Another brilliant effort from this estate, the 2004 Lascombes (a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot) exhibits a deep blue/purple hue along with a sweet perfume of blueberries, black raspberries, cherries, incense, smoke, and spring flowers. While opulent, underneath the full-bodied richness of fruit and depth is a structured wine. As it sits in the glass, an espresso roast character (no doubt from new oak) also emerges. Enjoy this pure, structured, fleshy beauty between 2010-2025.

Intense aromas of crushed berries and tea follow through to a full-bodied palate, with chewy tannins and a light herb and berry character. Slightly hollow midpalate and a bit overextracted. Best after 2009. 24,665 cases made.

Sometimes a young Bordeaux can taste as if the winemaker has gone over the top with wood. That's the case with Lascombes 2004. It seems that there aren't enough other elements in the wine to sustain such lavish wood flavors.