The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's 50 best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
The Grand Vin is the product of exceptional terroirs from the former Léoville estate. These terroirs are located mainly in the Clos Léoville Las Cases, which you pass as you leave Saint- Julien village for Pauillac. They extend over nearly 60ha producing Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet Francs with a complex, polished expression and characteristics which are totally unique to the Grand Vin of Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases and have been widely recognized for years.
Château Léoville Las Cases is one of the largest and oldest classified growths in the Médoc known since 1707. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Second Growths in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
Today’s Léoville Las Cases was once part of a much larger estate until the time of the French Revolution when a portion of this estate was separated into what is today Château Léoville-Barton. In 1840, the estate was again divided and land that would eventually become Château Léoville-Poyferré was split off. When the 1855 Classification was completed, all three properties from the original Léoville estate were classed as Second Growths. Since the mid 20th century the Delon family have been owners of this estate.
The soil of St Julien is ideal for vines, due to its geographic situation and its climate; every element is present to produce wines of exceptional quality and elegance. Léoville Las Cases' 97 hectares of vineyards are superbly sited on gravelly-clay soils with the largest plot being surrounded by a stone wall and stretching between the village of St-Julien and Château Latour.
Wine Information
The Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien 2013 is being aged in 85 percent new oak, up from 75 since the 2010 vintage. The 74/14/12 Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend is sourced from the famed l'Enclos vineyard that borders Château Latour, featuring various soil types ranging from clay to gravel, plus older vines that average 50 years old and range up to 80. It's surprisingly sappy, with delicious kirsch, crushed plum and raspberry coulis flavors lined with charcoal, sweet spice and singed apple wood notes. There's lots of stuffing here, on a level with Haut-Brion in terms of depth, but with a sleek, longer feel to boot. It's showing some wood today, but the fruit density is there, and this wine always tends to build slowly in the cellar anyway. This wine keeps quietly checking in at the elite level of the region and 2013 looks to be no exception. "Cabernet Franc is really the marker of Las Cases," said Georges. "It's relatively rare in the Médoc and 14 percent in the blend is a high percentage. It's the bridge between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It gives some finesse to the Cabernet Sauvignon and adds depth to the Merlot. But it's tricky to grow, and the yield has to be lower than either Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Luckily in '13, that was the case."
ASSEMBLAGE / BLEND
Cabernet Sauvignon 74%
Merlot 12%
Cabernet Franc 14%
DATE DE VENDANGE / HARVEST PERIOD
Du 2 au 17 octobre 2013
From 2nd to 17th October 2013
ANALYSES / LAB ANALYZES
Degré : 13,10 %vol. - Acidité Totale : 3,76 gH2SO4/l - pH :
3,69 - IPT : 63
Alcohol degree : 13.10 %vol. - Total Acidity : 3.76
gH2SO4/l - pH : 3.69 - IPT : 63
