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2013-CHÂTEAU-LÉOVILLE-LAS-CASES-2ème-Cru-Classé-Saint-Julien-Château-Leoville-Las-Cases

CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES

2016 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

Grapes Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Saint Julien
Classification 2ème Cru Classé
ABV 14%

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc. Like so many this year, not giving much away on the nose. More graphite and serious buttoned-up blackness than actual fruit, so 'severe' comes to mind, but it's not harsh, easy to hold in the mouth even though tannins are obvious. Lots of coal-black depth. Impressive, very long-term. The black mineral sensation stays and stays. Drinking range: 2030 - 2060 Rating: 92-94 L&S (Apr 2017)


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Deep dark hidden depths on the colour here, and this is the highest tannin count (82IPT) of all the vintagtes that I am tasting, including the 2020. Classic 2016 flavours and aromatics from this parl of Bordeaux - crushed rocks, concentrated creème de cassis, slate-licking minerality, this scrapes through the palate. Almost softened by chocolate shavings although the sensation is more akin to biting into a cocoa bean. The precision and the sense of tightrope walking is incredible, this is flying high and will only get better and better over time. I am standing by this score, but don't expect it to be showing you the best of itself any time soon. 50% new oak. Drinking range: 2028 - 2055 Rating: 100 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jan 2023)

The 2016 Léoville Las-Cases was tasted from two bottles, this one more in line with prior experiences. It has a very detailed, powerful bouquet of blackberry, cedar, potpourri and iris aromas that soar from the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannins, pitch-perfect acidity and a sense of harmony throughout. It fans out wonderfully on the finish. A 2016 with a sense of completeness and bewitching symmetry. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting. Drinking range: 2026 - 2060 Rating: 98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Aug 2020)

The 2016 Léoville Las Cases is the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate; in fact, in this reviewer’s opinion, this magical, perfect wine couldn’t be better. Made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc aged 22 months in 90% new oak, it reveals a deep, saturated purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, iris flowers, graphite, crushed rocks, and freshly sharpened lead pencils. A perfect example of the old saying “an iron fist in a velvet glove,” it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, stacked mid-palate, flawless integration of its acidity and tannins, and a monster finish. The balance and purity here are off the charts. Hide bottles for a decade or so and enjoy over the following half a century. Drinking range: 2029 - 2079 Rating: 100 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Mar 2019)

Château Léoville Las Cases

St Julien Deuxième cru 1855 One of the leading "super-seconds" - a second growth chateau who's wines rival, in terms of quality and often price, the fabled First Growths of the Haut-Médoc. Before the Revolution, the Leoville estate was one of the largest and grandest in the region. At the time, it was in the aristrocratic ownership of the family of the Marquis de Las-Cases-Beauvoir. Unsurprisingly, the Marquis had to flee. To avoid Leoville being seized, the family decided to sell up but the complicated ownership of the estate, which was split between siblings, prevented the sale of Leoville as a whole and, in the end, only a small portion was sold off, to Hugh Barton, and this became Château Leoville Barton. The remainder of the estate came back to the Marquis' family when his son, Pierre-Jean, inherited most of Leoville, the only exception being a small portion inherited by his sister Jeanne. Jeanne's daughter married Baron Jean-Marie de Poyferré and, in 1840, this portion of the estate sheered off to become Château Leoville Poyferré. To stop further divisions among inheriting children, a holding company was founded to own Château Las Cases. Théophile Skawinski, who managed the estate, bought some shares which later passed to his son-in-law André Delon. The Delon family continued to buy share as they became available until, eventually, they became the owners of Château Leoville Las Cases. The bulk of Las Cases's vineyards - the Grand Clos - sit at the very northern end of St Julien, facing Château Latour across the Ruisseau de Juillac. The vines are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The hand-picked grapes are fermented in an unusual array of wooden, stainless-steel and cement tanks. Wines spend 20 months in oak, with the proportion of new wood for the grand vin varying from 50% to 100% depending on the vintage. Château Leoville Las Cases have one of the most highly regarded "second wines" in Bordeaux - Clos du Marquis. The first vintage was in 1902, long predating most of its competitors. Its status as a true "second wine" is sometimes disputed, as there is a distinct Clos du Marquis vineyard, a little way to the west of the Grand Clos, although the cuvée does include some declassifications from the grand vin and fruit of younger vines. Its status as a "second wine" also belies the quality which exceeds many of the region's "first" wines.

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