2009 Château Léoville-Las Cases

Brilliant medium ruby. Brooding, medicinal aromas of cassis, blueberry, exotic spices and sexy oak. Large-scaled, dense and deep, with superconcentrated dark fruit and spice flavors given definition by strong acidity. Hugely rich but impeccably balanced Saint-Julien wine with a great, slowly building finish featuring a boatload of harmonious, noble, fully ripe tannins. This endless, subtle wine is at first growth level in 2009.

Author: Stephen Tanzer

Issue: July/August 2012

The 2009 Leoville Las Cases may be the most open-knit and forward Las Cases I have tasted to date. Analytically, it is high in tannin and the alcohol is 13.8%, nearly a record at this estate. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc was showing brilliantly at the 2009 tasting I did in Hong Kong and at a later tasting. It boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration and lots of sweet, jammy black currant, black cherry and kirsch fruit intermixed with crushed rock and mineral notes. As always, proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon has built a massive wine with exceptional precision, unbelievable purity and aging potential of 40-50 years. I was surprised by the lusciousness of this cuvee on several occasions, and how much more forward it is given the fact that Las Cases can often be forebodingly backward and in need of 10-15 years of cellaring (at age 30, the 1982 is still a baby in terms of development!). The super-concentrated 2009 needs another 5-7 years before additional nuances emerge. This is a brilliant, full-throttle St.-Julien.

Author: Robert Parker

This is a crazy nose of tar, currants and blueberries. Blackcurrants galore. The palate is so powerful and rich with super polished yet chewy tannins. An ultra-serious red. Muscular.

Author: James Suckling

This is gorgeously layered with cassis bush, anise, roasted fig and plum reduction notes all framed by racy espresso and graphite. Very deep and very long, with terrific intensity on the finish thanks to razor cut from the seemingly endless iron spine. With its purity and precision, this mineral-driven Cabernet should cruise for two decades.

Author: James Molesworth

Very deep crimson. Subtle with great depth of fruit and a hint of tobacco. This seems much sweeter and lusher than L‚oville Las Cases usually does even if there is a lot of tannin underneath. Really quite voluptuous - what Bruno Borie claimed in Ducru? - but lots of fancy tannin and a bit of alcohol on the finish. Very firm but a bit of a step change with all that sweetness on the top.

Author: Jancis Robinson