2020 vintage. Lean and mean with plenty of palate thrust and a bit of evident craft. Gets down to $15.50 a bottle resto cost on 3 cases. This is from the Château Léoville-Poyferré group. Tough to say "no" at that price. Not the biggest Malbec fan as I usually find it too one-dimensional and drunken Godzilla....er...plodding. 15% ABV. Keeping in the notes tho...04.12.25. — a year ago
2013 vintage. Decanted with a little sed. Great cork. Tremendous power and on the leaner side of the ledger...think bigg vintage Leoville Las Cases or 80's/early 90's Montelena or *gasp* La Jota before the Helen Turley fruit bomb intervention in the early 90’s. Drinking a little "hot" but only at 14.9% ABV. Definite palate-wrecker with tannins for daze. Will take this wine in their lineup nearly every time vs the pricier and smoother Pritchard Hill shizz. The off the charts QPR is easily tasted vs the rest of their Cab/Cab-based lineup. Awesome now but will consolidate even further into a wolverine wine. Be very afraid. If you're looking for a quiet, placid dinner for two, then a rom-com snugglefest, this is not your beautiful house. This is someone else's beautiful wife. 12.01.24. — 2 years ago
Château Léoville Las Cases ‘La Petite Marquise’ Saint-Julien 2018: Medium-full bodied. Medium-high acidity. Noticeable tannins that mellowed out over time. Deep purple in color. Tasting notes of blackberry, plum, strawberry, cedar & oak. Smooth warm finish. All in all, a rich & delicious Saint-Julien wine however very worthy of additional years of cellaring. Be well wine friends! Cheers 🇫🇷🍷 — 4 years ago
There is something special about La Lagune. In my younger days I read an interview with Émile Peynaud where he stated that in the whole of the Médoc there are only a handful of wines that can support 100% new oak: the first growths, Leoville-las-Cases, and maybe La Lagune as it is the most aromatic. The times have changed ever since, but there is some truth in the aromatic side of La Lagune. While I have good memories of some older vintages (1970 and 1982 come to mind), the wines have never been better than under the reign of Caroline Frey. This 2019 is absolutely gorgeous. After 10 minutes in the glass it displays black and red fruits, cedar wood and spices with a hint of lead pencil. In the mouth the 14,5 abv. goes unnoticed as elegance supremes over power. It combines Margaux-like silky finesse with Pessac-Léognan spiciness, the latter especially in the impressively long finish. Moreover it's amazing value. — 5 years ago
Visually, bricking has begun. The nose presented a hint of musty cardboard, at that point, my sphincter started twitching - had I left this too long?
Palate displays spice notes initially, followed by anise, cinnamon and cloves. Mature cherries are also in the foreground with moderate tannins. Finishes with leather, olives notes and moderate sweetness. This is perched on a plateau, and should be consumed now.
The story behind the label is a broken bottle of a 2003 Leoville Las Cases, which pissed it’s pants (so to speak) in my eurocave, back in the day... — 5 years ago
Sourced largely from dedicated parcels and younger vines in a frost-challenged year, it opens with red currant, graphite, and cedar, layered with subtle floral and savory notes. The palate is full bodied and precise, with polished tannins, fresh acidity, and restrained oak.
More akin to Clos du Marquis to Leoville Las Cases in spirit than declassified Grand Vin, this is a well priced Cuvée from Ducru. — 6 months ago
1994 vintage. Decanted and throwing heavy sed. Tasted after 30 minutes. Medium/medium heavy body. Dark fruit and earth components driving the bus. Nose with plenty of leather and dirty durty. Has 5-6 more years at this plateau before dropping down a notch. Plenty of pleasure still to be had here if this is your preferred style/jam. The Napa equivalent of Leoville Las Cases. 5.15.24. — 2 years ago
Similar to the note I made a year ago in August 2020. Aromas of dried herbs, bay leaf, tomato bush with a woody note (not Oak) which we identified as Walnut similar to the previous note. This Cabernet is slightly different to the northern Margaret River (Wilyabrup) Cabernets like Woodlands and Moss Wood. On the Medium plus bodied palate red and black fruits with currants and mulberries. This was from a good vintage and is currently in a great place. Enjoy a bottle if you have any. POSTSCRIPT: A note by James Halliday from the Cape Mentelle International Cabernet Tasting in 2010 , for the 2007 vintage - “the trio of Cape Mentelle, Moss Wood and Woodlands pushed Leoville Las Cases and Chateau Margaux out of contention. “ Admittedly 2007 was not a great year in Bordeaux. — 5 years ago
2007 comparative tasting of the 3 Leoville estates. Almost like a blend of the Las Cases and the Barton. — 5 years ago


Beautiful wine, decant before hand for the best nose. — 5 months ago
2018 vintage. Léoville-Poyferré-involved concern. 73% Malbec 18% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Petit Verdot 3% Syrah 1% Cab Franc. 100% delicious. Medium/medium-heavy body. Nice balance of grip/zip and sleeko suave. Can hold its own in a street fight now or be the scheduled, 12-round, main event in 2040-your choice. $28.85 resto cost on 3 cases. 14.5% ABV. Definite big red blend value contender. 04.13.25. — a year ago
Spoto Family wine dinner under the stars: always a fun night with Stuart and family!
DINNER WINES
2021 Spoto Oakville cabernet rose
2019 Spoto Godfather red....a blend you can't refuse.
2019 Spoto cuvee Christiane
2018 Spoto Beckstoffer amber Knolls malbec
2018 Spoto family reserve cabernet
2015 Spoto late harvest viognier
Also:
2004 Las Cases
2005 Pichon Baron
2009 Cos d'estournel
2012 La Mission Haut Brion
2005 Spottswood
1989 clerc milon
2005 Spoto private reserve
2001 clos du val
FOOD
Oysters, lamb lollipops, feta skewers
Tomato and nectarine panzanella
Ricotta, summer pea and corn agnolotti
Wood fired gulf prawns
Five spice grass-fed short rib, Yukon potato
Apricot and vanilla custard tartelette — 3 years ago

2010 Bordeaux zoom tasting with Lisa Perrott-Brown, editor in chief for RP Wine Advocate. The wines have been shut down, some waking up...big wines with volume turned up on everything (tannin, acidity, alcohol), structured, and should cellar for many years.
2010 Pichon Baron. RP 96
2010 Leoville Las Cases. RP 97
2010 Palmer. RP 96
2010 Pape Clement. RP 100
2010 Figeac. RP 97
2010 Trotanoy. RP 97 — 5 years ago


Peter van den Besselaar
vintage 1986 | Brushwood in smell, soft taste, a point — a month ago