Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases 2021

Flowers, cedar, cigar box and tobacco leaf add to the bright cranberries, orange and red currants on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, crisp, with a fresh, sweet-and-tart, crunchy finish. The wine is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, 13.27% ABV. Drink from 2025-2037. 89-91

Readers looking for a more approachable version of the Grand Vin will love the 2021 Le Petit Lion, a pretty, medium-bodied, elegant Saint-Julien. Cassis and raspberry fruits, some graphite and spicy, floral notes, nicely integrated acidity, and a focused, linear, seamless mouthfeel all make for an already delicious, classy second wine that will drink nicely over the coming 10–12 years. The blend is 57% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc.

25% new barriques. Playful bouquet, sour cherry juice, delicate smoky note from the barrique, light tobacco and violets. An elegant palate with a silky texture, sapid extract, a tightly knit tannic framework and a compact body. Concentrated finish with dark-berry contours, light graphite and finely crumbly astringency.

(57% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 13.27% alc./vol.) Floral, silky, fresh bouquet, blackcurrant, mint, light tobacco, delicate nougat. Elegant, fresh palate with creamy, fine fruit, a velvety structure, fine tannins, powerful, fresh aromatics, long, delicate finish. 17/20 2027 - 2040

This has good depth of colour, with spiced tomato leaf on the aromatics. It's austere, with tannic grip and estate signature, cassis and blackberry autumnal fruits, and a kick of espresso. This is the last Petit Lion with only Leoville Las Cases grapes, as from 2022 it is to become the 2nd wine across both LLC and Clos de Marquis. 40% new oak.

A blend of 57% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc, Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases 2021 has a deep garnet-purple color. It storms out of the glass with powerful notes of fresh blackberries and black cherries, plus suggestions of licorice, tar, rose oil, and bay leaves. The medium-bodied palate bursts with vibrant, forward black and red berry flavors, framed by ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Impressive!

A bright, delicious nose, as if a little lion cub were playfully tossing, with its soft paws, a succession of different aromas toward the nostrils, ranging from the savory lift of flower petals to small gariguette strawberries and redcurrants. Then it settles, becoming zen, fresh and pure. On the palate, you find fresh, pure red fruits and a lively acidity, making for a precise, charming, pretty wine.

Le Petit Lion fears nothing and makes it clear from the start! Its bouquet reveals lovely complexity with spices and black berries, complemented by a hint of tobacco leaf. On the palate, the wine shows good density, supported by precise, firm tannins that provide a respectable backbone. These are no longer the meows of a Petit Lion—it’s starting to roar! And hats off to the very appealing label 😉

Logo on the cork: LA Dark, intense, vibrant color. Lovely, highly aromatic nose, fruity, with subtle vanilla notes. Smooth on the attack, juicy on the mid-palate, very flavorful; the wine caresses the palate. Airy finish. A delicious whole.

This second-label wine is juicy, the aromatic black plum fruits and touches of toast are already balanced. It is succulent and saline, with red berry and grey-pepper flavors in harmony. Drink from 2027.