CHÂTEAU POTENSAC
2014 Cru Bourgeois Médoc
From the team at Leoville Las Cases, this is very attractive - good weight - everything is in good balance. It shows some pedigree. A perfect example of what a Médoc wine should look and feel like. Structured but lithe - Attractive blackcurrant crunch, super smooth, fine tannin. Good intensity. Rating: 90 L&S (Mar 2015)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2014 Potensac has an attractive if straightforward bouquet with strawberry jam, raspberry and tobacco aromas, the latter becoming ever stronger with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm but fine tannin. The acidity here is well judged and lends this appreciable tension and energy, a spicy, black pepper vein towards the sustained finish. This improves in the glass and yet I still think it will show best in the short to medium- rather than long-term. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drinking range: 2019 - 2030 Rating: 89 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2018)
Pale greyish crimson. Light and a bit simple. Tart and green though there is a little sign of ripe fruit too. This may develop into something more interesting. Drinking range: 2023 - 2032 Rating: 15.5+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Feb 2018)
The 2014 Potensac offers striking intensity to match its bold, inviting personality. Blue and black stone fruit, grilled herbs, licorice and dark spices make a strong first impression. The Delon family makes a number of top-notch wines, and Potensac is arguably the hidden jewel in the range. Drink this exuberant Médoc over the next handful of years. The blend is 40 % Merlot, 39 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 % Cabernet Franc and 3 % Petit Verdot. Drinking range: 2017 - 2022 Rating: 90 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2017)
The 2014 Potensac is bold, racy and expressive, with plenty of exuberance in its overt, distinctly red-toned fruit. Sweet red cherries, smoke, leather and earthiness are laced together in a supple, forward wine best suited to near-term drinking. The blend is 48% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Caberenet Franc. Rating: 88-90 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2015)
The Château Potensac 2014 is a blend of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot that includes 13% pressed wine. It was picked between 25 September and 16 October over a total of 14 days. The nose is well defined and classic in style with graphite and cedar infusing the black berry and briary fruit, the Cabernet Franc lending more complexity as it opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with quite noticeable acidity like many in the Médoc, quite lively in the mouth already. There is moderate complexity here and decent length, though it does not evoke a slew of superlatives like Jean-Hubert's finest contributions to the 2014 vintage. Drinking range: 2018 - 2030 Rating: 88-90 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2015)
Heady but rustic nose. Solid and not too austere. Pretty good job for the vintage! Solid stuff. Drinking range: 2022 - 2030 Rating: 16 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2015)
Bramble and bilberry give freshness on the nose the start of the palate is bright. The sweeter flavours in the middle tend to be overtaken by the acidity which shows at the back the finish though has some sweetness and fair length. Drinking range: 2020 - 2028 Rating: 84-87 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Apr 2015)
The result of a farily rigorous selection in 2014 (there was more Chapelle than usual) this is typically serious and sturdy with some toasty oak, bright acidity and a well judged balance between fruit and tannin. Potensac tends to age well for its quality level and this will be no exception. Drinking range: 2019 - 2028 Rating: 91 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2015)
It’s been a while since I had a Potensac like this. Aromatic, very structured and polished with currant character and wonderful length. Polished tannins. Exceptionally small production for this year Rating: 91-92 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2015)
Château Potensac
Château Potensac is owned by the Delon family, owners of Léoville-Las Cases and Nénin. Potensac belies its humble Cru Bourgeois status and regularly outperforms its more illustrious neighbours.
The vineyards of Potensac are located in Ordonnac in Médoc. The blend is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with approximately 40% Merlot and Cabernet Franc combined.
Yields are severely restricted to around 35 hl/ha (hectolitres per hectare) and rigorous selection for the 'grand vin' consigns roughly 35% of the harvest to the second wine, named Château Lassalle. Michel and Jean-Hubert Delon do not filter their wines as they prefer the more caring approach of fining with egg whites.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
