2012 La Devise de Lilian

The second wine of Chateau Lilian Ladouys, a historic 47 hectare estate that lies in the heart of the Saint Estephe appellation, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Production at the Chateau started in the mid-seventeenth century, then under the ownership of the Barre family. A succession of families purchased and sold the property over years, then finally in 2007 Jacky Lorenzetti purchased the property and made some real investments.  The Lorenzetti family also purchased 50% of the stunning Chateau D’Issan estate in Margaux, and with that they brought the talented Bordelaise winemaker Emmanuel Cruse into the fold! Emmanuel took Chateau Lilian Ladouys’ wines to the next level, producing wines from the estate that rival many of the best anywhere on Bordeaux’s left bank. With recent vintages appearing on Wine Spectator’s prestigious list of the Top 100 Wines and Top 100 Value Wines, it is hard to resist the exceptional values Emmanuel is now producing at Château Lilian Ladouys!

La Devise is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, from vines of 40 years old on average. The soils in Saint Estephe are gravel, clay, and limestone, the mix translates wonderfully into the minerality of this wine. A complex nose sets the tone, offering blueberry and stone notes mixed with blackcurrant and hints of smoke, pepper, and vanilla. Aged for 12 months in a combination of barrels and vats, then bottle aged at the winery. The extra time in the bottle here is really what sets this beauty apart. This is such a gorgeous polished wine, with a soft mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a long seamless finish. This is what great Bordeaux is all about, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune! A truly remarkable effort at this price point, rivalling many Bordeaux I taste at $50+ a bottle. Its drinking great now with 30 minutes of air in the decanter, and you can expect it to age gracefully for another 4-5 years. With Easter right around the corner here’s the perfect pairing for lamb! I can’t wait to see what Jacky Lorenzetti and Emmanuel Cruse do next with this new renaissance of the lovely Château Lilian Ladouys!