Chateau Leoville Las Cases

After a relatively early budburst that followed the wet and mild winter, the coolness of May delayed the flowering and brought the dates of 2014 back around the averages of the past ten years. June and July were punctuated by stormy spells but the latter half of July was sunnier and hotter for the cluster closing and the colour change, improving the potential of development for phenolic compounds in the grapes. The fine weather then settled in from 15th August with mild temperatures that maintained good acidity levels. Then the month of September was among the hottest and sunniest of the decade, beneficial to the positive hydric stress that would bring smoothness to the tannins developing in the skins and pips. The careful mastery of the yield, vigour and early deleafing all ensured the grapes remained perfectly healthy, making it possible to pick each grape variety at optimum ripeness.