Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases 2023

Plenty of fruit, dark blackberry, cassis, cedarwood, resinous notes, violet, complex; incredibly crisp, the finest tannins, nothing overdone, you just want to swallow straight away; long, red-fruited finish. A great little lion!

So fragrant with lovely hints of sweet red fruit on the nose. Gorgeous florality and a real sense of expressiveness. Smooth and supple, a little tight and compact, but there is flesh here and a sense of density to the ripe blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. It’s also so clean and pure, with lovely finesse; power surges beneath the fruit and the acidity. Chiselled and well made, still a little lean, a bit straight toward the finish, but there’s a lot to like here and it feels really serious in its own right. I actually love the strawberry and cherry juiciness, that sweetness from the nose coming back and mingling with the acidity. 43 hl/ha yield. Ageing for 14 months, 30% new oak.

Blackberries, flowers, and a hint of tobacco open the nose. Medium-bodied, forward, and already inviting, the fruits show off their spicy, chalky, salty, minty edges with ease. This is a perfect introduction to Leoville Las Cases. The wine blends 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2038.

Delicate blueberry bouquet, subtle hint of lilac, refined cassis spice. On the compact palate with a soft texture, vibrant verve and a straight-lined structure. In the concentrated finish, blue berries, graphite and a granular astringency paired with an elegant saline note.

Displays the tannic grip and heft you hope to find in the 2nd wine of Léoville Las Cases, opening with a generous burst of spice, cocoa bean, espresso, dark chocolate, black tea, and bright cassis fruit — it will need a few years after bottling to fully open up. Harvest from September 9 to October 2, 30% new oak for ageing. Includes the vines for both La Petite Marquise and Le Petit Lion since the 2021 vintage.

Score: 89–91. An intensely perfumed bouquet rises from the glass, with aromas of plum, rose, and ripe strawberry. The juicy red-fruit notes return on the palate, wrapped in a velvety texture that carries the wine toward a fluid, sapid finish.

The bouquet’s vibrancy is clearly focused on freshness, with notes of peppermint and a hint of blackcurrant, joined by wafts of eucalyptus and blond tobacco. Juicy on the attack, the wine initially takes on a slender profile. It unfolds calmly and gains power along the way, ultimately revealing beautifully coated tannins that express a controlled, driving intensity. A brilliant wine, a true pace-setter worthy of putting the grand vin under pressure!

Logo on the cork: LA A beautiful deep red with purple highlights. An intense nose with ripe fruit, subtle and noble. With aeration, blackberry and freshness blend wonderfully. Fleshy on the attack, refined on the palate, very flavorful through the mid-palate, the wine melts into a long, truly delicious finish. These young vines on the great Las Cases terroir work wonders. A score that now matches the quality level of the 2022 vintage.