Le Petit Lion du Marquis de las Cases

5/7/2019 WeinWisser WEINWISSER : 17 / 20 5/1/2019 Vinous VINOUS (ANTONIO GALLONI) : 91-94 / 100 The 2018 Le Petit Lion is a magnificent second wine. Aromatic, sweet and pliant, the 2018 is also remarkably light on its feet, something that is especially notable given the alcohol at 14.5%. Silky, giving and super-expressive, the 2018 has it all. The Petit Lion is 45% old-vine Merlot, 42% mostly younger vine Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc. More importantly, it is a real overachiever in 2018. 5/1/2019 Jeb DUNNUCK JEB DUNNUCK (JEB DUNNUCK) : 94-95 / 100 Cassis, jammy blackberries, graphite, tobacco leaf, and earth characteristics all emerge from the 2018 Léoville Las Cases Le Petit Lion, and it has a terrific sense of elegance and purity, while still showing ample density and length. With building tannins, it's fresh, clean and pure on the palate, with a great finish. This beauty will keep for 25-30 years. It’s a match for just about every other estate’s top wine out there. The blend is 45% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 13% Cabernet Franc that’s still aging in 30% new barrels. 4/23/2019 The Wine Cellar Insider THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER (JEFF LEVE) : 90-92 / 100 The lift and zest is felt right away on the palate. It is hard to believe this is a second wine with this much fruit, tension and crunch in the fruit. The finish is on the bright, crisp, red berry side. Enjoy this over the next decade or more while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. The wine is a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. 4/23/2019 Wine Advocate WINE ADVOCATE (LISA PERROTTI-BROWN) : 92-94 / 100 The 2018 Le Petit Lion is blended of 45% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc, harvested from September 15 to October 4 with yields of 35.5 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has 14.47% alcohol and will be aged in barriques, 30% new. The finished blend was put into barrels last December. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives a wonderfully perfumed nose of violets, star anise and fragrant soil over a core of plum preserves, blackberry pie and blueberry compote plus a waft of spice cake. The palate is rich, seductive and spicy with plush, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and opulent. Love it! 4/12/2019 Jamessuckling.com JAMESSUCKLING.COM (JAMES SUCKLING) : 92-93 / 100 Plenty of blue fruit and hints of hazelnuts and walnuts. Full-bodied yet very tight with very fine tannins and a fresh finish. Tight second wine of Las Cases. 4/8/2019 Quarin JEAN-MARC QUARIN (JEAN-MARC QUARIN) : 93 / 100 4/1/2019 Beck YVESBECK.WINE (YVES BECK) : 92-93 / 100 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc Pourpre violacé. Bouquet intense marqué par des notes épicées et chocolatées. Je relève également des notes de cerises. Au palais, le vin affiche de la minéralité en attaque avec des notes de graphite. Belle densité et tannins compacts qui se révèlent lentement. Un vin qui allie puissance et équilibre et qui a un potentiel prometteur. Il faudra s’armer de patience, même avec le deuxième vin. Finale fruitée et persistante. 2024-2038 4/1/2019 Decanter.com DECANTER.COM (JANE ANSON) : 92 / 100 As with the grand vin, you can see this will be approachable a little earlier than most years, without sacrificing ageing ability if you really want to hold on. Harvested between 18 September and 10 October, 2018 is the first year ever in the history of Las Cases that the Cabernets achieved higher alcohols than the Merlots, as a result of the young Cabernet vines suffering in the heat. 35% of total production is in the Petit Lion. It's a gorgeous wine and is a brilliant way to get some LLC love a little earlier than usual. There are some clear graphite and cassis notes, with the power of the vintage balanced by a creamy, juicy texture through the mid-palate. As ever this is a mix of the younger Cabernets and the oldest Merlots from L'Enclos plot, aged in 30% new oak. 3.49pH. IPT68. Drinking Window 2026 - 2038