Lascombes 2022

Lascombes is a vintage over the past few decades that has shown the heat in the hottest vintages, but while this is exuberant, it is well balanced with cassis, damson, cocoa bean, fennel, liquorice bud, peony and crushed rocks. Has clearly improved over ageing, which is rare in 2022. One to watch, especially with the changes that they have in mind. Good stuff. Lawrence Wine Estates owners, with Axel Heinz director, who did the blend for this vintage, but was not at the estate during the growing season.

Score: 94

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042 06 March 2025

The 2022 Lascombes is a dark, potent Margaux. Succulent dark cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, incense and chocolate are all amplified nicely in the glass. Relatively soft contours wrap it all together. The 2022 shows a move in the direction of more energy, even in this freakishly hot, dry year. There are still some signs of the highly extracted style favored here prior to Gaylon Lawrence's acquisition of the château. Overall, though, the 2022 is impressive in that it signals a greater focus on quality through much stricter selection of what goes into the Grand Vin. Historically, Lascombes was two-thirds Grand Vin and one-third second wine, a proportion the new team has essentially inverted. Those achievements are made all the notable given that the new team arrived with the base wines essentially all vinified. This next chapter for Lascombes is going to be very interesting.

Score: 92

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042 28 January 2025

Aromas of oak, spices, overripe berries, graphite and pencil shavings stand out in this modern-styled, rather demonstrative 2022 Lascombes. Medium to full-bodied, chunky and over-extracted, the wine has a dense, rich, mouthfeel but a rather firm finish with prominent new-oak flavors. (YC)

Score: 86 - 89

William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 28 April 2023