2021 Ch Lascombes 2ème Cru, Margaux

The 2021 Château Lascombes is a darker, rich Margaux revealing some firm tannins yet good mid-palate depth and richness. Ripe blue fruits, a touch of chocolaty oak, medium-bodied richness, and good balance all define this solid, classic Lascombes that will round into form over the course of its élevage and, I suspect, drink well for two decades or more.

90-92 points Jeb Dunnuck jebdunnuck.com

Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, dark plum fruits with cedar/ brambly noes. Velvety smooth with attractive blackcurrant, dark plum, chinotto flavours, fine loose-knit grainy/ al dente textures and underlying vanilla oak. Builds up firm with crunchy fruit notes. Should develop very well. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 5% petit verdot. 18 months in 60% new French oak. 13.5% alc

93-94 points Andrew Caillard MW

The 2021 Lascombes is a successful effort in a rather more punchy, modern style, opening in the glass with aromas of berries and plums mingled with notions of sweet spices, loamy soil and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and youthfully firm, it's deep and extracted, with plenty of ripe, powdery tannin that asserts itself on the finish.

With fully 120 hectares under vine in the commune of Margaux, Lascombes is a large estate, and the big news is that a new winery has just been completed and is soon to be unveiled, with 43 fermentation vats. Winemaking is rather modern, the fruit passing through a cold tunnel after sorting and seeing a cold soak before alcoholic fermentation. Around 80% of the grand vin goes through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and the barrels are rolled twice a week until March to reintroduce the lees into suspension. In the vineyards, there's 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, and the elevated percentage of Merlot is partly explained by the fact that many of Lascombes's holdings are to be found on clay-limestone terroirs better adapted to this cépage. Lascombes is a rather extracted wine, carrying a lavish patina of creamy new oak, which will naturally tend to polarize opinion, but it is a very well rendered example of its style, and the 2021 is likely to surprise with a bit of bottle age.

89-91 points William Kelley robertparker.com

Dark chocolate covered black cherries on the nose, so appealing. This is scrumptious; the combination of cool, crunchy fruit with ripe, plush tannins and generous acidity. I love the lifted nature, the sweet fruit aspects and the chalky, wet stone element to the tannins which coats the mouth. Feels precise and well worked. Lovely stuff. Tasted twice.

Drinking Window 2025 - 2038

91 points Georgie Hindle decanter.com

The 2021 Lascombes is a dense plush Margaux but also not quite as pushed as in the past. That's a good thing. A burst of ink blue purplish fruit chocolate leather licorice and mocha are front and centre. As always Lascombes is a pretty flamboyant wine but it is also very nicely done. There is plenty to admire. Tasted two times.

92-94 points AG vinous.com

A juicy young red with currant and blackberry aromas and flavors. Some crushed stone and spice, too. Medium-bodied with juicy tannins and a round-tannined finish. Attractive fruit character.

93-94 points jamessuckling.com

Well worked, a good balance of fruit and acidity, smoky, vanilla bean, liqourice root and cocoa bean. Overall this has high acidity translated into a bright freshness, with appellation signature. 41hl/h yield, 60% new oak

91 points Jane Anson janeanson.com