Château La Louvière Red Chateau : Château La Louvière Château La Louvière has many fascinating facets. The sumptuous architecture of the château building dates from the late 18th century, but winegrowing here goes back more than 700 years. The first vines were planted circa 1310, although modern winemaking dates from the 17th century and was handed down by able monks from the Carthusian monastery in Bordeaux, who had acquired considerable talent as viticulturists and winemakers. The people who produce the wine in the 21st century have inherited these time-honoured methods, adding just the right amount of innovation and modernity to make the utmost of the outstanding terroir. La Louvière's red wine has a dark colour and an elegant bouquet with delicate hints of oak... Surface : 46.00 ha Soil : Deep gravel Graft stock : 101.14 - Riparia gloire - 3309 Plant food : Traditional, limited impact Plant density : 8,500 vines per hectare Wine average age : 25 years Grape variety : Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Petit Verdot Pruning type : Double Guyot with debudding Grape harvest : By hand with small deep crates Fermentation : In stainless-steel temperature-controlled tanks with patented cap-breaking system and concrete tanks with pigeage Fermentation temperature : 28 to 30 C Malolactic : Yes Wine maturing : For 12 months in oak barrels (40 % new) with racking Wine montage : Egg white Maturing potential : Subject to vintage, expressive between 3 and 5 years, can age 15 to 30 years. Cellar master : Jean Marc COMTE
Vintage 2014 Appellation : Pessac-Léognan Wine style : Full and Complex Weather : Winter and spring were very mild, but the summer of 2014 did not live up to our expectations: it rained heavily in July, and August was much cooler than usual. However, starting in September, a miraculous Indian summer with high temperatures, was very favourable to ripening. Grape blend : Cabernet Sauvignon 70% / Merlot 30% Oenologist consultant : Michel ROLLAND and Mikaël LAIZET. Tasting Comment Appareance : 2014 Château La Louvière is very attractive, with a beautiful dark red colour featuring multiple purple highlights. Nose : The bouquet is already powerful and elegant. It shows roasted and smoky hints at first, going on to reveal overtones of red fruit reminiscent of the very ripe grapes in 2014. Mouth : Solid tannic structure showing a degree of power rarely seen in recent years at this château. Above all, this 2014 La Louvière reflects precision winemaking to obtain the very best from the grapes. Its freshness contributes to a long aftertaste, as well as excellent ageing potential. The elegance of this wine is best appreciated as an accompaniment to roast game birds with grapes, fillet of beef with duck foie gras, or even a first course of soft-boiled eggs with truffles. Consumption period 2019-2031
Our suggestions White meats vegetables Cheese Salads Red meats Ratings and reviews Le Guide Hachette : 31.08.2017 2018 Edition - This wine is still a little closed in and needs aeration to release the bouquet, which blends red-berry fruit (cherries and raspberries) with hints of spices, vanilla, and toast. The initial impression on the palate is rich and soft, leading into full-bodied flavour, backed up by quite dense tannins that make the aftertaste a little austere. 2020-2025. Steak with cep mushrooms. The Wine Enthusiast : 01.04.2017 - Note : 94.00 / 100 From one of the major estates in pessac-léognan, this is a fine, stylish and tightly structured wine. It has spice and intense acidity to balance the dark tannins and black-current fruit. It is going to need several years to really mature. The estae is owned bu André Lurton who was influential in creating the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Drink from 2024. HP Selections. Editors'Choice. (Roger Voss) James Suckling : 13.02.2017 - Note : 91.00 / 100 Loads of cassis fruit and a hint of oak on the nose. Generous, dry tannins and good concentration are packed into a fairly sleek frame, making this a classic red Bordeaux. Good aging potential! But already delicious to taste. Bettane et Desseauve : 01.09.2015 - Note : 17.00 / 20 2016 Edition - The red and white wines wines from La Louvière are powerful and unfailingly reliable. Le Point : 21.05.2015 - Note : from 15.50 to 16.00 / 20 En Primeur 2014 - Very fresh bouquet with overtones of red fruit and spice. Silky tannin and liquorice flavours, with a middle palate still somewhat overwhelmed by the oak. Plenty of substance, good potential, and should become more balanced with barrel ageing. (Jacques Dupont) Le Figaro : 02.05.2015 - Note : 15.50 / 20 En Primeur 2014 - Red fruit and slightly herbaceous nose. Fairly tannic on the palate with hints of green sweet pepper along with red fruit flavours. Reasonable concentration. Barrel ageing will do the wine much good. 3-8 years.
Jean-Marc Quarin : 01.05.2015 - Note : 15.50 / 20 Beautiful, dark, intense colour. Fresh ripe fruit on the nose, Smoky nuance. Juicy, fruity, and tasty on the palate, with rich tannin. Aromatic aftertaste of average length. erobertparker.com : 30.04.2015 The Château La Louvière 2014 has a very attractive bouquet with bright blackcurrant and red berry fruit interlaced with polished new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky texture, but there is a nagging green note that blights the finish here. A vat of underripe Merlot perhaps? Hopefully it shows better after bottling and I will reserve judgement for the time being. Drink : N/A. (Neal Martin) Vino : 30.04.2015 En Primeur 2014 - Category: excellent. Bettane et Desseauve : 24.04.2015 - Note : 93.00 / 100 Perfect freshness, good breeding, another pure classic, but with more personality and greater depth than the white. Probably very good value for money. Jancisrobinson.com : 22.04.2015 - Note : 15.50 / 20 Attractive leafy perfume. Polished tannins. Definitely not overdone. Though still embryonic. Lighter than most but well balanced and very fresh though not tart. 2021-2032. Gault et Millau : 22.04.2015 - Note : from 15.50 to 16.50 / 20 Beautiful black fruit with a deep bouquet and elegant oak. Round and full-bodied on the palate, with concentrated, well-structured tannin and no sign of harshness. Decanter : 13.04.2015 - Note : 16.25 / 20 The oak toasting is fairly evident on the nose here, get patisserie gourmet flavours, but that turns into a fairly oak-dominated palate that doesn't give the rich black fruit a chance to shine, even though it is clearly there. The oak will soften over ageing, and this should offer enjoyable medium-term drinking, best within 5 to 15 years. (Jane Anson) The Wine Patriot : 10.04.2015 - Note : from 91.00 to 92.00 / 100 En Primeur 2014 - Fresh blackcurrant and wild strawberry aromas; fresh on the palate with a soft aftertaste (a great success for this château). (Antoon Laurent) Robert Gorjak : 10.04.2015 - Note : 88.00 / 100 Bordeaux 2014 en Primeurs scores - La Revue du Vin de France : 00.04.2015 - Note : from 15.00 to 16.00 / 20 Really beautiful colour and an expressive aristocratic bouquet showing good balance between fruit and oak. Powerful on the palate with classic firm tannin, body, and length, accompanied by a slightly smoky quality and well-focused fruit on the finish. The majority (70%) of Cabernet Sauvignon clearly dominates the flavour profile. Wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 2006 and 2007 were included for the first time in the grand vin.
The Wine Spectator : 31.03.2015 - Note : from 86.00 to 89.00 / 100 Frankly toasted, with a strong ganache edge and a core of plum and blackberry fruit. The finish is a bit woodsy for now. Exercise care here. (James Molesworth) The Wine Enthusiast : 30.03.2015 - Note : from 89.00 to 91.00 / 100 While the aromas are mainly of wood, the palate shows fruit and a tannic balance. It is dry, with hints of black chocolate and blackberry. The wood, solid and dark, is still integrating with the fruit. (Roger Voss) James Suckling : 27.03.2015 - Note : from 91.00 to 92.00 / 100 A balanced and incredibly powerful wine with wonderful depth and power. Full body, long finish. Could be better than 2012.