Centure at the top
The oldest-known owner was Chevalier Antoine de Lascombes, born in 1625. ln the XVII century, the domain was joined to that of Durfort. The counts of Durfort owned most of the land in the Guyenne province. ln the XVIII century, Jean-François de loscombes, a councillor at the Bordeaux Porliament, Academy member and King's prosecutor at the Admiralty, devoted his wealth to raising the quality of Lascombes' wine. Down various bronches of the family tree, Château Lascombes ended up the property of a Mademoiselle Hue who still owned it at the time of the 1855 classification.
ln 1867, the estate was handed down to barrister Choix d'Est Ange who, under Napoleon III, defended the interests of Fronce against the Egyptian government in the Suez Canal dispute. Alexis Lichine purchased the property in 1952. He revived this great growth by wholly restructuring and renewing the vineyard and winemaking facilities. A persuasive, media-oriented man, he put Château Lascombes bock on the map, before selling it on to British brewer Bass-Chorrington who already owned Alexis Lichine and Co.
Château Lascombes in XXI century
ln 2001, the estate was acquired by Colony Capital. Nowadays, Château Lascombes, although well-steeped in the winemaking tradition of the Médoc, is setting course for new horizons. The estate is headed for excellence at full sail.
Classified second growth in 1855, the Château Lascombes vineyard stretches over eighty-four hectares within the Margaux appellation. The vines, which have an average age of thirty five years, are pruned in double-Guyot.
Grape varieties
Present varietal distribution is 50% Meriot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot.
Terroir
The parcels making up the property display an interesting geological variety consisting of three main categories: argillaceous limestone and argillaceous gravel suitable for growing Meriot, argillaceous gravel and gravel for Cabernet Sauvignon and gravel for Petit Verdot. A pedologic study of each individual parcel was carried out. The vineyard was restructured in accordance with the results, the better to match soil, sub-soil, grape variety and vine stock.
Looking for excellence
The quality of the wine rests upon the quality of the grape. In order to better manage the canopy, the training wires have been raised to increase total leaf area and obtain optimal photosynthesis. During the growth of the fruit, manual cultivation of the vine includes cutting off excess Ioliage on both sides of the vine, as weil as systematic, individual crop thinning. The grape ripens better thanks to increased air circulation and sun exposure.
At harvest time, the grape is exclusively hand-picked by some hundred people teaming within the vineyard but not belore the berries have been tasted and analysed. The harvesters store the bunches in small, ten-kilo crates which preserve their integrity.
Over the post three years, the estate has undergone major transformations aimed at producing a flawless quality wine worthy of its second growth status. The vats have been laid out on four levels, including one set oside for buried vats. From 2001 on, the yield was significantly reduced. The volume of the thermoregulated vats was modified in accordance with the new, porcel-based yield. Moreover, eight of the vats ore now mode of French oak.
Winemaking
From the vineyard, the harvest arrives in crates which ore emptied onto vibrating, perforated tables where the grapes ore sorted by hand before and after destemming by thirty people. On the second table, all remaining pedicels ore eliminated. Small stainless steel wagons receive the sorted grapes and ore pushed toword the elevators to be taken to the last floor.
The grapes are then slightly crushed and cooled in readiness for pre-fermentation maceration. This technique imparts deeper color, more stability and greater aromatic complexity. For that process, dry ice is injected so as to coincide with the sliding of the grapes into the vats. That particular phase lasts about a week at a temperature averaging 8-10°C.
Alcoholic fermentation then takes place at 28°C, punctuated by light pumping over the cap. This stage is followed by a new period of maceration at 30°C, interrupted by daily tastings, the better to gauge ideal duration. The layout of the vats now accommodates the gravity-fed transfer of the infant wine into new wood barrels (a process also known as 'devatting'). Malolactic fermentation occurs thereafter at a temperature set al 21°C.
Barrel-ageing « on lees »
The Grand Vin, Château Lascombes, and its second wine, Chevalier de Lascombes, both spend four months barrel-ageing on lees. Yeast autolysis lends fatness and roundness to the tannins. To keep the lees in suspension, the barrels are rotated on Oxoline racks. This system also helps prevent oxidation. Following the barrel-ageing on lees, gravity-fed blending (assemblage) is carried-out. Owing to the diversity of the 'terroirs' and to parcel-based vinification, there is a wealth of complementary lots to draw from for the blending, thus resulting in a rich and complex wine. The wines of Château Lascombes are then aged for eighteen to twenty months in 80% new oak barrels. Every three months, racking is done by means of compressed air which saves pumping out. Before bottling, the wine is fined using the traditional egg white method.
Production
Annual production is 280 000 bottles for Château Lascombes and 70 000 bottles for Chevalier de Lascombes. The integrity and quality of the finished product are mastered by means of various quality control techniques, amongst which HACCP, thereby guaranteeing consumer protection. With that in mind, the management has opted for an architectural concept which includes straightforward, highly reliable technology (air quality control, sanitation, etc.) The exterior is designed to match regional features whilst the interior benefits from a more contemporary design such as the fluorescent blue halo which lights the first year cellar. Traditional materials have been used throughout the cellars, resulting in a classicallook both strong in character and sober in lines.
Team of Château Lascombes
Sébastien BAZIN, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Sébastien Bazin represents Colony Capital, an international investment fund and main shoreholder of Château Lascombes. Colony Capital ore asset managers for institutional and private investors specializing in real-estate and actively trading companies. The owners of Château Lascombes ore committed to quality and aim to produce on a yearly basis a wine worthy of its second-growth ranking and its prestigious name-place.
Dominique BEFVE, General Manager
Dominique Befve was the technical manager at Châteaux Lafite and Duhort-Milon Rothschild for eight years, before joining Château L'Evangile in Pomerol. A passionate, exacting man, Dominique Befve was chosen by the owners to give Château Lascombes its quintessence. He took up his position at the head of a staff of forty in April 2001.
Michel ROLLAND, Oenologist
Château Lascombes has retained Michel Rolland as consultant oenologist. Back in 1973, he established his laboratory with the help of his wife, Dany. To date, he works with six oenologists and advises more than six hundred producers and wine merchants in France and abroad, including a large number of classified growths in the Bordeaux orea.
Nathalie SIRAUD, Hospitality Manager
Nathalie Siraud obtained her degree in English at the university of Bordeaux in 1995. The following year, she made her debut in the hotel environment where she took up management and reception positions. ln 1997, Château Lascombes was looking to take on a Reception Manager. Nathalie who was a guide at Château Lascombes every summer during her studies applied for the job without hesitation. From 1997 to 1999, she was in charge of the guides and organized receptions, visits and tastings at the château. From 1999, she took the position of Hospitality Manager and is now responsible for the château management and the organization of seminars.
Delphine BARBOUX, Quality Control Manager
A wine grower's daughter, born in the Touraine region, Delphine Borboux obtained her degree in oenology at the University of Toulouse in June 2001. In September of that year, she joined the new team at Château Lascombes where her capacity to adapt and her deductive skills were appreciated at once. Delphine Barboux is responsible for setting up and running quality control and managing the tracking system.
Miguel da Fonseca, Vineyard Manager
Miguel da Fonseca, from Douro in Northern Portugal, has been working in the vineyard at Château Lascombes since 1976. Over the years, he became truly passionate about his vines. His reliability, dedication and application made him a natural choice for vineyard manager. He is now at the head of a team of seventeen.
Cyrille FAURE, Cellar Master
Cyrille Faure obtained his viticulture and oenology certificate in 1997 which he complemented with a Wine and Spirits Sales certificate (Tecomah). He first worked as a salesman for the Entrepôtdes Vignerons Réunisin Bercy for one year before finally choosing winemaking. Following various contracts with Great Growths in Libourne and the Medoc, Cyrille Faure joined the team at Château Lascombes at the end of 2004 summer. He is now Château Lascombes' Cellar Master and at the head of a team of three.
