Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
With dense fruit and a powerful, complex structure, this is one of the best wines from this chateau. Blackberries, black plums and a rich, generous character are all here, along with fine tannins. Drink this great success from 2018.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A top-notch effort from this estate, the 2011 exhibits an exotic perfume of lead pencil shavings, white chocolate, raspberry jam and red as well as black currants. Loads of fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and velvety tannin suggest this beauty will drink well for 15+ years. It is one of the stars of the appellation in this vintage. Bravo!
Barrel Sample: 91-93 Points -
James Suckling
This is tight and structured, with blueberry and mineral character. Full and firm with excellent tannins for the vintage. Needs at least four years to soften but shows potential: try in 2018.
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Wine Spectator
Offers mouthfilling layers of plum sauce, blackberry compote and warm ganache, all lined with a charcoal note that adds texture and length. Delivers depth and polish on the finish, with the fruit echoing pleasantly. Best from 2016 through 2027.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An icon of balance and tradition, St. Julien boasts the highest proportion of classed growths in the Médoc. What it lacks in any first growths, it makes up in the rest: five amazing second growth chateaux, two superb third growths and four well-reputed fourth growths. While the actual class rankings set in 1855 (first, second, and so on the fifth) today do not necessarily indicate a score of quality, the classification system is important to understand in the context of Bordeaux history. Today rivalry among the classed chateaux only serves to elevate the appellation overall.
One of its best historically, the estate of Leoville, was the largest in the Médoc in the 18th century, before it was divided into the three second growths known today as Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases, Léoville-Poyferré and Léoville-Barton. Located in the north section, these are stone’s throw from Chateau Latour in Pauillac and share much in common with that well-esteemed estate.
The relatively homogeneous gravelly and rocky top soil on top of clay-limestone subsoil is broken only by a narrow strip of bank on either side of the “jalle,” or stream, that bisects the zone and flows into the Gironde.
St. Julien wines are for those wanting subtlety, balance and consistency in their Bordeaux. Rewarding and persistent, the best among these Bordeaux Blends are full of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, tobacco and licorice. They are intense and complex and finish with fine, velvety tannins.