2017 Larcis Ducasse, St-Emilion (Pre-Arrival)

This is a wine that is showing lots of structure with tightly wound tannins that spin through the center palate. Full-bodied, intense and beautiful. Pure and real. (1/2020)

The 2017 Larcis Ducasse is just as compelling from bottle as it was from barrel. Pliant and deep, with terrific fruit purity, Larcis possesses striking fruit purity and tons of resonance. Red cherry, blood orange, pomegranate, mint, spice, licorice and mocha infuse the 2017 with striking complexity as well as nuance. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. Larcis is never one of the most obvious wines in Saint-Émilion, but it is often among the most regal. Best of all, Larcis remains one of the best values anywhere in the world. (AG) (3/2020)

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Larcis Ducasse (a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc) has a very enticing nose of kirsch, warm blackberries, baked plums and wild blueberries with hints of pencil lead, tar, tilled soil and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with great poise and subtlety, offering bright, energetic fruit and loads of minerally sparks, finishing with great length. (LPB) (3/2020)

I always love this wine and the 2017 Chateau Larcis Ducasse is no exception. Offering up a complex bouquet of spiced red and black fruits, white truffle, smoked game, and hints of underbrush, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and present yet ripe, polished tannins as well as subtle background oak. It's not a blockbuster like the 2015 and 2016 but has a terrific sense of minerality, flawless balance, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 15-20 years or so. The blend is 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc and was brought up in 60% new barrels. (2/2020)

This wine is fruity, soft and rounded. With attractive acidity and some firm tannins in the background, it has enough structure to allow it to age. The core of the wine is dry with a ripe surround. Drink from 2023. (RV) (4/2018)

Refined and focused, with a core of gently mulled plum and dark cherry fruit flavors, laced with rooibos tea, incense and red licorice notes. Shows a light bramble hint through the finish. Stylish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. (JM) (3/2020)

91 points Neal Martin for Vinous: "The 2017 Larcis Ducasse was picked from 18 September until 2 October. It has a very well defined bouquet with tightly wound black cherries, raspberry and bilberry fruit, touches of iodine developing in the glass, comparatively intense for a 2017 vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, but just missing that "spark" that would elevate it higher. It has fine density and gentle grip with touches of brown spice and mint towards the finish. It closes in rather "serious" fashion with moderate length. Tasted at the Larcis Ducasse vertical in Bordeaux." (02/2020)