LE PETIT LION

2014 Saint Julien Château Leoville Las Cases

Grapes Merlot, Cab Franc
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Médoc
Village Saint Julien
ABV 14%

57% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the true second wine of Léoville Las Cases - in that it mimics more closely the blend of the grand Vin and comes from A very distinct vineyard just behind Léoville Poyferré. This is different to the more famous Clos du Marquis which is a brilliant wine in its own right, but a very distinct cuvée from a very distinct vineyard. In the palate it delivers all the fun of a Las Cases, but painted with broader brush-strokes. Although less-delineated and complex there is lovely classic St Julien note of pencil lead and graphite, framing dark, svelte crunchy berry fruit. This is elegant, but has some serious stylish push to it. Drinking range: 2020 - 2025 Rating: 91 L&S (Apr 2015)


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The 2014 Le Petit Lion has a tightly wound bouquet: blackberry and briary, pencil lead with a whiff of smoke. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, easy-going in style but there is commendable depth here, nicely balanced with just a subtle tang of spice towards the finish. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drinking range: 2018 - 2025 Rating: 87 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2018)

Neutral, putty nose and then very severe dry palate without any obvious ripeness and charm. May develop into something much more pleasing. Sour end. Drinking range: 2024 - 2034 Rating: 16 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Feb 2018)

The 2014 Le Petit Lion retains that earthy bouquet that I remarked upon when I tasted this Deuxième Vin from barrel. Tightly wound black fruit, mixed with a hint of shucked oyster shell surfaces from the glass. The palate is well balanced with supple tannin, well-judged acidity, an almost sorbet-like freshness with touches of blood orange tincturing the slightly tart, but pleasing finish. This has turned out admirably in bottle. Drinking range: 2018 - 2026 Rating: 88 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2017)

Château Léoville Las Cases

St Julien Deuxième cru 1855 One of the leading "super-seconds" - a second growth chateau who's wines rival, in terms of quality and often price, the fabled First Growths of the Haut-Médoc. Before the Revolution, the Leoville estate was one of the largest and grandest in the region. At the time, it was in the aristrocratic ownership of the family of the Marquis de Las-Cases-Beauvoir. Unsurprisingly, the Marquis had to flee. To avoid Leoville being seized, the family decided to sell up but the complicated ownership of the estate, which was split between siblings, prevented the sale of Leoville as a whole and, in the end, only a small portion was sold off, to Hugh Barton, and this became Château Leoville Barton. The remainder of the estate came back to the Marquis' family when his son, Pierre-Jean, inherited most of Leoville, the only exception being a small portion inherited by his sister Jeanne. Jeanne's daughter married Baron Jean-Marie de Poyferré and, in 1840, this portion of the estate sheered off to become Château Leoville Poyferré. To stop further divisions among inheriting children, a holding company was founded to own Château Las Cases. Théophile Skawinski, who managed the estate, bought some shares which later passed to his son-in-law André Delon. The Delon family continued to buy share as they became available until, eventually, they became the owners of Château Leoville Las Cases. The bulk of Las Cases's vineyards - the Grand Clos - sit at the very northern end of St Julien, facing Château Latour across the Ruisseau de Juillac. The vines are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The hand-picked grapes are fermented in an unusual array of wooden, stainless-steel and cement tanks. Wines spend 20 months in oak, with the proportion of new wood for the grand vin varying from 50% to 100% depending on the vintage. Château Leoville Las Cases have one of the most highly regarded "second wines" in Bordeaux - Clos du Marquis. The first vintage was in 1902, long predating most of its competitors. Its status as a true "second wine" is sometimes disputed, as there is a distinct Clos du Marquis vineyard, a little way to the west of the Grand Clos, although the cuvée does include some declassifications from the grand vin and fruit of younger vines. Its status as a "second wine" also belies the quality which exceeds many of the region's "first" wines.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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