Wine Advisor
Prieure Lichine 2015
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Prieure-Lichine felt a little stubborn on the nose and the fruit was difficult to eke out. It did not quite display the flow of its peers but it may be a case of bottle shock? The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, solid black fruit infused with graphite and plenty of tobacco, while the finish just lacks a little flair. I would have just liked to see more excitement here.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Prieuré-Lichine has really come together over the last two years. Sumptuous, bold and racy, with no hard edges or angular contours, the 2015 is all class. The purity of the flavors is striking. Bright floral and spice notes perk up the red stone fruit nicely in this sensual, silky Margaux. All the elements simply fall into place. This is the first vintage Stéphane Derenoncourt and his team made in the new cellar. In 2015 Prieuré-Lichine, is a total knock-out. Don't miss it.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Prieuré-Lichine is all class. Nuanced, delicate and silky in the glass, the 2015 speaks to the finesse that is such a signature of Margaux. All the elements are in the right place. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice and floral notes mesh together in an effortless, gracious wine with a bright future. This is the first vintage Stephane Derenoncourt and his team made in the new cellar. Tasted two times.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Prieuré-Lichine has an opulent, rounded bouquet, quite flashy and plush, that is enjoyable but missing the typicity of the Margaux appellation. The fresh, clean, medium-bodied palate offers supple tannins, fine acidity, and black pepper and clove toward the finish. Well crafted, but it lacks the brightness of its peers at the moment. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Prieuré-Lichine has a tightly wound bouquet, crisp and a little leaner than some of its Margaux compadres. It just feels contained at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with gruff tannin on the entry. There is respectable depth here, but it feels linear and rather predictable towards the blackberry and cedar finish. I would like to see more complexity and personality come through by the time of bottling. It feels a bit bolshie at the moment.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Prieuré Lichine has a bouquet that demands more coaxing from the glass to reveal dusky black fruit, hints of leather and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins and fine acidity, but it feels blocky on the finish at the moment. Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is really exceptional this year. Full body, very velvety tannins, wet earth, mushroom and currant character. Very stoney. Very long and flavorful. Greatest wine in the history of the estate.
About the Producer
Château Prieuré-Lichine is an estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, ranked as a Fourth Growth in the official Bordeaux Classification of 1855. It is regarded as one of Margaux's most consistent producers and is known for its elegance and suppleness, derived in part from the relatively high proportion of Merlot in the blend. The estate is located in Cantenac (on an official, administrative, level Cantenac is now combined with Margaux), near to the châteaux of Kirwan and Boyd-Cantenac. There are 70 hectares (173 acres) of vineyards in numerous parcels within the Margaux appellation, of which around 40 hectares (100 acres) contribute to the grand vin. Vineyard plantings are 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 45 percent Merlot, and 5 percent Petit Verdot. The second wine, launched in 1972 as Château de Clairefont, is now sold as Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine and is made from younger vines. Le Clocher du Prieuré is a Merlot-based Haut-Médoc from vineyards adjacent to those supplying the grand vin. The portfolio is completed by Le Blanc du Château Prieuré-Lichine, a Sauvignon Blanc – Semillon blend from a 1.5 hectare (3.7 acre) plot in Arsac, to the south of Margaux. Red wines are fermented in a mix of stainless steel and concrete vats of differing sizes, with long, gentle extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, and the wine is then aged for 16 months in barriques, 60 percent of which are new. The second wine sees 14 months in second- and third-fill barrels. The estate was founded as the Prieuré (Priory) de Cantenac in the 10th Century, and for many years was a stopping point for pilgrims on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. While vines were certainly planted from the 12th Century, the conversion of the property to a full-scale wine estate took place in the 1700s. Its current name refers to noted winemaker Alexis Lichine, who owned the estate from 1951 until his death in 1989. The estate was acquired by the Ballande group (which includes the Ballande & Méneret négociant firm) in 1999.
1959(1)1979(1)1984(1)1986(1)1991(1)1995(1)1997(1)2000(2)2003(3)2004(1)2005(3)2006(1)2007(1)2009(8)2010(1)
Package Size
