Château Léoville Las Cases, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2002

Name: Château Léoville Las Cases, 2ème Cru Classé, St Julien
Brand: Château Léoville Las Cases
Price: 1603.07 GBP

Available Vintages

all 1995 1998 1999 2002 2006 2008 2009 2014 2017 2018 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

justerini & brooks tasting note

A great wine not only due to the ripeness of the small percentage of Merlot but the fabulous quality of the 14% Cabernet Franc and 5% of Petit Verdot, not to mention the large proportion of super ripe Cabernet Sauvignon – natural alcohol is 13.5 °. 2002 is a great expression of the Clos de Lascases that makes up the majority of the grand vin. Vibrant dark purple colour, high toned intense violets, cedar and cassis, sumptuous texture. Fine yet explosive tannins. Beautifully balanced.

critic reviews

94/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

Deeper in colour and presence than the 1995, this jumps into the world of young Las Cases, a reminder that 20 years of age is pretty much the minimum to begin truly drinking and appreciating this wine, as it makes its shift from monumental to graceful. Black fruit, cassis, blackberry, tannins are tingling and gripping, transmitting power and energy to the mint leaf, slate, crushed rock and eucalyptus finish. Just revving out of the gate, and as it lingers in the glass, the earthy truffled notes you find in the older vintages are just making an appearance, the ghost of Las Cases future. A tightrope walk of concentration and elegance. 50% new oak. Jean-Hubert Delon owner.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2044

date of review 01/2023

94/100William Kelley,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Another underrated vintage for this estate is the 2002 Leoville Las Cases, an impressively deep and concentrated wine that still has considerable upside potential. Offering up aromas of creme de cassis, plums, loamy soil, pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins. This is a concentrated, characterful classic that is aging with real grace. I have enjoyed three bottles this year, but there's no rush, as the wine remains an adolescent in terms of evolution.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2042

date of review 08/2022

93+/100Stephen Tanzer,Vinous

Moderately saturated red-ruby. Captivating if cooler nose of blackcurrant, licorice and minerals. Very intensely flavored and gripping if currently quite tight. The black fruit and menthol flavors show an almost medicinal austerity and uncanny penetration on the palate. Very ripe for 2002, at 13.5%, with a pH of 3.85. Today, I find a more classically firm finish and a bit more personality than in the young 2004, but then the new vintage has a long way to go before it's in bottle.

date of review 05/2005