Saturday Morning: Larcis Ducasse 1945-2017
BY NEAL MARTIN |
Last September, twelve months or, in other words, a lifetime ago, I had the opportunity to taste through several decades of Larcis Ducasse. It seemed a more productive way to spend a Saturday morning in Bordeaux, instead of lazing on a beach in Arcachon devouring my weight in oysters or mooching around the city’s chichi boutiques. I was eager to attend this biannual tasting since I was unable to materialize at the last edition, though Vinous readers can refer to Antonio Galloni’s account in his report published in March 2017. I thought that it would be interesting to compare respective observations of overlapping vintages bearing in mind they are different bottles and tasted two years apart.
Usually, I deep dive into the history of the property, though on this occasion, I will spare you a history lesson as it was covered this in the aforementioned article. However, I will add a couple of anecdotes from proprietor Jacques-Olivier Gratiot, who has overseen the estate since 1990.
The family has traditionally not been directly involved in the winemaking. They have resided in Paris. Previous generations came down to Saint-Émilion on vacation to lend a hand with the harvest. “There was a great warmth in the growing season,” Gratiot recalled, as we tasted the 1945. “Many estates suffered because of the lack of rainfall. But, in those days, there was a well in the vineyard, so it was not such a problem for us. The first ‘crushing’ was done in wooden tubs (known locally as bastes). Pickers would push bunches down as much as possible so that they could put in more grapes. These would be carried on the back to a horse drawn cart and then to the vat-room. There was always a risk of oxidation and there was no de-stemming in those days.”
Proprietor Jacques-Olivier Gratiot has overseen the estate since 1990.
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Larcis Ducasse is now regarded as one of the leading Saint-Émilion estates, not surprising given its outstanding terroir. However, as this vertical back to 1945 proved, success came late compared to its peers.
