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Potensac 2015

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Médoc
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Potensac

Label

Tasting Notes

The 2015 Potensac has a crisp, well-defined bouquet with blackberry, autumn leaves and light sandalwood aromas, just a touch of black tea in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip, quite harmonious but surprisingly punchy toward the pencil lead-tinged finish. This is a good solid Potensac. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

90
Neal Martin, vinous.com, July 2019

A clarity and transparency to this pretty red with currant, lemon-peel and lemon-grass character. Full body, very fine tannins and a pretty texture. Precise wine. Drink or hold.

92
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2018

Tasted blind. Solid, slightly sweet. Well balanced with some structure.
Drink 2022-2028

16
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2019

Produced by the Léoville Lascases team in the Northern Médoc near to Sociando Mallet, above St Estephe. The 2015 blend is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc with maturation in 33% new oak. A second wine - La Chapelle de Potensac - is also made here. Deep ruby colour with a nose of fresh cherry and vanilla. There is a forward, silky sweetness here that is filled with ripe red cherries. This continues on the finish with hints of vanilla and smoke.

89+
Farr Vintners, March 2016

The 2015 Potensac comes from vines near the northern edge of Saint-Estèphe and is 45% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Cabernet Franc. It’s a rock-solid, medium-bodied, classic Potensac offering notes of black cherries, underbrush, violets and even a hint of peppery herbs. With medium-bodied richness, juicy acidity and fine, nicely integrated tannin, it’s a classic 2015 to drink over the coming 10-15 years. 2018 - 2033

88
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2017

One of Jean-Hubert Delon’s favourite tricks is to slip Potensac into blind tastings, such is its ageing potential. This is more forward than some recent vintages, with supple tannins, grassy fruit and well integrated tannins, but could still surprise a few people. Drink: 2020-25

91
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2016

Only 55% of fruit was used here for the Grand Vin which actually improved both this and the second wine. With high-density planting and soils like Saint-Estèphe this is a great terroir and with old vines (40 years old) this is the reason why this wine is so delicious. Quite forward and very bright with typical swagger and density of cassis this is a brilliant wine. A little rounder than 2014 but I love this style equally because the 2014 had more obviously classical tannins.

17+
Matthew Jukes, Matthew Jukes' Blog, April 2016
Read more tasting notes...

The 2015 Potensac is a blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, and it represents 55% of the production even though they could have done more. It has a well-defined bouquet, crisp and focused, with tobacco-tinged black fruit and a light brine-like tinge that becomes accentuated with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry. This is smooth and harmonious, perhaps more cohesive than recent vintages, with slightly chalky tannin on the tensile, graphite-tinged finish. This is a fine Potensac that may have greater longevity than I originally thought. Anticipated maturity: 2020 - 2035.

91
Neal Martin, March 2018

The 2015 Potensac is a blend of 45% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc that was cropped at 50 hl/ha, and raised in one-third new oak. There is a sense of airiness on the nose: small dark cherries, crème de cassis and crushed strawberry, pretty and nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannin, fresh and citrus in style, just a touch of reduction towards the finish, but they will blow off by the time it is in bottle. I would have just preferred more persistence on the finish, but otherwise this is a decent Potensac. Drink 2019-2030

89/91
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (224), April 2016

Lots of mineral and stone aromas and flavors with blackberry and blueberry aromas. Full and very fine texture. Well made for the vintage considering the moisture in Northern Médoc.

90/91
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2016

Savoury and polished. Lots of personality. Quite marked acidity on the end - too concentrated perhaps? 13.32%
Drink 2021-2028

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2016
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.