Ratings & Tasting Notes:

100 points Jeb Dunnuck

Pure magic and one of the finest expressions of this estate I could imagine, as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Léoville Las Cases comes from a mix of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in (I believe) all new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by a profound wine loaded with notions of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, melon, crushed stone, tobacco, and violets. Full-bodied, concentrated, and massive on the palate, yet also incredibly well delineated and precise, it has a wonderful mix of seemingly ripe, sunny fruit from a warm year yet the minerality, purity, and precision of a cooler year. This wine is going to be just about immortal; however, do your best to hide bottles for a solid 10-15 years.

99 points Wine Advocate

The 2018 Léoville Las Cases is composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot, harvested September 15 to October 4 with yields of 35.5 hectoliters per hectare, it has 14.49% alcohol and was aged in 90% new barriques. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a fair bit of coaxing to reveal striking scents of blackcurrant pastilles, wild blueberries and redcurrant jelly, giving way to notions of crushed rocks, lavender, Indian spices, unsmoked cigars and black truffles, plus a provocative waft of rose oil. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with black fruit preserves and earthy layers, accented by bright, lively red berry and floral sparks. It has a rock-solid frame of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully minerally. The tannins are so beautifully approachable even at this youthful stage, making it delicious to drink now, but afford it 5-6 years in bottle to allow those finer nuances to emerge and drink it over the next 40+ years. (LPB)

99 points Decanter

This has such a textured, ripe, plump and poised black fruit character that is clear from the aromatics alone. Mouthfilling with huge texture and density, full of licorice root, black chocolate shavings and cocoa pod with crème de cassis edging. This is delicious and has chewy tannins that you can pick up with a shovel. One of the ‘wines of the vintage’. Only 2% of press wine (unusually low, as it can go up to 15% in some years). It grips on tight to the finish – extremely impressive. 90% new oak. 80IPT. 3.65pH. A yield of 35.5hl/ha. (JA)

99 points James Suckling

An elegant, complex nose of blackberries, blueberries and herbal and spice notes with dark-chocolate and earthy undertones. Violets, flowers and graphite, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, layered tannins and a crushed-stone undertone throughout the fresh, velvety and layered palate. Very complex, muscular and formed. The finish is endless. Lowest percentage of press wine ever in this. So deep. Try after 2027.

Cult Wines International Notes:

Château Léoville-Las Cases is a Second Growth estate in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France, renowned for producing wines that are often considered to be of First Growth quality. Located directly adjacent to the prestigious Château Latour, the property shares a similar terroir, which contributes to its powerful, structured, and long-lived wines.

The estate’s history dates back to the 17th century, when it was part of a much larger Léoville estate. After the French Revolution, the property was divided, with the largest and most significant portion forming what is now Léoville-Las Cases. The vineyard’s Grand Enclos parcel, a walled vineyard that touches the border of Pauillac, is considered the heart of the estate and is the source of its most exceptional grapes.

The flagship wine is known for its remarkable aging potential and a classic Bordeaux profile of concentrated blackcurrant, cassis, and cedar notes, underscored by a firm tannic structure and a mineral elegance. In addition to its grand vin, the estate also produces a highly regarded second wine, Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases, which offers a more approachable and earlier-drinking expression of the estate’s style.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.

Outstanding condition.