2017 Chateau Leoville Las Cases - St. Julien 2eme Cru Classe

Decanter.com – 97 pts – JA: *Rich ruby in colour if a little less inky than the 2015, 2016 or 2018. Clear layers of fruit, the nose is one of the rare ones in the vintage where you want to spend time just thinking about the different strands that are coming at you. Black truffle, liquorice, cinnamon spice, saffron, slate and cigar box all comprise - this is a standout wine in the vintage. They just know how to tease flavour out of the ground at this place. Yes it is closed, not exactly forbidding but certainly austere, with big tannins, but less so than in some vintages at this stage, and it unrolls in the mouth.* - 11/2019

Vinum Magazin – 18,5/20pts: *Der Stil der Marke und des Terroirs dominiert den Stil des Jahrgangs, wirkt unerhört dicht und gut gebaut, mit klaren Konturen und grosser Tiefe, wacher Säure und dadurch ausgesprochener Rasse und Länge. Beeindruckend, für die lange Reife gebaut.* - 09/2020

WeinWisser – 18,5/20pts - GL: *79 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Merlot, 11 % Cabernet Franc, 90 % neue Barriques. 37 hl/ha. Dichtes Granat mit rubinrotem Rand. Was für ein konzentriertes Parfüm nach reifen Schattenmorellen, Himbeeren und Veilchen. Im zweiten Ansatz mit schönen blaubeerigen Konturen, dahinter Preiselbeermarmelade, Lakritze und Kandisnoten. Am geradlinigen Gaumen mit — perfekt stützenden, reifen Tanninen, bleibt präzise wie ein Pfeil, bis ins langanhaltende Finale, das mit Noten von roter Grütze nachklingt. Ein St.-Julien der Spitzenklasse, die spannende Frage wird sein: «Zu welchem Preis?» Ein klassischer Bordeauxstil, mit abgerundeten Tanninen, früher Trinkgenuss und Potenzial. Erinnert an 88 in der Aromatik und an 14+ vom Körper her. Kratzt an die 19/20.* – 05/2018

JancisRobinson.com – 17/20pts – TP: *Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Slightly reductive nose that masks the fruit. Subdued and tightly wound, there is potential here but the tannins are mouth-coating and dominant for now. Underneath, there is cool blackcurrant and layers of leather, nutmeg and tobacco. A wine for those with patience while it slowly unfurls in bottle. A long and driven finish hints at the potential here.* - 09/2021

Vinous.com – 97+ pts – AG: *The 2017 Léoville Las Cases captures all the best the vintage has to offer. Rich, unctuous and stunning in its beauty, the 2017 possesses tremendous richness and textural intensity that carry through to the very long finish, all with the regal, statuesque feel that is the quintessential signature of Las Cases. Just as it was from barrel, Las Cases is wonderfully polished. Tasted two times. What a wine!* - 03/2020

Vinous.com – 94 pts – NM: *The 2017 Léoville Las-Cases, which was bottled in July 2019, has a fragrant bouquet with rose petal and briary aromas married with cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry. A touch of tobacco emerges with time. It is certainly a more understated bouquet for this property. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. This feels very pure and harmonious, quite complex, more so than in barrel, with darker, more savory and ferrous fruit towards the finish. This is an excellent Léoville Las-Cases with plenty of character.* - 02/2020