2000 Château Lascombes

Community Tasting Note

Neecies Does not like this wine:

80 Points

Monday, October 21, 2019 - Fourth bottle opened of six purchased over a decade ago, and each has been identically crappy: no fruit, parched tannins, astringent finish. Every darned one. Though a few people have had good bottles, others here have filed similar reports so it's now safe to presume mine all came from a bad lot and the 'to do' at this point is feed the rest to the rhododendrons.

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12 comments have been posted

Comment posted by CDH:

10/25/2019 7:22:00 PM - I’m one of those reviewers who hasn’t enjoyed the wine for the same reasons you mention. I don’t think you have a bad lot. We bought ours at a Christie’s auction and the lot had good provenance. Disappointing.
Comment posted by Neecies:

10/26/2019 9:33:00 AM - When I said "bad lot", I'm referring to a winery-related flaw vs. provenance. There are just too many bottles like ours--they didn't die early, they were never good! And this is very unusual. Yet CTer ZWEDER who is obviously an expert palate recently had a good bottle so we know there are some out there.
Comment posted by Andrewbdc:

11/24/2019 5:52:00 AM - I’ve been somewhat more generous with my notes on this wine over the years. However I do know where you are coming from. The 2000 is definitely old school. I worked for Bass PLC who still owned the Château at the time of this vintage. We weren’t putting in much investment and the style has evolved hugely since it was sold in the early 2000’s, almost certainly for the better, although I don’t think the new blend is what you would call a classic Margaux (very merlot denominated rather than Cabernet Sauvignon). I’ve still got a couple of bottles left that I’ve been holding on to see what happens. Sounds like I should probably drink them up.
Comment posted by Neecies:

11/24/2019 9:06:00 AM - Andrew, 'old school' isn't the problem. I *LOVE* old school style, this wine just doesn't have any fruit. Never has. In a vintage like 2000, you couldn't have deliberately made a wine like this, it has to be some other explanation. Tasting it is like trying to listen to the radio with the volume set at 1 out of 10. There's no 'there' there!
Comment posted by jonboy74:

12/8/2019 6:46:00 PM - I must be one of the lucky ones. Bought 4 at a K&L auction, and am 2 for 2 on them. Bummer you got a bad lot.
Comment posted by Neecies:

12/9/2019 10:58:00 AM - Jonboy, appreciate the sympathy and glad yours were sound.
Comment posted by Les Kangas:

3/13/2020 1:45:00 PM - About to try our third and final bottle today. The first and second ones tasted fantastic immediately and sunk into drinkable within 20 min and poured out.
Comment posted by Neecies:

3/13/2020 11:24:00 PM - I look forward to your notes. Wish I felt optimistic...
Comment posted by Les Kangas:

3/14/2020 8:10:00 AM - Well, we had a couple friends over and they were impressed with the wine; probably more about it being a 20 year old Margaux than how it really it tasted. It was pretty good on opening and again faded and was just ok after an hour. Probably a 90/91 then 88 pt. I think we have concluded this bottling was erratic.
Comment posted by Neecies:

3/19/2020 5:21:00 AM - Sorry your experience wasn't better but it sure seems like good bottles of this are the exception, not the rule. Curious, does this change your perspective of this producer? I personally won't ever buy Lascombes again. Not that other vintages wouldn't reward, but I hold grudges and there are a lot of other producers. :)
Comment posted by Les Kangas:

3/19/2020 6:59:00 AM - Being 65, I will not see maturity of some wine and will not buy them, especially this chateau
Comment posted by Neecies:

3/19/2020 12:14:00 PM - We're older too, so often buy back vintages. This is one I'll never buy again!