CdB MN Spring Event: St. Julien - The Three Leovilles

Meritage, St. Paul
Tasted Thursday, May 28, 2026 by rocknroller with 52 views

Introduction

This was the Spring Tasting of the Minneapolis CdB. The theme continues through the left bank featuring St. Julien tonight. The showcase was two flights, each featuring the trio of Leovilles. This tasting was held in the Medoc Room at Meritage with a sold out group of 21. Chef Russell Klein and his team with Nick Rancone at the front of house, did a masterful job of hosting and pairing to our wines. This was a splendid evening....one of our best. Kudos to the everyone!

Flight 1 (1 Note)

Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2006 Château Valandraud Blanc de Valandraud No. 1 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Light gold color. Tasting pour. Wow, this was beautiful, incredibly fresh, vibrant and highly perfumed floral notes and stone fruits. Extremely long and elegant....wow! It was great to see what this can be. Tonight we poured from 3 bottles, two of which were wonderful and one was toast. Half of our table got the oxidized bottle, hence my small glass....thanks Candie!! We had the same issue at a tasting back in December of 2025.

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  • 2015 Château Lafleur Les Champs Libres 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Pale gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Cat pee, lemon wax, lemongrass, intense, lotsxof acid and some residual oak. Very good.

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Flight 3 (3 Notes)

  • 2003 Château Léoville Barton 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very dark red plus color. Wines were double decanted and had about 3 hours of slow-O time. Drank a glass over 2 hours in a flight of '03 Leoville Barton, '03 Leoville Las Cases, and '05 Leoville Poyferre. The LB has a stunning nose, open and perfumed with leather, juicy creme de cassis, loam and violets. The perfume just keep building in the glass. The palate shows bright cassis, blackberry, deep earth tones, tobacco, dried wood, fine tannins and long sleek finish. I find the nose even more impressive than the palate. There is absolutely no lack of balance here, nor any other concern for the vinatge. For me, this was the star of the flight edging out an impressive '05 LP, and the not quite ready to play LLC. 95+(+)pts.

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  • 2003 Château Léoville Las Cases 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very dark red plus color. Wines were double decanted and had about 3 hours of slow-O time. Drank a glass over 2 hours in a flight of '03 Leoville Barton, '03 Leoville Las Cases, and '05 Leoville Poyferre. The last time I had the LLC was in 2018. At that time, I suggested to check back in 5 years. Well, now its 8 years later, and I still don't really think it is fully ready. By far the most primary of the trio, the nose shows high toned wood, brooding black fruit, and a bit of volatility. The palate is full bodied and robust, pencil, very dark fruits, fleshy with taught structure. The palate gives more than the nose, and with extended glass time it opens a bit more, but I think more time is needed and/or a nice long full decant.

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  • 2005 Château Léoville Poyferré 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very dark red plus color. Wines were double decanted and had about 3 hours of slow-O time. Drank a glass over 2 hours in a flight of '03 Leoville Barton, '03 Leoville Las Cases, and '05 Leoville Poyferre. The LP has a great nose filled with funk, cassis and raspberries, pencil, such a pretty perfume of fruit here along with gorgeous wood accents. The palate is suave and deep, adding in dried herbs, coarse tobacco, dried leather, boysenberry with moderte tannins and a slight edge to the finish. I think this was the wine that had the group talking the most, and probably surprised more than a few. Showing quite well, this was very impressive, 94+ to 95pts.

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Flight 4 (3 Notes)

  • 2000 Château Léoville Barton 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very dark red/purple color. Wines were double decanted and had about 3 hours of slow-O time. Drank a glass over 2 hours in a flight of '00 Leoville Barton, '00 Leoville Las Cases, and '00 Leoville Poyferre. Wow, this nose is magnetic, just drawing you in and holding you tightly to the rim, not wanting to let go. Funk, fine leather, delicate forest floor, cedarbox, pencil shavings, charcoal, gorgeous cassis and berry fruits waft from the glass. The palate is equally impressive and expressing the precisely what the nose promises with a elegance and feminine sashay. This was my wine of the flight (and night) in another delightful flight.

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  • 2000 Château Léoville Las Cases

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very dark purple color. Wines were double decanted and had about 3 hours of slow-O time. Drank a glass over 2 hours in a flight of '00 Leoville Barton, '00 Leoville Las Cases, and '00 Leoville Poyferre. The LLC again begs the question when, when will this be ready? High toned again on the nose, plenty of wood on the nose and palate, the structure stands out, very dense and intense, some earth, wildflowers, purple fruit with blackberry and black raspberry, and graphite. While everything is clearly here, this is very powerful, but still tight, and I feel like the wood is not ready to integrate yet. The nose is a further along than the palate tonight. I'd decant heavily for current drinking. I can't see putting a score on this tonight, though some were quite enamoured with it.

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  • 2000 Château Léoville Poyferré 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very dark red/purple color. Wines were double decanted and had about 3 hours of slow-O time. Drank a glass over 2 hours in a flight of '00 Leoville Barton, '00 Leoville Las Cases, and '00 Leoville Poyferre. Another great nose here. Truffles, damp earth, high toned potpourri, fine spices, red and black fruits, pencil, full bodied and flat out gorgeous. Wow, this showed great. Another showing that truly made the group take notice. 95+ to 96pts.

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Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • 1997 Château Coutet Barsac 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

    Light medium-dark gold color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes. Wonderful showing; saffron, pineapple, tangerine, orange rind, lovely botrytis notes, lift and finsih.
    Another nice showing for this, and I think even better than when we had this in February, though the entire evening may have helped to elevate it further, and the pairing of honey cake was glorious.

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