Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases 2015 is an instance when we would love to drive Ferrari but can settle for Maserati. Le Petit Lion is the second wine (label) of Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases.
What does the second label mean in car terms, for example? You’re getting the experience of driving a street version of a racetrack Ferrari at a quarter of a price.
In wine terms, in Le Petite Lion ($76), the winemaker might have used grapes from younger vines or vineyards adjutant to Léoville du Marquis ($276) vineyards, for example. Or maybe a slightly different blend with fewer new oak barrels and shorter ageing.
Still, the same people made it in the same facility and with the same attention to detail as used in their premium wine. The kicker is that in the good vintages like 2015, the difference is less dramatic, and wine is as age-worthy.
In the Bottle: Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases 2015
Le Petit Lion 2015 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot 60%
The 2015 vintage began hot and sunny April that set off a rapid bud-burst. Almost perfect weather continued through the other stages of the vines’ development in 2015: the beautiful weather at the end of May and early June allowed the quick and even flowering of each of the different grape varieties.
The dry weather from mid-July caused moderate hydraulic stress, which very beneficial at this stage for the synthesis of the polyphenol precursors. The welcome rainfall at the end of July and early August arrived just in time to allow a quick and even véraison (grapes color change.) From mid-August to harvest-time, the final ripening stages continued through alternating sunny periods and stormy rain showers. A mild September ensured the grapes maintained an aromatic freshness.
In the Glass: Le Petit Lion du Marguis de Las Cases 2015
Le Petit Lion greeted us with the aroma of black currant and blackberry bushes on the hot sunny afternoon on the Gironde riverbank in Bordeaux, the smell of ripe berries and dusty leaves, sweet tea, and tobacco.
As we took the first sip, a combination of ripe blackberry, black currant, and plum dipped in bitter dark chocolate and dusted with coffee teleported us to dinner in Nice on the Mediterranean seashore.
The well-incorporated acidity and moderate acidity balanced the ripe fruit and added structure to the wine.
Finish
We saved some wine for the next day and evolved overnight with rounded black fruit and cherry tree tar.
So how was our ride if we go back to car analogy? It was exhilarating and enjoyable! We tasted what we expected and more from the wine that’s just a notch below the top red wines in the world.
How was your experience when you tried second labels from Bordeaux? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
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