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.

Crème de cassis pops with your initial sniff before you find the flowers, blackberries, and tobacco notes. The wine is forward, with ample layers of blackberries and creamy-textured red currants to age for 12–15 years. This is a perfect introduction to Leoville Las Cases. The wine blends 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2027–2039. 90–92 pts.

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.