2019 Chateau Leoville Las Cases - St. Julien 2eme Cru Classe

Decanter.com – 98 pts – GH: *Wet stone, smoke and floral aspects to the aromatic profile - seriously inviting. Density and power here, but cooling and all in balance, full of blackcurrant and black cherries with obvious minerality. It gives such plushness in terms of roundness and grip of tannins, but also layers of perfumed fruit, ripe fruit and cooling slate and liquorice elements. A distinguished wine with a seamless tannic structure and excellent length. Lots of life here and also a real, almost sweet acidity that gives life and lift. Lots going on now but designed for long and steady ageing.* - 01/2022

Falstaff Magazin – 100 pts – PM: *Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feines Edelholz, ein Hauch von Nougat, schwarze Beeren unterlegt, etwas Kardamom, dunkle Kirschen, ein Hauch von kandierten Orangen. Kraftvoll, straff, engmaschig, frischer Säurebogen, würzige, tragende Tannine, ein Hauch von Schokolade im Abgang, überzeugende Balance, mineralisch und sehr lange anhaftend, Herzkirschen im Nachhall, ein Vin de Garde, kann mit einigen Stunden in der Karaffe auch bereits jung probiert werden, enormes Zukunftspotenzial. (2025–2065).* - 02/2022

erobertparker.com - Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 97-99+: *The 2019 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 11% Merlot. Harvest began early for the Merlot, on the 18th of September, and the Cabernets were picked in October, finishing on the 8th of October. The IPT number (measurement of tannins) is 80—the same as 2018. The alcohol came at 14.02% (lower than 2018), but it does seem a little lower than this percentage, probably because the pH is a little lower this year, at 3.67. It is aging in French oak barriques, 90% new. The color is opaque purple-black, with a nose that unfurls slowly in the glass, beginning with vibrant, expressive black fruit notes of freshly crushed blackcurrants, ripe blackberries and fresh black cherries, followed by a beguiling array of floral and earth nuances—candied violets, lavender, fragrant soil, underbrush, crushed rocks and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied wine dances ever so gracefully on the palate, demurely revealing tightly wound
layers of of bright, crunchy black fruits and tantalizing floral and mineral sparks, supported by a rock-solid structure of firm, finely grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing with epic persistence. Although the style is completely different, the barrel sample is behaving a lot like the Haut-Brion sample was when I tasted it, in that it appears to be holding just that little bit extra back right now. I have to call it as I see it today, but I wouldn't be surprised if when I come back to taste this from bottle, it shows me all that and a lot more.* (05/20)

WeinWisser – 20/20pts - GL: *79 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Cabernet Franc, 11 % Merlot, 14,05 %-vol.. Tiefes Purpur mit satter Mitte und lila Rand. Ein konzentriertes Parfüm nach Wildkirschen, Sandelholz und tiefgründiger Terroirwürze. Im zweiten Ansatz zarter Veilchenduft, Wacholder und Pflaumen. Am komplexen Gaumen sehr präzise, man spürt die Tiefe und Länge, trotzdem behält die Finesse ganz klar die Führung, super seidige Textur, das Ganze umrahmt von einer magischen Rasse, Anklänge an Bleistiftmine. Im nicht enden wollenden Finale wie ein Pfeil lang und elegant, eindrücklich mit einem gewaltigen Potenzial, das DNA von Las Cases. Eine grandiose Meisterleistung, Gänsehaut! Der Wein des Jahrgangs?* – 04/2020

JancisRobinson.com - 18,5+/20pts - JR: *Deep purple-black to the rim. Dark and brooding with immense depth. Blackcurrant and graphite nuance. Beautiful lift on the palate, so much energy and power. Ingrained minerally freshness. Huge tannic base but the texture smooth and remarkably refined. Zest and force but absolute precision. Lingering and intense, stays on the palate for ever. One of the greats from this estate.* - 01/2023

jamessuckling.com - James Suckling - 98-99: *So structured for the vintage, but there’s freshness and vibrancy from the acidity. Full-bodied, extremely creamy and polished. Plush silk. Extremely long, linear and compact. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 11% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.* (05/20)

Vinous.com – 96+ pts – AG: *Just as it was from barrel, the 2019 Léoville Las-Cases is a wine of pure and total sophistication. There is not the size of some recent vintages, but instead that heft is replaced by cool refinement. The expression of fruit leans into the redder end of the spectrum as opposed to the typically darker Las-Cases profile. Hints of cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange linger. I can't wait to see how it ages.* - 01/2022

Vinous.com – 97 pts – NM: *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.* - 01/2023