1961 Château Lascombes
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Tasting notes
Colour is softened to a russet pink, a little smudged around the edges in terms of losing its pristine clarity, but still with plenty of depth through the core. Tar, marmite, soot, campfire, incense, dried flowers and leather take the lead over softened brambled and sweetened strawberry fruit on the palate. Take your time and lean into the tertiary waves of old books, cigar box, cold ash, curls of woodsmoke, undergrowth, iodine. It picks up pace through the palate, showing points of fresh orange peel acidity. Not at the end of its life but there is of course no need to wait, fully in its drinking window, sliding towards the last few years. Exact blend not recorded (or at least not found). Lascombes had a barrel maker on site at the time, so although the amount of new oak is also not recorded, there was certainly some. As ever with a wine this age, a tasting note and particularly its score can only ever give a part of the picture - Alexis Lichine was the owner of Lascombes in 1961, and we are drinking a true piece of history.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 1961 Lascombes is a very fine example of this auspicious vintage. Deep in colour, it has a beguiling bouquet with blackberry, pine and hints of menthol. Pressed iris flowers emerge with time whilst retaining wonderful focus. After 20 minutes, I notice a distant tang of kelp. The palate is medium-bodied with a saline entry, linear with fine structure, sapid with a fine core of mature black fruit. Maybe there is a touch of dryness creeping in on the finish, but otherwise, this is a very pleasurable 1961 whose large format (double magnum) no doubt extended its longevity.
The 1961 is a substantial Lascombes, but it lacks complexity and the great depth associated with this vintage. The wine is dark in color with an amber edge. It possesses a smoky, earthy, ripe bouquet, a touch of raw acidity in the finish, and a good, but unspectacular finish. This fully mature offering requires consumption. Anticipated maturity: Now-may be in decline. Last tasted, 10/79.
About the producer
With vines spread across 40 different parcels throughout the appellation, Ch. Lascombes is one of the most fragmented but also largest Médoc estates, with 120 hectares of vines, now owned by the MACSF insurance company.