2015 Larcis Ducasse (St-Emilion)

The 2015 Larcis-Ducasse is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet France, picked between 28 September and 10 October, 7-13 October respectively. Cropped at 37 hl/ha it is being matured in 500-liter barrels. It has an intense nose of raspberry preserve, boysenberries and an almost honeyed-like richness that thankfully retains freshness and delineation, when it could have been over-powering. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, a little grainy in texture, very well-balanced and graceful, gently building to a convincing, quite minerally, blackberry and wild strawberry finish. There is superb terroir expression here, an excellent Larcis-Ducasse that should offer 3-4 decades of drinking pleasure. 94-96 points

87% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc. Maturity of the fruit balanced by the limestone terroir. Ripe, dark fruit aroma and flavour – raisins and blackcurrant. The palate tight and firm with good tension and length. Affirmative in style. Slightly chewy finish. 93 points