In Bond Fine Wine. 2010 Château Leoville Las Cases, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France. Second Growth • Red Bordeaux in 12x75cl. Top critic score: 99/100 (JS). Drinking window: 2026–2060. Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
Chateau Leoville Las Cases is widely regarded as one of the greatest wines of the Medoc, a top Second Growth with quality that often rivals the First Growths. Originally part of the Leoville estate before it was divided into three. Located in the northern part of Saint Julien, its walled Grand Enclos vineyard borders Chateau Latour in Pauillac, benefiting from similarly exceptional deep gravel and clay soils, yielding powerful ageworthy wines. The estate is owned and managed by the Delon family with Jean-Hubert Delon at the helm. Leoville Las Cases is typically dense and structured in its youth, requiring time to fully reveal its complexity but have recently increased the percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend to enhance aromatic complexity, freshness and elegance in the blend. Las Cases has produced a string of outstanding vintages, including 1982, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2016, and…
James Molesworth (JM) — 95–98/100 · Wine Spectator, 31/03/2011
This has almost searing acidity running through it, but it's ripe and mouthwatering, harnessing a massive core of black currant and red licorice notes. Supertight but very fine-grained, this gets tighter, but also longer, as it moves along. This could age in reverse for a while, before it starts to unwind. A brick house. Tasted non-blind.
Albany Vintners (AV) — 94–97/100 · -, 28/04/2011
This top second growth neighbours Chateau Latour on the border of St Julien and Pauillac, and is regularly one of the top non-Firsts Growths with a serious claim for promotion. Usually brooding, closed and difficult to taste en primeur but in 2010 it is surprisingly generous for Lascases. A hugeful mouthful, tons of body and acidity, but light on its feet for such as powerful wine. All very cream…
Neal Martin (NM) — 96/100 · Vinous, 2020-04-01 · Drink 2026-2060
The 2010 Léoville Las Cases has a clean and precise bouquet, beautifully focused with blackberry, melted tar, cigar humidor and crushed stone aromas. It gains intensity with aeration without ever losing its precision. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a sense of abiding symmetry and detail as it fans out on the mineral-driven finish. This is an absolutely awe…