"The 2020 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot, aging in 80% new French oak barriques, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.68%, a pH of 3.8 and an IPT (tannins index) of 79. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 21st to the 27th of September, the Merlot from the 12th to the 15th of September and the Cabernet Franc on the 18th and 19th of September. With an opaque purple-black color, it slowly unfurls to reveal beguiling notes of fresh blackcurrants, Morello cherries, candied violets and dark chocolate, giving way to an undercurrent of crushed rocks, unsmoked cigars, clove oil and fragrant earth. The medium-bodied palate is a powerhouse of energy, delivering tightly wound red and black fruits, mineral and floral layers, supported by fantastic tension and incredibly ripe, silt-like tannins. The finish has jaw-dropping fragrance and depth.
“In six months, from November to June, we got more rain than we do in an average entire year,” Pierre Graffeuille, managing director at Léoville Las Cases told me. In June, it moved to a hot and very dry summer. The vines were not so affected by the drought, depending on the terroir. But terroir was a key element to overcome the drought. Proximity to the river was beneficial—it is always cooler by the river. Also, the percentage of clay in the soil was a key factor. Luckily, we have clay subsoils in the estates. The last key was the age of the vine. At Las Cases, the vines are more than 50 years old. Sand and gravel-based soils were more challenging. The [berries] were very concentrated due to the drought, but they were also very fresh. We harvested early compared to 2018. We started the 10th of September and finished on the 27th of September. Extraction had to be very gentle, because the skins were very thick and there was a lot of tannin. We lowered the amount of pump-overs by 30% compared to 2019. And we maintained cooler fermentation temperatures to avoid to overextraction.”"
Lisa Perrotti Brown 96-98 Punkte
Quelle: www.robertparker.com
Quelle: www.robertparker.com