CHÂTEAU LARCIS DUCASSE
2022 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
86% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc. 75% new oak. 14.5% alc. Goodness me this is a very oaky wine and with the punchy levels of alcohol in this vintage, this is a combative wine. I would prefer a longer and more even finish and more overall balance because it feels like a massive set of shoulders on a tiny waist, but if you are able to wait for the raucous tannins to calm down, this might just end up being a very flashy wine. You will have to have a high level of oak tolerance regardless. Rating: 16.5++? Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2023)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
With its intense colour, this 2022 shows exceptional density that is admirably held in check by a singularly fresh feeling. A tightly knit structure comes in handy to contain its bounding power. This clearly has good ageing capacity and will gradually soften. Rating: 95-96 La Revue du Vin de France (May 2023)
This is 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc, the former picked from September 13th to the 21st, the latter on the 21st and 23rd. The yield was a handsome 34 hl/ha, of which 75% has gone into the grand vin. It opens with a nose which is dark, smoky and perfumed, with fine-grained currant and cherry skins. The palate feels very cohesive, with a very complete presence of gripped blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, showing beautiful harmony and integration, showing how well Merlot can cope on these terroirs even in warmer years. It all comes perfumed with lavender and iris petals, with a rich underbelly of tightly wrapped tannin, leading to a finish of dark, smoky and smouldering tannic grip. Long and savoury, and frankly mouth-watering, and laden with tannin, this is an impressive 2022 sample, filled with potential. Very fine, dark and savoury. The alcohol is 14.5%. Tasted twice. Rating: 94-96 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (May 2023)
86% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Lifted, red-berry aromas with a touch of spice. Generous fruit fills the mid palate with plentiful tannins behind. No lack of matière. Big, chewy tannic base. Slight glow of alcohol on the finish. Promising but needs to come together. (JL) Drinking range: 2030 - 2047 Rating: 16.5+ James Lawther MW, decanter.com (May 2023)
This is really precise with a lazer-guided fine tannin structure throughout the wine, and juicy and electric texture. It’s so refined and polished. Endless. Wonderful young wine with a terrific future. Rating: 98-99 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
A fleshy, opulent wine, the 2022 Larcis Ducasse bursts with aromas of rich, creamy berry fruit mingled with aromas of licorice, bay leaf and spices. Full-bodied, broad and enveloping, it's a textural, layered wine with a ripe core of fruit, supple tannins and an expansive finish. More dramatic and unabashed than the 2020, this will appeal to readers who place a premium on flamboyant extravagance; but samples tasted later during my visit to Bordeaux exhibited greater freshness and precision. Rating: 94-95 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)
You feel the fingerprint of the limestone here, from a team that is never afraid of austerity in a young wine is young. It opens to show creamy black and red fruits, with steely acidity that keeps the ripeness in check. 34hl/h yield, 50% new oak and for the rest 500l casks for ageing. Drinking range: 2030 - 2042 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2023)
Château Larcis Ducasse
At the south-eastern extremes of the St Emilion plateau, the steeper hillsides crowned by Château Troplong Mondot are known as the Côte de Pavie and play host to some of St Emilion’s most exciting vineyards. Not least among them are the various Pavie châteaux, but this is also home to Château Larcis Ducasse. The Larcis name seems to have been used for a wider area of vineyard on the Côte, a lot of which is now part of Château Pavie, whilst the Ducasse comes from a one-time owner, one of several Duscasses to have made a mark in Bordeaux. Henri Raba purchased Château Larcis Ducasse in 1893 and the estate is still owned by his descendants today. Since 2002, Larcisse Ducasse has been managed by Nicolas Thienpont, who also manages Pavie-Macquin, and whose family are intimately woven into the fabric of modern St Emilion; he has been notably assisted by another St Emilion superstar Stéphane Derenencourt. The 11ha of vineyard are planted with 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, with an average age of 35 years. The on-going success of Château Larcis Ducasse, and the quality of its terroir, was rewarded with the status of Premier Grand Cru Classé (B) status in the 2012 St Emilion Classification.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.