2025 Château Larcis-Ducasse

The 2025 Larcis Ducasse is another exceptional wine from one of the most under-the-radar estates in Saint-Émilion. Dark red-fleshed fruits, rose petal, lavender, mocha, licorice, sage and graphite are all seamless in the glass. The 2025 marries power with finesse to a degree that is exceptionally rare. Lively acids and lifted floral overtones brighten the long, resonant finish. The 2025 spent 23-24 days on skins, a bit shorter than most years. Élevage takes place in 40% French oak barrels, 40% 500-liter barrels and 20% 25-hectoliter foudre. Wines from clay-based soils tend to be raised in barrique to soften them, while wines from limestone-rich soils are naturally more delicate and typically aged in larger-format wood. Larcis was one of the first properties in Bordeaux to introduce large-format wood, a choice that works so well for this site and these wines. This is a stellar effort from Technical Director David Suire, who has been at the helm since 2022. Tasted three times. 
- Antonio Galloni (04/2026)

Well composed, balanced, seductive and vivid. Medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Well shaped, with an inspired and focus mid-palate. Flavorful and lingering finish. (04/2026)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Larcis Ducasse prances out of the glass with showy notes of ripe, juicy plums, blueberry pie, and crushed black cherries, giving way to hints of violets, sassafras, and sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate is bright and juicy with great tension and firm yet velvety tannins, finishing long and perfumed. Impressive! The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc with an alcohol of 13.8%. (04/2026)

Matured 40% in barrels (50% new), 45% in large-format barrels (also 50% new) and the balance in foudres, the 2025 Larcis Ducasse reveals an elegant, vibrant and gourmand bouquet of violet, dark berries, dark cherries and flowers, accented by delicate spicy notes. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and seamless, it’s built around a ripe—yet not overripe—core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a floral, harmonious and ethereal finish. This is a pure expression of Larcis Ducasse and one of the most accomplished renditions produced here to date. 
- Yohan Castaing (04/2026)