Chateau Lascombes 2010 (RP97)

While this large property is composed of a huge number of small parcels that must require military-like precision to harvest, the quality of the wines over the last decade has been remarkable. The 2010 may turn out to be the greatest Lascombes ever made. It boasts a dense purple color along with an extraordinarily uplifted set of aromatics consisting of blueberry liqueur, black cherries, subtle smoke, crushed rocks and restrained oak. Massive fruit, an unctuous texture, a skyscraper-like mid-palate and stunning definition (because of good acids and a modest pH) have resulted in a formidable wine that will benefit from 5-6 years of cellaring, and should keep for 30 years. A brilliant effort!