2022 Château Larcis Ducasse Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé

The 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé is a powerful yet finely etched Right Bank Bordeaux from one of the appellation’s most coveted limestone slopes. This vintage captures the richness of the warm 2022 growing season while preserving a striking freshness and precision. A Premier Grand Cru Classé estate since 2012, Larcis Ducasse has become a reference point for those seeking Saint-Émilion that marries depth, energy, and terroir transparency.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse shows a deep, opaque ruby-purple hue, with a vivid rim that hints at its youthful intensity. The nose is layered and expressive: ripe black cherry, wild blackberry, and plum compote are interwoven with notes of violets, graphite, crushed stone, and subtle hints of licorice, cocoa, and fine cedar from its élevage in oak. As it opens, more nuanced aromas of fresh herbs, tobacco leaf, and warm earth reveal the wine’s limestone origins. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and concentrated, yet beautifully poised. A core of succulent black and blue fruits is framed by silky, refined tannins and a vibrant line of acidity that keeps the wine lifted and energetic despite its richness. The finish is long, saline, and mineral-driven, with lingering notes of dark berries, spice, and wet stone. This is a structured, age-worthy Saint-Émilion that will benefit from time in bottle; it should start to show its full charm after 5–7 years and has the potential to evolve gracefully for 15–20 years or more in a good cellar.

Production
Château Larcis Ducasse is perched on one of Saint-Émilion’s finest terroirs, a south-facing hillside where limestone and clay-limestone soils provide excellent drainage and natural freshness, even in warm vintages like 2022. The vineyard is dominated by Merlot with a significant proportion of Cabernet Franc, all farmed with meticulous care and harvested by hand parcel by parcel at optimal ripeness. In the cellar, the grapes are carefully sorted, then fermented in temperature-controlled vats to preserve purity of fruit and capture the nuances of each parcel. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels, with a significant but well-judged proportion of new oak, allowing the texture to polish and the complex aromatics to integrate without overwhelming the character of the fruit or the limestone-driven minerality.

Food & Serving
The 2022 Larcis Ducasse is a natural partner for refined yet flavorful dishes: think roast lamb with herbs, beef tenderloin, duck breast, or veal with truffle jus. It also shines alongside richer poultry dishes, game birds, wild mushrooms, and aged hard cheeses like Comté or mature Gouda. For optimal enjoyment, serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F). In its youth, decanting for 1.5–2 hours will help the wine open up and soften the structure; as it matures, a gentle 30–60 minute decant will be sufficient to let the aromatics fully unfold.

Producer
Château Larcis Ducasse has deep roots in Saint-Émilion, with a viticultural history that stretches back several centuries on the same exceptional hillside. Long recognized by insiders for its great terroir, the estate’s modern renaissance began under the guidance of the Gratiot family, with the highly regarded team of Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt helping to elevate quality dramatically. In 2012, Larcis Ducasse was promoted to the prestigious rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé, confirming its status among the elite producers of Saint-Émilion. Today, the château is celebrated for crafting wines that combine power and finesse, consistently reflecting the distinct character of its limestone slopes and contributing significantly to the reputation of the Right Bank’s great grands crus.

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