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Chateau Lascombes

Over the years I have had quite a few encounters with Chateau Lascombes, largely with vintages from the Bass Charrington era, when I would think there would be few who would argue that Lascombes was putting in a remarkably lacklustre effort. In fact, this may well have been the most underperforming property of the Médoc, originally classed as a deuxième cru, and yet behaving like nothing of the sort. There are underperforming chateau throughout Bordeaux, of course, but perhaps none with the prestigious ranking of Lascombes. This was an estate ripe for change, and in 2001 it came in the shape of Colony Capital. And yet some might say that's when the trouble really began.

The Lascombes estate has its origins in at least the 17th Century, when the property was owned by the Durfort de Duras family. The family held sway over huge swathes of land in the Médoc (and had done since the 12th Century), and this particular part of their estate was no back garden. At some point before the mid-18th Century by which time the two estates were clearly separate entities, the Duras property was divided, one part being the origin for Durfort-Vivens, the other destined to be Lascombes. The name most probably comes from the Lascombes family, the earliest record of which concerns a Chevalier Antoine de Lascombes, who was born in the region in 1625. The estate came to Antoine from the Duras family, although the exact route of transfer is not clear, and it remained with his descendants for at least a century thereafter. It passed through the hands of Jean-François de Lascombes, a local councillor and naval prosecutor, who was succeeded by his sister, Anne, who had no heir and as a consequence she was the last Lascombes to own the family estate.

Shortly after the Revolution Lascombes then passed into the hands of Nathaniel Johnston, the négociant firm established by the Scottish-Irish immigrant William Johnston, before quickly coming to a gentleman named Fabre, then another by the name of Loraique who held tenure during the 1820s. His heirs subsequently sold the estate to the Hüé family, who at least paid the estate some attention, with fresh investment in the vineyard. Despite passing from pillar to post, and a significant reduction in the size of the vineyard, the estate still enjoyed a good reputation and was classified as a deuxième cru in the 1855 classification. Nevertheless, Lascombes continued to pass from one owner to the next like a hot potato; Hüé's son-in-law took over, and he then sold it on to Gustave Chaix-d'Est-Ange, who bequeathed it to his children Jean-Jules Théophile and Jeanne-Marie. The former was a lawyer of great repute, having won a significant case against Egypt over the Suez Canal, and it is perhaps unsurprising that he was an absentee landlord, the estate managed in his absence by a M. Valbord Hugen. Nevertheless, it was Jean-Jules that built the chateau that still stands today, now covered in ivy. He also saw fit to expand his estate, acquiring the neighbouring Marquis d'Alesme-Becker, his intention being to amalgamate the two estates. But Jean-Jules died in 1923 before this was achieved, and his successor, the adopted Comte Emmanuel du Bourg du Bazas, sold Alesme-Becker to Chaplin & Co. Lascombes, however, he held onto, for a few years at least. In 1926 the estate was formed into a company, the major shareholders being the Ginestets. They owned the estate throughout the Second World War, in the latter stages of which it was utilised by Allied forces as a headquarters. But the vineyard remained tiny, and fragmented. It may well have floundered altogether - it would not be the only classed growth from the 1855 classification to disappear had it done so - but rescue came in the shape of Alexis Lichine, who purchased the estate in 1951, only one year after acquiring Chateau Prieuré-Lichine. In doing so, Lichine had fulfilled a lifelong ambition (for the second time with Lascombes), to own a Bordeaux chateaux.

The Lichine years were ones of revitalisation for both Prieuré and Lascombes. With his consortium of American backers he had the financial wherewithal to turn around both properties, acquiring land to expand the vineyard. There was certainly an improvement at Lascombes, although that is not to say the wines were offering a serious challenge to their peers. There was still much more room for improvement, although sadly for Lichine he did not get to see this through at Lascombes. In 1971 the backing company, who were the true owners rather than Lichine, was taken over by the brewing giant Bass Charrington, and the Lichine era came to an end. Bass Charrington continued his work, however, enlarging the vineyard, although generally through the acquisition of distant plots (some unfortunately of questionable quality, and bearing young vines), adding to the patchwork quilt that was the Lascombes vineyards. There was refurbishment in the cellars also, with a new reception room, and a new system of stainless steel pipes for the transport of the must, powered by compressed air. And there were also new fermentation vats installed. Nevertheless, there was no stratospheric climb in quality, and I regard the wines of the era as ones that should certainly be approached with at least a modicum of caution. In 1985 Bass Charrington appointed René Vannetelle, who would perhaps offer some hope; he certainly added direction into the Lascombes equation, and it was not long before there was a new chai installed at his behest, and he paid much-needed attention to the vines, sorting out the lesser plots from the better. He delineated the vineyards, using the high quality fruit from around the chateau and on the gravel croupes for the grand vin, rejected the fruit from the lesser, more recently acquired plots.

But it was in 2001 that the Lascombes that we know today came into being.

In that year, a controlling 53% stake in the estate was purchased by an American pension fund group Capital Colony, in unison with entrepreneur Yves Vatelot, for the tidy sum of $67 million, and the new owners were set to really shake things up at Lascombes. They installed Alain Reynaud, of the family that owned La Croix de Gay, a onetime physician and former president of the Union des Grands Crus, and now a Bordeaux proprietor (at Chateau Quinault) and Parker favourite. Raynaud didn't shy away from the challenge. It was a struggle to turn things around so quickly, but naturally the investors demanded quick returns. The general manager was unhelpful, and was fired, being replaced by Dominique Befve. There was a need for oenologist; who else should they turn to but Michel Rolland? There was change, but would it all be for the better?

The vineyard at Lascombes is 84 hectares in all, although not all of sterling quality. The vines are 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet and 5% Petit Verdot, with an average age of 35 years, planted on 101-14, Riparia and 3309C rootstock, and pruned in a Double-Guyot fashion that is typical of Bordeaux. The varieties planted are dictated by the terroir, which is a mix of clay-limestone and gravel, the former better for Merlot and the latter for the two Cabernets. They are planted at a density of 8000-10000 vines/ha, and harvested by hand, the eventual yield being radically reduced under the new management. The fruit is sorted and destemmed, lightly pressed and macerated whilst cooled by the addition of dry ice. The must then goes for fermentation in the chai, in a mix of French oak and stainless steel vats, temperature controlled to maintain a steady 28ºC, followed by a further maceration at 30ºC, the wine resting on the skins with daily tasting to judge at which point to run it into barrels. When ready, the wine goes by gravity feed into French oak which may be up to 100% new for the grand vin, Chateau Lascombes, and even 100% (but usually less) for the second wine, Chevalier des Lascombes, in select vintages. During the élevage the barrels are rotated on an Oxoline rack in order to keep the lees in suspension, rather than the more usual batonnage that might be expected. This is frequent at first, then less so; there follows regular racking and a fining with egg white prior to bottling.

The new Lascombes received a mixed reception. It was the 2001 (aged in 100% new oak) vintage that marked the change from the old to the new, the wines being presented for the first time at the annual Union des Grands Crus tastings the following year. Some, such as Michel Bettane, are reported to have heaped effusive praise upon the richer and revitalised style, whereas others seemed close to horrified. Steven Spurrier, writing for Decanter, decried its atypicity, its lack of resemblance to his Margaux benchmarks, and marked it down. Fellow proprietors gave a similarly variable array of responses. One, with whom I was in conversation very recently, described the first few vintages of the Capital Colony era as 'all over the place', showing a wild oscillation in the character of the wine from one vintage to the next. Perhaps this inconsistency reflected a need for the team to knit together, and try to find just what they wanted their wine to be? It has certainly been a meteoric rise in quality, perhaps the search for a consistent character takes a little longer? Having tasted very recent vintages, however, I personally have rather an admiration of the more recent wines. I approached both the 2003 (36 hl/ha, 80% new oak) and 2004 (44 hl/ha, 100% new oak) with a hesitant affect; how would I find the new Lascombes? The answer; with more typicité than I would have expected given the criticism meted out towards the earlier vintages, intertwined with a rich, deep texture. The 2004 in particular has a quintessential Margaux style, perfumed and almost seductive, and has the edge on the 2003, although that is also of very good quality. I walked away from the former wine shaking my head; these are the wines I am supposed to despise, for their lack of Margaux style, for their loss of elegance, for their lack of typicité. I couldn't see it, not in the 2004 at least, which is an unquestionable success. Other vintages since the takeover remain to be tasted - I have some 2001 put away for just that reason, but have not yet had the opportunity to open it. With a rich, chocolatey, 100% new oak style for their first vintage, I suspect it will be best left in the cellar for some considerable time, anyway. (14/2/07)

Contact details:
Address: Chateau Lascombes, 33460 Margaux
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 88 97 43
Fax +33 (0) 5 57 88 33 28
Internet: www.chateau-lascombes.com

Chateau Lascombes - Tasting Notes

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2007

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 2007: This sample is packed to the rafters with with spicy new oak, which dominates on the nose. It has an immediately apparent creamy style on entry, and with considerable extract. Green peppercorns, spice, dry wood tannins, this all seems too much for this vintage. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 13-14+/20 (April 2008)

2005

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 2005: The density of aromas wipes the floor with some other wines of the appellation; this has a super-expressive nose, loaded with dark, concentrated, tight fruit with pickling spice complexity. I expected something modern, ripe and fleshy on the palate, but instead it has a slightly hard style, with lots of fruit but also showing a rather bony structure. The aromatics are delightful but this will take a long time to come around on the palate, but if the fruit lasts with the tannins this will be great. 17.5-18.5+/20 From my tasting of 2005 Bordeaux at two years of age. (October 2007)

2004

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 2004: A great nose, very expressive, deep fruit with oak too, but it still carries that typical Margaux perfume. There is great appeal on the palate too; classic structure, but with a lovely velvety quality to the tannins, smothered in a blanket of fruit and texture. This can't be criticised for lack of typicité, it fits in very well here. The efforts at Lascombes in recent years have really paid off. From my 2004 Bordeaux assessment. 18+/20 (October 2006)

2003

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 2003: Exotic nose, pickling spices, and a great depth of fruit. This is distinctive and certainly denotes a wine of quality. Full, creamy presence on the palate, with firm, ripe, peppery tannins which show particularly on the endpalate. Decent acidity. It doesn't show much Margaux character, but is ripe, well-knit and certainly impressive. Despite criticism surrounding lack of typicité, I certainly prefer this to the Lascombes of old. From my 2003 Bordeaux assessment. 17/20 (October 2005)

1997

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 1997: A moderately coloured, transparent wine. A good nose, youthful in character, redolent of black cherries, coffee and liquorice. The palate reflects the 1997 vintage, quite softly textured and medium bodied, with supple tannins. There's a good amount of fruit in this pleasant, balanced but lightweight wine. Ready for drinking now. 13/20 (June 2002)

1989

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 1989: This wine has a slightly paler colour, but it still has an attractive appearance. Quite a bit of funk on the nose, although this seems to blow off with aeration. More sooty notes here as well, and I wonder if this is going to be a very tannic evening. There is more development with this wine, however, as fragrant aromas and notes of cigar box show themselves. On the palate, elegant and fragrant blackcurrant fruit. A full and richly flavoured midpalate, again fairly tannic but less so than the previous wine. A full bodied and smoothly textured mouthful, leading to more cigar box on the finish. Drinking very well now if decanted. From a Bordeaux 1989 horizontal tasting. 17/20 (May 2000)

1983

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 1983: A fairly pale wine. Mature, meaty nose. Balanced and lithe palate. Not big or impressive, although it develops very good flavor and texture through the midpalate. A warm, creamy, alcohol-influenced finish. Great length, but not the quality of the other wines shown here. Drink now. From a Bordeaux 1983 tasting. 15.5/20 (February 2005)

1961

Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) 1961: A more obviously mature wine than the preceding one, some good depth here. Slightly seaweedy on the nose, lifted and floral too, with some sweet molasses character. The nose cleans up in the glass and becomes more attractive. Not a great impact on the palate, but still showing a seam of tannin. Firm, not particularly well defined or vigorous, and a firm finish lightly laced with tannin. This wine still has a bit of life in it! From a 1961 Bordeaux tasting. 16/20 (June 2007)