Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases 2023

Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases is the second wine of Château Léoville Las Cases, which holds one of the oldest and best-regarded terroirs in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Médoc in Bordeaux. It comes from plots that were uprooted and replanted in recent years, vinified and aged with the same care as the Grand Vin but made to drink younger and more affordably. The blend draws on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot grown on the deep gravel soils that define Saint-Julien, where free draining gravel forces the roots down, ripens Cabernet fully and lends the wines their cedar and graphite signature. Ageing for around 18 months in 225 litre French oak barrels refines the tannins through gentle oxygen exchange and frames the fruit with cedar and toast rather than overt sweetness. The wine is deep red, with a nose of redcurrant, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco leaf and a savoury earthiness. The palate is medium to full bodied, structured and fresh at 14 percent, with firm but polished tannin and a long, classically dry finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It suits lamb and beef.