Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2023
Country: France Region: Saint Julien, Bordeaux
Varietal: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot
Vintage: 2023 Category: Red Wine Style: Dry
Producer: Chateau Leoville Las Cases
Description:
One of the leading "Super-Second" growths of the Médoc. The 55 hectares of vines are situated alongside those of Château Latour, just over the St Julien border. The young Cabernet vines and much of the Merlot is used for the "Petit Lion" second label. The most Pauillac-like of all the Saint Juliens with a strong Cabernet Sauvignon character. The vines further inland from the "enclos" are used to make Clos du Marquis.
2023 is the most Cabernet vintage here ever with 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. Alcohol 13.1%. Harvested from September 9th to October 2nd. Yield 43 hl/ha and maturation for 18 months in 80% new oak.
97-98/100 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"Exceptional quality of cabernet comes through here, with a lot of graphite, lead pencil, crushed stone, walnut and currant fruit. It grows and expands on the palate, remaining in focus at the same time. Refined and seamless with beautiful tannins that show power and intensity. It rolls across the palate with verve. 86% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 4% merlot."
95-97+ Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent
"The 2023 Leoville Las Cases is deep garnet-purple in colour. After a little shaking, notes of ripe blackcurrants, black cherries, and mulberries slowly emerge from the glass, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of iris, crushed rocks, fertile loam, and dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate is very tightly wound with taut black berry layers and loads of mineral accents, framed by firm fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. This should be a very long-lived Las Cases! The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Merlot, with pH 3.79, alcohol of 13.1%, and TPI 72. It is aging for around 18 months in French oak barriques, 80% new."
95-97/100 Points - Neal Martin, vinous.com
"The 2023 Léoville Las-Cases was picked from September 9 to October 2 at 43hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak barrels. This has a very precise bouquet, and, like the Clos du Marquis, it is imbued with an attractive estuarine element—aromatics that transport the imbiber to the banks of the Gironde. The oak is neatly integrated; 80% is much more optimal than 100% would have been. The palate is lightly spiced on the entry, moderately deep and quite lively on the mid-palate. This is a more linear Las-Cases than recent vintages, conveying a sense of "seriousness" toward the almost saturnine finish. Impressive in terms of persistence, this is a worthy follow-up to the magnificent 2022, but it will demand patience."
96+/100 Points - William Kelley, Wine Advocate
"The 2023 Léoville Las Cases has turned out very well, offering up classic notes of cassis, violets, pencil shavings and mint, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered palate that's classically proportioned, seamless and penetrating. Its sweet tannins are even better integrated than they were in cask, and while this remains a comparatively structured wine for the vintage, it will be more youthfully approachable than I anticipated. Drink 2030-2060"
