| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Médoc |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Produced by the Léoville Lascases team in the Northern Médoc near to Sociando Mallet, above St Estephe with maturation in 33% new oak. A second wine - La Chapelle de Potensac - is also made here.
Is the 2016 Potensac this estate's finest vintage to date? Certainly, its compelling bouquet of cassis and pencil shavings and it's seamless, beautifully balanced palate make a strong case. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, penetrating finish, this is built to age with style, yet it is also quite accessible at this early stage for a young Potensac. Drink Date 2025 - 2045
The 2016 Potensac has a ripe, pure-fruit-driven bouquet of black cherries and bilberry fruit, developing lovely floral aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy ripe black fruit and fine mineralité. There is a subtle marine influence at play toward the finish, and a dash of white pepper on the aftertaste. Enjoyable. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. 2020 - 2036
Suave aromas of cedar and fresh red flowers with a thread of ripe red berries and blackcurrants, mulberries, coal smoke and cool stones. The palate delivers a wealth of rich red-fruit flavors, framed in sleek tannins that build with precision and length. A class act. One of the best from here in the modern era. Try from 2023.
Blended of 44% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Potensac features chocolate box and Sichuan pepper scents with a core of cassis, warm blackberries, kirsch and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, it has a great core of expressive black fruits, grainy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing with a red fruit lift. Drink 2020-2035.
Potensac benefits from its location close to St-Estèphe in this vintage, and the tannins are absolutely beautiful, far more bouncy and fresh than in some vintages. Deep, rich blueberry and raspberry fruits are framed by the same floral prettiness as the second wine. What an excellent vintage for Potensac, owned by the Delon Group. A definite buy this year, give it maybe five years then crack right into it. 56% grand vin, 34% to Chapelle de Potensac and 10% sent to bulk. A blend of 44% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, aged in 30% new oak. 3.49pH.
Drinking Window 2022 - 2038
Bright crimson. Racy and very rich and polished. Lovely tannins. Very juicy. Some tannin and potential underneath. Firm structure but no austerity. GV?
Drink 2024-2033
Produced by the Léoville Lascases team in the Northern Médoc near to Sociando Mallet, above St Estephe with maturation in 33% new oak. A second wine - La Chapelle de Potensac - is also made here. 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, with 30% new oak in 2016. Spicy with plum and cherry fruits and a touch of blackcurrant. Crunchy, sandy tannins provide fresh and classic structure. A nick toasty finish supports rather than dominates the fruit, bringing complexity and retaining balance.
Another sleeper is the 2016 Château de Potensac, which is 44% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all aged 14 months in 30% new French oak. This beauty is upfront and ready to go, with a dark, rich bouquet of currants, unsmoked tobacco, graphite, and earth. With beautiful concentration and a layered, elegant texture, it’s one of those wines that has ample upfront appeal yet will keep for 15+ years. Drink 2019-2034.
The nose has fragrance spring violets the start of the palate is light and bright but it fills out in the middle with sweet ripe black fruits. The tannins are fine and integrated with the richness balanced by freshness the finish has good depth and sweetness. 2024-34
The 2016 Potensac contains earlier-picked Merlot and later-picked Cabernet, according to the estate. It offers blackberry, sous-bois and crushed stone on the nose, the new oak (one-third) finely integrated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin and a fine bead of acidity, delivering a mixture of red and black fruit and a lightly spiced, almost gentle finish of satisfying length. I appreciate the nonchalant, easygoing nature of this Potensac, which should give immense pleasure over the next 15 to 20 years. Drink 2020-2036.
The 2016 Potensac is a blend of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, cropped at 55 hectoliters per hectare between 5 and 19 October (11 days of picking), then matured in 30% new oak. Jean-Hubert Delon told me that his team was selective in the winery and so the Grand Vin only comprises 55% of the total production. It actually shares the potent marine/estuarine influence of the Chapelle de Potensac, plenty of black fruit here, maybe a little rustic but with plenty of character. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite linear at first, opening nicely in the mouth to reveal a spicy and lively middle and finish. This has a little more panache than the 2015 Potensac, more detail towards the finish, and it should give plenty of drinking pleasure over the next decade or more. Drink 2020 - 2035.
What a racy and focused Potensac with wonderful density and finesse as well as a firm and polished tannins that hold the whole thing together. A beautiful, reasoned young red. One of best Potensacs in a long time.
