Updated: Aug 25, 2024
Chateau Lascombes, the mighty modern Margaux Cru known for balanced and delicate wines, has a beautiful deep ruby colour with a narrow and light pink rim. This 2016 has violet notes of ripe red fruits and vanilla oak on the still-raw nose. The highly extracted palate is spice, sweet vanilla from the toasty oak, black cherry fruit, and a hint of cigar box, mint and spice. Inky, medium on the palate with intensity and concentration of fresh ripe fruit. The blend in 2016, 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, from a yield of 45hl/ha, contributes to the wine's unique character and flavour profile.
Tannic and woody, it recalls elements of 2015 I tasted: the structure is dense and firm and will age nicely for another decade. However, judging from the tastings, it has less potential than 2015 and is undoubtedly more enjoyable in the immediate (within the next 2-3 years) and intermediate terms (within the next 5-7 years).
The scores speak for themselves: JS95, RP94+. Compared to 2015, this 2016 vintage exudes a more natural and age-worthy essence. Anson has even hailed it as a worthy successor to the 2015, with an added layer of deep black pepper and cinnamon spicing. While the tannins may be tight, the clear oak structure instils confidence in its potential for ageing. However, JR's critique of its modernity, with its sweet oak and concentrated fruit, is worth noting.
Updated: May 23, 2024
The 2015 Langoa Barton wine presents a deep, ruby colour with a tight rim. It is fresh, balanced, and clean on the nose, with an intense red fruit bouquet complemented by hints of sous-bois and tobacco. The texture is fleshy and friendly, with a slight spiciness. The tannins are present, but they don't overpower the palate, which is chalky and silky. The finish is long and tense, with the tannins coming through in the medium-bodied palate and the flavours and fruits lingering in the background. The finish is chalky and spicy, resulting from the 54% Cabernet Sauvignon blend, 38% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc, three weeks of ageing, and 60% new oak. Overall, it is a wine that leans towards Pauillac, particularly in the finish, making it a unique and exciting choice for wine enthusiasts.
The 2015 Langoa Barton wine has consistently scored high, from 93 to 94. These scores, a testament to its quality, will resonate with wine enthusiasts and potential buyers alike.
Rated RP93, The 2015 Langoa Barton wine is a testament to the art of winemaking. It boasts a precise, understated, focused bouquet of pure blackberry and wild strawberry fruit with a hint of graphite and crushed stone. As it matures, it becomes more floral, revealing incense and a touch of lavender. The medium-bodied palate offers supple tannin and beautiful, irresistible black fruit. This is a silky-smooth and velvety wine with a sensual and persistent finish. It can be enjoyed now, although its true potential shines with time in a bottle. This is another Saint-Julien that has improved over the last year and was blind-tasted at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting, a testament to its quality and ageing potential.
JS94. This 2015 is Layered and juicy, with currants, light chocolate, and cedar character. It’s full-bodied, round-textured, and very pretty. It's extremely long and flavorful. It's so friendly and bright. Drink or hold. Edited.
JD94. At seven years old, I was still majoring in primary fruit aromatics. The tannins and structure are precision and silky, which means the black cherry and raspberry fruits remain taut and almost austere at first before deepening out through the mid-palate, gathering together richer nuances of oyster shell, cocoa bean, and espresso. The great texture and depth of expression will benefit from another 3 to 5 years in a bottle—70% new oak. Edited.
The wines were lighter than expected for the reds without the heavy structure required for long-term aging. As a result, they are relatively for early drinking, which is about the right time now. However, some excellent examples were still with the best exhibiting plush forest fruit, ripe tannins and well-balanced acidity. While it is true that all wines tended to lack body and ripe fruit while staying incredibly tannic, the wines we selected here are relatively bodied by a higher merlot content(for example, Cantemerle, Giscours, La Lagfne, Malescote St Eupery, Montrose and Pontet Canet) than usual.
The 2007 vintage was not spectacular for Bordeaux, but some good wines were still made, especially regarding the top Cabernet of the Left Bank. However, even the best wines were hard-pushed to deliver at the prices they were initially asking. Most wines will likely be near their best; the very best may be drinking well now. They are of great value.
