Le Petit Lion - 2009

LE PETIT LION - 2009

2009

ASSEMBLAGE / BLEND Cabernet Sauvignon 29% Merlot 71%

DATE DE VENDANGE / HARVEST PERIOD Du 22 septembre au 7 octobre 2009 From 22nd September to 7th October 2009

ANALYSES / LAB ANALYZES Degré : 14,00 %vol. - Acidité Totale : 3,65 gH2SO4/l - pH : 3,55 - IPT : 67 Alcohol degree : 14.00 %vol. - Total Acidity : 3.65 gH2SO4/l - pH : 3.55 - IPT : 67

LE MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE 2009 La floraison et la nouaison se déroulèrent sous les meilleurs auspices grâce à de belles conditions climatiques sans excès de chaleur. La véraison fut ensuite rapide et homogène grâce à une période fin juillet - début août très ensoleillée. Il y eut très peu de précipitations durant la phase de maturation du raisin avec un mois d’août très sec mais non caniculaire qui engendra une récolte assez précoce et d’une remarquable homogénéité. The flowering and berry set both occurred in the best possible conditions thanks to the very fine weather. There was no excessive heat and the colour change was very quick and even thanks to a lovely sunny period in late July and early August. There was very little rain during the ripening process with a very dry yet not over hot month of August. The result was a quite early and remarkably even crop.

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NOTES DE DÉGUSTATION / TASTING NOTES REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE / OLIVIER POELS 93/100 Afin de permettre au Clos du Marquis de vivre sa vie indépendamment, le château a créé Le Petit Lion avec le millésime 2007 avec le statut de second vin. Il reçoit les jeunes vignes du célèbre clos, avec une proportion moindre de cabernet-sauvignon que le grand vin. Le Petit Lion est évidemment plus approchable, mais il faut quand même savoir faire preuve de patience. Le 2009 est encore d'une jeunesse impressionnante, une boule de fruit énergique et dense loin d'avoir tout livré. Carafage obligatoire. (...) (Mars 2021)

DECANTER / JANE ANSON 91/100 The second vintage of Le Petit Lion, and the first where the vintage really was good enough to showcase its potential. It's made up of the oldest Merlot grapes of the estate, together with the youngest Cabernet Sauvignons. It's rich black cherry in colour, with spicy aromatics coming to the fore on the nose. The tannins are pretty bouncy, with clear freshness running through - even in this most generous of vintages you still get the slight reserve of the Léoville soils. With a little patience it softens, showing a gourmet sweetness and silky texture. 25% new oak. (November 2018)

FALSTAFF / PETER MOSER 93/100 Kräftiges Rubingranat, Ockerreflexe, breitere Randaufhellung. Merlot dominiert sofort: Über 70% macht sein Anteil aus, Nuancen von reifen Pflaumen, eingelegte Kirschen, kandierte Orangenzesten, samtig und süß, elegant und anhaftend, mit Freude jetzt zu genießen. (February 2020)

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NOTES DE DÉGUSTATION / TASTING NOTES - SUITE

JEANNIE CHO LEE 91/100 Still outhful and vibrant with cassis and plum flavors. The ripe vintage comes through on the palate with plush, luscious tannins and sweet spices. A full bodied red with fine bones and grippy finish. Enjoy now and over the next 10 years. (March 2016)

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER / JEFF LEVE 90/100 Opening with an earthy, cassis and forest filled perfume, this forward, round textured wine is filled with ripe, crunchy cassis and cherries. (...). This is the true second wine of Léoville Las Cases. Drink this young, or over the next 10-12 years. It's a true Bordeaux value wine. (May 2012)

JAMES SUCKLING 91/100 Blueberries and minerals on the nose, with hints of flowers. Full body, with firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. A little linear in structure, but very fine. Second wine of Léoville Las Cases. (March 2012)

WINE ADVOCATE / ROBERT PARKER Made in an up-front, fruity style, it exhibits notes of underbrush, unsmoked cigar tobacco, blackberries and black raspberries. Medium-bodied, soft, round and easy- going, it can be enjoyed over the next decade. (December 2011)

THE WINE DOCTOR / CHRIS KISSACK 14,5-15,5+/20 Remarkably, following some replanting, the team at Las- Cases have created a second wine (Clos du Marquis is often referred to as such, but it actually comes from a subsection

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NOTES DE DÉGUSTATION / TASTING NOTES - SUITE

of vineyards within the Las-Cases estate). So this is fruit from young vines, and also some Merlot unsuitable for the grander wines. (...). Fabulously naff label. Very nice and lively fruit. Finely composed start on the palate, but showing that bold alcohol from the Merlot as it moves into the middle. Very softly composed, quite grippy tannins, but it is that Merlot that dominates. Soft acidity. (March 2010)

WINE ENTHUSIAST / ROGER VOSS 89/100 Barrel sample. The first release of a wine from young vines. It is charming, juicy and fresh, the fruit bright and lively. (March 2011)

JANCIS ROBINSON 16/20 Very concentrated and rich ; very 2009 on the nose. Tannins already softening but they are there, well hidden. Round and sweet. (January 2016)

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Comparatif des températures et précipitations sur la période végétative : du 1er mars au 31 Mesure des contraintes hydriques en 2009 / Hydric stress octobre / Comparison of temperatures and rainfall during the growth cycle : from 1st March to 31st October in 2009

Pluviométrie et températures en 2009 / Total rainfall and average temperatures in 2009 Stades phénologiques / Phenological cycle