We at Spectator Towers love Château Léoube, the Provençal estate founded by Lord and Lady Bamford (of JCB and Daylesford Organic fame) in 1997, the wines of which we serve at Spectator Writers’ Dinners in the boardroom. So popular are these wines at 22 Old Queen Street that I apologise for taking so long to offer them to our wider readership. Put it down to covetousness or idleness on my part.
Anyway, thanks to the good offices of Mark Cronshaw of Mr Wheeler, I’m delighted to showcase much of Ch. Léoube’s range, at prices MC assures me cannot be beaten anywhere else. You can save up to £60 a case.
Lying on Cap Bénat, a rocky peninsula jutting into the Med, barely an hour’s drive from swanky St Tropez, Ch. Léoube has long been sustainable and organic, with production overseen by the vinous genius that is Romain Ott. He makes great wine.
The 2024 Love by Léoube Rosé (1) is charming. Even if you are stuck here and didn’t trade up the range, you’d die happy. A blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvèdre, it has scrumptious chewy, ripe fruit, a touch of salinity thanks to cooling sea breezes, and a long, fresh finish. An instant delight, at this price it should be in everyone’s fridge. £15.95 down from £18.95.
The 2024 Ch. Léoube Rosé (2) is more grown up, a sophisticated pinkers of real style – elegant, fruity, yet dry. A great aperitif, it matches with red meat as well as fish and seafood. It’s a great price, too, that I’ve not seen bettered. £19.95 down from £24.95.
I last tasted the 2024 Secret de Léoube Rosé (3) at ten on a sun-dappled South Ken morning and couldn’t stop smiling. Oh, don’t be like that! I was working, meeting Léoube’s UK sales director, Anthony Gordon, to chat about this and that. The fact that we drained the bottle testifies to how much we had to talk about. This is a white wine lover’s rosé – soft, smooth and textured, thanks to a very gentle press of free run juice. Almost Chablis-like in its focus, it’s crisp, clean and dry with a taut mineral finish. £24.95 down from £29.95.
The 2023 Ch. Léoube Blanc (4), too, has that flinty, citrusy, mineral character I associate with fine Chablis. It’s a blend, though, of Rolle, Ugni Blanc and Sémillon, the latter grape giving expressive lemon notes and texture. £21.95 down from £26.95.
The 2023 Secret de Léoube Blanc (5) is more like white Bordeaux, with mostly Sémillon and Ugni Blanc making up the blend. It’s richer than the above, with extra layers of complexity with notes of beeswax, stone fruit and whispers of garrigue herbs and salty sea. £27.95 down from £32.95.
The 2021 Ch. Léoube Rouge (6) shows what fine red wines can be made here. A Syrah-based blend with dashes of Grenache and Cinsault, it spent two years in oak foudres and is absolutely à point and ready to go. Indeed, so smooth is it, it can easily be drunk on its own. £22.95 down from £27.95.
I’m delighted to showcase much of Ch. Léoube’s range, at prices that cannot be beaten
The 2018 Léoube ‘Collector’ Rouge (7) is serious fare, made entirely from Cabernet Franc which – remarkably – thrives here in the heat of Provence. With two years in barrel and three in bottle before release, it’s aromatic and full of herb-dusted plums, blackberries, mulberries with the longest of satisfying finishes. Think of it as a ‘Super Provençal’ wine. £39.95 down from £49.95.
Finally, because it provokes such sighs of delight whenever we serve it, the Sparkling Love by Léoube Rosé (8), a Charmat sparkler perfect for this time of year. Full of fresh red berry fruit, it’s easy – and so lovely – to drink. It knocks the socks off prosecco. It’s in such demand that we’ve only 20 six-bottle boxes available. £23.95 down from £28.95.
The Mixed Rosé Case has four bottles each of Wines 1-3 and the Mixed Léoube Case has two bottles each of Wines 1-6. Wines 7 and 8 are available in boxes of six. Delivery, as ever, is free.
BTW, we’ll be serving Ch. Léoube at our forthcoming Spectator Writers’ Dinners with Matthew Parris, Richard Bratby and Catriona Olding. Do join us!
Order online today or download an order form.
To find out more about our Winemaker Lunches, Masterclasses and Wine Tours, visit spectator.co.uk/tastings.
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