critic reviews
The 2019 Léoville Las-Cases is tasted from two bottles, but it is the second that really delivers the goods. It has a beautifully-defined bouquet with blackberry, black olive, subtle marine scents and touches of crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, cohesive, quite high toned towards the finish with touches of mint and cedar. Very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Composed of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Leoville Las Cases is deep garnet-purple colored. It needs a lot of swirling to unlock expressive notes of crushed blackcurrants, warm plums, and black cherry compote, with nuances of roses, cinnamon toast, tapenade, and cedar chest, plus a hint of iron ore. Full-bodied, firm and grainy, it is built like a brick house, so muscular and finely layered with wonderful energy and a very long, minerally finish.
This is just a great Las Cases where the structure expands upwards and outwards, making your tastebuds sit up and pay attention. The scraping minerality almost feels like you are on limestone instead of gravel soils, until the tannins kick in and you hit a wall of slate, spice, liquorice, rosebud, violet. Dark autumnal fruits of blackcurrant and bilberry are set against smoke and flint, giving no ground, demanding you slow down and take your time. It opens up, but you need to work for it. Exudes authority, a wine that delivers the essence of the property. Harvest September 18 to October 8. 3.67pH, 90% new oak.