Château Larcis Ducasse
Product brand
UnclaimedA Saint-Émilion winery producing Premier Grand Cru Classé B red wine on Bordeaux's Right Bank.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Château Larcis Ducasse is a historic Bordeaux wine estate in Saint-Émilion, in France's Gironde department. Its wines are made under the Saint-Émilion appellation and the estate is classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The property occupies a terraced site in the Right Bank wine region, where the combination of elevation, slopes and varied soils is central to the character of the vineyard. The estate's reputation predates the modern classification system by several centuries. Records indicate that wines associated with Larcis Ducasse were already highly regarded in the sixteenth century. In 1777, Pierre Beylot reportedly purchased the wines at a notably high price, suggesting that the property had acquired a strong commercial reputation among Bordeaux merchants and buyers. Lecoutre de Beauvais later described Larcis as one of the leading Saint-Émilion crus in 1841. The estate received a gold medal at the International Exposition in Paris in 1867, providing an early formal recognition of the quality of its wines. In 1893, the property was acquired by Henry Raba, a member of a prominent Bordeaux ship-owning and merchant family. Raba invested in the upkeep of the terraced vineyard and in modern winery equipment, linking the estate's historical reputation with a more technically developed production model. After his death in 1925, management passed to his son André. André died during the war and, having no children, left the property to his niece Hélène Gratiot Alphandéry in 1941. The estate subsequently remained with the Gratiot Alphandéry family. Family management continued with the assistance of cellar-master Pharaon Roche. Jacques Olivier Gratiot, who was a director at L'Oréal and a member of the Jurade of Saint-Émilion, became manager in 1990. Since 2002, Nicolas Thienpont has managed the property, representing a later phase in the estate's viticultural and winemaking development while ownership has remained connected to the family. The vineyard is reported at approximately 11 hectares. Its principal varieties are Merlot, at about 65 percent, Cabernet Franc, at about 25 percent, and Cabernet Sauvignon, at about 10 percent. This blend places the estate within the classic Saint-Émilion model, with Merlot providing much of the wine's body and fruit profile and the Cabernet varieties contributing structure, aromatic complexity and aging capacity. The estate's principal commercial offering is Château Larcis Ducasse, a red Saint-Émilion wine sold through Bordeaux's established domestic and international distribution channels. Detailed current production volumes, ownership-company structure and executive roster are not established in the supplied reference material.
History
Château Larcis Ducasse is one of the historic estates of Saint-Émilion, a Bordeaux appellation on the region's Right Bank. The estate's wines were already considered desirable in the sixteenth century. A documented 1777 purchase by Pierre Beylot at a high price indicates that Larcis Ducasse had become a recognized and valuable wine name before the development of modern Bordeaux classification systems. In 1841, Lecoutre de Beauvais included Larcis among the leading crus of Saint-Émilion. The estate's reputation received further public recognition in 1867, when its wine won a gold medal at the International Exposition in Paris. A major ownership transition occurred in 1893, when Henry Raba purchased the property. Raba came from a Bordeaux family whose commercial history included shipping and mercantile activity dating from the eighteenth century. He devoted substantial resources to preserving the estate's terraced vineyard and improving its winery equipment. His tenure therefore combined the conservation of a distinctive physical site with investment in contemporary production infrastructure. Following Henry Raba's death in 1925, his son André assumed control. André later died during the war without children. The estate then passed in 1941 to his niece, Hélène Gratiot Alphandéry. Under her ownership, Larcis Ducasse remained a family property, with cellar-master Pharaon Roche involved in its management. Jacques Olivier Gratiot, a L'Oréal director and member of the Jurade of Saint-Émilion, became manager in 1990. Since 2002, Nicolas Thienpont has been responsible for managing the property. The supplied historical account does not identify a change of ownership associated with his appointment; instead, it describes the Gratiot Alphandéry family as continuing to hold the estate. The modern identity of Larcis Ducasse consequently rests on the combination of family ownership, professional estate management and the long-standing reputation of its Saint-Émilion terroir. The vineyard covers approximately 11 hectares. Plantings are reported as roughly 65 percent Merlot, 25 percent Cabernet Franc and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. These proportions reflect the typical predominance of Merlot in Saint-Émilion while retaining Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and complexity. The estate's principal wine is the red Château Larcis Ducasse, produced under the Saint-Émilion appellation. Its Premier Grand Cru Classé B status places it within the upper tier of the Saint-Émilion classification. The available material does not provide a definitive founding date, annual production figure, detailed vintage record or separate current second-wine range.
- 2002
Nicolas Thienpont begins estate management
[1]Nicolas Thienpont assumed management of the property, which remained associated with the Gratiot Alphandéry family.
- 1990
Jacques Olivier Gratiot becomes manager
[1]Jacques Olivier Gratiot took on management of the estate while also serving as a L'Oréal director and Jurade member.
- 1941
Inheritance by Hélène Gratiot Alphandéry
[1]After André Raba died without children, his niece Hélène Gratiot Alphandéry inherited the estate.
- 1925
André Raba succeeds Henry Raba
[1]Control of the property passed to Henry Raba's son after Henry's death.
- 1893
Acquisition by Henry Raba
[1]Henry Raba purchased Larcis Ducasse and invested in the terraced vineyard and winery equipment.
- 1867
Gold medal at the Paris International Exposition
[1]The estate received a gold medal recognizing the quality of its wines.
- 1841
Recognized among leading Saint-Émilion crus
[1]Lecoutre de Beauvais described Larcis as one of the best crus in Saint-Émilion.
- 1777
High-value purchase recorded
[1]Pierre Beylot purchased the estate's wines at a notably high price, documenting their commercial prestige in the eighteenth century.
- 1500
Early reputation established
[1]Historical records indicate that Larcis Ducasse wines were already popular and sought after during the sixteenth century.
Products and positioning
Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate in the Saint-Émilion appellation, positioned around historic terroir, terraced vineyards and traditionally Bordeaux-style red wine.
Saint-Émilion red wine
Château Larcis Ducasse
The estate's principal wine is a red wine made under the Saint-Émilion appellation. The vineyard is reported to cover about 11 hectares and to be planted approximately 65 percent to Merlot, 25 percent to Cabernet Franc and 10 percent to Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine represents the château's Premier Grand Cru Classé B positioning and its identity as a historic, terraced Right Bank Bordeaux estate.
Brand decisions
2002
Appointment of Nicolas Thienpont as managerStrategyBackground
The family-owned estate entered a new management phase after Jacques Olivier Gratiot's period as manager.
Action taken
Nicolas Thienpont took responsibility for managing the property.
Aftermath
The estate continued operating under the Gratiot Alphandéry family's ownership, with professional management led by Thienpont.
1893
Investment in the vineyard and wineryStrategyBackground
After acquiring the property, Henry Raba inherited a historic terraced vineyard with an established reputation but invested in maintaining the site and upgrading winery equipment.
Action taken
Raba directed a significant portion of his resources toward vineyard preservation and more modern winemaking infrastructure.
Aftermath
The investment linked the estate's historic terroir with improved production capability; the available sources do not quantify the expenditure or identify specific equipment.
Sources4 sources
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