A blockbuster with superb elegance, finesse, and precision, it represents an exceptional achievement. Kudos to everyone involved for turning out this modern day legend. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2030.
Two wines you can't afford to miss...are Larcis Ducasse and Troplong-Mondot.
The most profound wine made at this great terroir since the 1945, 2005 is the wine fans of this estate have been waiting for for decades. The brilliant partnership of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt, which began managing Larcis Ducasse in 2002, has hit a home run, producing a prodigious St.-Emilion of legendary proportions. This blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon receives malolactic in barrel and aging on its lees for 7-10 months. Displaying the type of complexity that can only come from the finest vineyards, it boasts a big, spicy, cedar, grilled herb, pot roast, sweet currant, kirsch liqueur, plum, and blackberry-scented bouquet. The wine is full-bodied and velvety-textured, with superb definition, freshness, and intensity as well as a sense of lightness. This immortal effort is one of the monuments of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.
Incredible flowers, crushed berries and light spices. Full-bodied and massive, with incredible fruit and ripe tannins. Goes on and on. Mouthpuckering, but also super fruit. Fantastic.
