Winemaker Notes
Ripe plums, black cherry liquor and dried cassis provide sumptuous aromas while hints of orange peel, toasted allspice, fresh cinnamon bark and dried tea leaf beckon. A velvety, Merlot-driven mid-palate slowly opens into a multi-layered bouquet of red fruit, toasted baking spices, truffle and coffee bean. An iron-rich minerality provides a taut, complex structure, while fine-grained tannins and firm acidity grip the palate to sustain a long and elegant finish. This classic expression of Saint-Émilion offers a dual brightness and sophistication that will continue to improve for years to come.
Blend: 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made by Pierre Seillan of Verité in Sonoma (the estate was purchased by the Jackson Family in 2003) from 50- to 60-year-old vines on clay and limestone, the 2015 Lassegue is composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with expressive black forest cake, preserved plums and blackberry pie notes with an undercurrent of mocha, grilled meats, sandalwood and cigar box plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, rich and densely packed with opulent layers of spiced black fruit preserves and chocolate box notions, it has wonderfully plush yet firm tannins and a lovely suggestion of background acid, finishing long and fragrant.
Rating: 96+ -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: One doesn't have to visit the quaint town of Saint-Émilion to enjoy the beauty of it all. The lovely 2015 Lassègue can do the trick for you and provide you with a beautiful and lasting wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers riveting aromas and flavors of bright red currants and light spiciness. Enjoy it with pan-fried pork chops. (Tasted: August 27, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.