($82-$100) Moderately saturated red-ruby. Captivating if cooler nose of blackcurrant, licorice and minerals. Very intensely flavored and gripping if currently quite tight. The black fruit and menthol flavors show an almost medicinal austerity and uncanny penetration on the palate. Very ripe for 2002, at 13.5%, with a pH of 3.85. Today, I find a more classically firm finish and a bit more personality than in the young 2004, but then the new vintage has a long way to go before it's in bottle.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio

Only 43% of the production made it into the final blend of this remarkable 2002. Produced from a low 17 hectoliters per hectare, it includes 66.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 13.9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. It has the highest alcohol ever achieved in a Leoville Las Cases (13.5%) as well as a lofty pH of 3.85. Nevertheless, the impression is one of a structured wine with considerable density, a ruby/purple color, layers of flavor, and a classic overall personality. The wine exhibits pure black currant, licorice-infused fruit, huge body, a viscous mid-palate, and a long, heady finish. I suspect this wine won't be nearly as charming as the 2003 in its youth, but it hasntt yet closed down, and I am amazed at just how rich, intense, and full-bodied it tastes even after bottling. This is certainly one of the half dozen or so candidates for wine of the vintage.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio

This is the essence of currants and berries with minerals and flowers. Full-bodied, with silky, refined tannins. Superlong and impressive. A beauty. Love it. As it should be.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio

This is darker than the 2001 which is amazing for this vintage, the nose offers up blood sausage, animal hide, the fruit here is dense packed with aroma of ripe cassis, blueberry, blackberry jam on toast, ripe black cherry, this is all super refined and concentrated and slightly floral. The first impression on the palate is one of gentle but elegant wine. Elegant, feminine, lacking the body and the classic extraction of this property but still impressive for the vintage. Beautiful balance between the tannin and acidity in this wine but the fruit on the the pallet is weaker and edging toward red berry fruit. Medium+ body, persistent length and a great wine considering the vintage