Dear <<First Name>>,
Bordeaux 2019 En Primeur .. The show must go on !
As we seek to bring wines of great value in 2019, we swing back over to the left bank of the Gironde river and continue with a tremendous value wine from the family that owns Château Leoville Las Cases, perched on top of a hill in the Haut-Medoc.
We also have the Le Petit de Lion, the 2nd wine of Château Leoville Las Cases which is tipped for potential perfection in the future by Wine Advocate.
Château Potensac is owned and operated by the Delon family who are better known for their Saint-Julien properties, namely the famous 2nd growth estate Château Leoville Las Cases. Situated in the Northen-Medoc on a unique limestone hill overlooking the river, we find some tremendous value and is often referred to as the 'Grand Vin of the Medoc'.
With a flattering review from James Suckling (94-95 pts) and a shade over £15 per bottle, this represents great value for any cellar.
Whilst not quite as generous a review from Lisa Perrotti-Brown at Wine Advocate (90-92+), she clearly thinks this wine has great potential.
We also have a small allocation of the 2nd wine of the 'Grand Vin de Leoville, Le Petit de Lion de Las Cases. This wine is made from younger vines on the same plots as its famous brother and received a glowing review from Lisa Perrotti-Brown at Wine Advocate (92-94+ pts) and a 14% reduction on 2018.
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Antonio Galloni (Vinous)
"There is no doubt 2019 is an outstanding vintage, clearly an important vintage. What stands out most about the finest 2019s is their exceptional balance. Ripeness is high, but not exaggeratedly so. Tannins are also elevated, but there is virtually no sensation of tannin in so many wines, an example of where analysis based on perception can vary significantly from what is written on a lab report. The 2019s are also, in many cases, remarkably fresh, which is hard to believe given the intense heat and drought of the summer. I tasted phenomenal wines in every appellation, although there are some places that appear to have done exceptionally well, such as the north of Pauillac and into Saint-Estèphe on the Left Bank."
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Neal Martin (Vinous)
"Two thousand and nineteen is a great vintage. I know. Boring. But my job is to tell it as it is, and that is what it is. It is an excellent vintage. Where it stands in the context of elite growing seasons such as 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2016 is another matter. Proprietors habitually trot out the “BEST. WINE. EVER” banner each year. You can easily become so entangled in hyperbole that it becomes impossible to objectively judge how true that statement is. Having tasted all the aforementioned vintages in barrel and regularly in bottle, there are instances where the 2019 vintage does surpass everything I have tasted at this unfinished stage, and others where I feel the benchmark 2016s will ultimately be superior."
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The 2019 vintage and resulting En Primeur campaign will be remembered long into the history of these illustrious proceedings, with nature clearly giving something back to help heal some of the wounds. Starting more than 4 weeks late, we expect this to be a short and concentrated campaign.
The weather was particularly wet during the winter of 2018 but this was a saving grace as the long warm, dry summer came round quickly. The heat was fierce for a few short spells but the flowering was well established early on and the berries (fruit set) in a good place to compensate. A pleasant autumn, with the odd shower during harvest had already got some talking of the great potential, with well formed concentrated berries, with good acidity and healthy yields.
The term 'great vintage' is not used lightly in Bordeaux and certainly initial reports are of a very high quality, with comparisons to 2009, 2015 and 2016 previously earmarked as the best this century. Pricing is a key factor of any En Primeur campaign and expectations are it will much lower than 2018, due to current global crisis.
There has not been any of the traditional April trips to the Chateaux for day long tastings and lavish dinners, instead during these difficult times, pallets of samples have been arriving on the doorsteps of critics all over the world. Those that follow social media closely will have seen snippets of enthusiastic commentary as each appellation is meticulously poured, tasted and written up. Most have yet to publish any meaningful reports and accompanying notes but the signs are more than positive, if not glowing.
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James Suckling
"2019 is an exceptional year for Bordeaux wines... Some say 2019 is close to the excellent 2016 vintage but with perhaps slightly less tannin concentration. They all agree that the quality is very close to 2018, 2016 and 2015."
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With Château Pontet-Canet (98-100 pts - Wine Advocate), a powerhouse of modern day Bordeaux, selling out in Bordeaux over a weekend at £61 per btle (IB) this seems to have defined the 2019 vintage!
This level of pricing has rarely been seen in the last 15 years and was lower than the 2013 release price, which was certainly one of the poorest vintages in recent memory. This gives hope that possibly one the best quality vintages in the 21st century will unusually be one of the best value.
A vintage for buyers and drinkers alike!
We have also seen a new release from Château Latour (96+ pts Wine Advocate) this week, the first since they decided to no longer participate in the traditional En Primeur process in 2011, opting to release wine when the Chateau felt it was ready. At a release price of £2,100 for 6 bottles this also represents the cheapest vintage of the previous 10 years.
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Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
'.. 2019 has surprised me. A lot. If you had asked me before I started tasting who I thought might be in the three-digit-score zone, I would not have had Figeac, Pichon Baron or even Ducru-Beaucaillou on that list...'"
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Château Potensac (Saint-Julien)
Chateau Potensac is owned by the Delon family. They are better known for their famous property in St. Julien, Leoville Las Cases. Located in the Haut Medoc appellation, and Chateau Nenin in Pomerol. Chateau Potensac has been in the Delon family hands for several generations. The grandfather of Jean Hubert Delon obtained the estate through marriage, when he married into the Liquard family. From that time on, Chateau Potensac has been passed down from father to son.
The 53 hectare, Bordeaux wine vineyard of Chateau Potensac consists of gravel based soils with patches of clay. The vineyard is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc with vines that are on average, 30 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 8,000 vines per hectare.
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James Suckling (94-95 pts)
"Excellent Potensac with a creamy and tight tannin structure. Blueberries and blackberries with some salt and minerals at the end. Classic structure. One of the best ever."
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2019 Château Potensac (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel)
47% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
The estate's Grand Vin's vineyards are located west of Ordonnac village. Its rows of vines grow on a double thalweg of gravelly-clay. They produce a very fi ne wine with tight texture, great richness and wonderful freshness. On the palate, the wine is pure and powerful, the tannins dense and spicy, and the finish of great depth with glorious aromas. Because of these qualities, Château Potensac is often considered to represent the "pure Medoc style". It should be noted that Potensac was the only "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel" of its appellation.
£189.00 per 12 x 750ml (IB)
£194.00 per 6 x 1500ml (IB)
"The 2019 Potensac is a blend of 47% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, harvested from the 21st of September to the 9th of October. The alcohol came in at 14.05% with a pH of 3.54 and an IPT of 74. It is aging in French oak barriques, 34% new. With a deep purple-black color, the nose hits the ground running with lively scents of black raspberries, warm cassis and redcurrant jelly plus suggestions of garrigue, tilled soil, unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. The medium to full-bodied palate is positively invigorating, offering bags of crunchy black and red berry flavors and a racy line of freshness, framed by approachable, grainy tannins and finishing with a skip in its step. In a word: FUN!"
Lisa Perrotii-Brown (90-92+ pts) Wine Advocate
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2019 Le Petit Lion de Las Cases (Saint-Julien)
46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc
In recent years, several vineyard plots in the Clos LÉOVILLE Las Cases were uprooted and replanted, and these are now coming into production. To preserve the quality level of the Grand Vin, Château LÉOVILLE Las Cases therefore decided it would create a second wine, from the 2007 vintage
The Petit Lion shares the philosophy of its two elder siblings; it is vinifi ed and aged in order to preserve its fresh, ripe fruit fl avour throughout its life. However, it is designed as a second wine, and is therefore made to be more accessible and for earlier drinking, with a signifi cant proportion of Merlot used in the blend.
£216.00 per 6 x 750ml (IB)
£221.00 per 3 x 1500ml (IB)
"Managing director Pierre Graffeuille informed me that this wine is mainly a blend of the younger vines of Léoville Las Cases—three- to 20-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines—with some of the old Merlot (40-70 years) from the Las Cases enclosure. "It is a great combo to add old Merlot to young Cabernet Sauvignon!" he commented. Sporting a deep purple-black color, scents of Black Forest cake, blueberry preserves and ripe, black plums come bounding out of the glass, shadowed by hints of menthol, potpourri, spice cake and clove oil plus a waft of aniseed. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with energetic, juicy black fruits, framed by amazing freshness and ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with a lively, invigorating lift. This is very different from the grand vin and yet is a wonderful alternative expression of the vineyard. For true fans of Las Cases, I would really recommend buying both this and the grand vin, because together they create an even more interesting story of the vintage at this incredible property!"
Lisa Perrotii-Brown (92-94+ pts) Wine Advocate
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All prices are 'In Bond' and exclude, duty, VAT & delivery and subject to availabilty and confirmation
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The wines above are subject to strict allocation on a first come first serve basis, confirmation and remaining unsold.
Different formats are available for most wines (375ml to 15L) at a small additional bottling cost.
Delivery is expected to commence in spring 2022.
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