Chateau Lascombes 2004

Good bright ruby. Classic Lascombe nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, floral coffee, mocha, chocolate and game. The palate reflects the same, but the finish is sweet, dense, and lush, with plenty of acidity that gives the wine shape and structure. They are relatively concentrated for 2004. There are some rigidities, but they are classic—medium finish. Scores are OK. Parker et al. think quite highly of the wine.

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Another brilliant effort from this estate, the 2004 Lascombes (a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot) exhibits a deep blue/purple hue along with a sweet perfume of blueberries, black raspberries, cherries, incense, smoke, and spring flowers. While abundant, underneath the full-bodied richness of fruit and depth is a structured wine. As it sits in the glass, an espresso roast character (no doubt from new oak) also emerges. (RP) (6/2007)

A significantly updated tasting is from Jane Anson, who wrote about the Vibrant plum purple colour, the plenty of structure and tannic despite it having approached 20 years old, and you can see at this point that a more muscular style of Lascombes was being produced compared to the earlier decades of this vertical. Silky texture, blueberry, pie crust, liquorice root, mint leaf, soot, cocoa bean, with pockets of air that carry you through the palate. It is an enjoyable example of an often-overlooked vintage. 44hl/h yield, harvest October 1 to 25, 85% new oak for ageing, still Oxoline with ageing on the lees. Dominique Befve is the director, and Alain Raynaud and Michel Rolland are the consultant winemakers.  (10/2023).

So the news that Lawrence Wine Estates has bought Château Lascombes from previous owners Mutuelle d'Assurance du Corps de Santé Français (MACSF, due to continuing as minority partners) has created headlines the world over, and plenty of nervous anticipation within Bordeaux as is always the case when these prized estates ...