TN: 1964 Château Lascombes (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux)

[tim]

• 1964 Château Lascombes - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (3/29/2009)
  Popped and poured, cork broke but was in reasonably good shape otherwise. Sourced in Paris with provenance direct from the Chateau (according to the shop), fill was into the neck. Gorgeous brick red color, only slightly lightened around the edges. Nose of mineral, wet stones, tobacco, leathery, with slight vegetal notes. The wine is remarkably fresh, I would never guess it is over 40 years old. Still tannic and structured, this definitely surpasses the 61 and seems bolder than the 66. On the palate, it has a base of what I can only described as black tar, followed by layers of saddle leather, blackberry and perhaps a touch of licorice. A smooth 30 second finish completes what is a lovely wine. I'm sold, Lascombes made some wines in the 60's that have definitely held the test of time. This can last at least another decade and perhaps longer. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Houndsong]

Finally, an appropriately aged Bordeaux. When I post on one of my 2000s 36 years from now I'll be ... let's see ... dead. But it's good to know the wine won't be.

[JimHow]

What's the history of Lascombes? Is this an estate that was great at one time but fell into disrepair, Chareau-Margaux-like, in the seventies, and has now been resurrected? The 2005 is stunning. The 2004 we had in the lobby of the Ritz near Central park with the Brothers Martin a couple years ago, we were drinking nothing but oak that night, but I nonetheless wondered if it might turn into something more profound, and judging from DavidG's notes it sounds like it might be.