1970 Château Léoville-Las Cases
Buying options
Tasting notes
You could feel the excitement ripple around the table at the aromatics on this wine, as a clutch of wild roses came floating out of the glass. 1970 was one of the highlight years of the (generally weak) decade, but at this point you'll be hard pressed to find examples that are still going strong. This is certainly one of them, legendary from its first years, still showing crushed raspberry puree and gentle blackberry fruit, white pepper, soft leather, smoked earth, soy, a great example of the meaning of umami in wine. It doesn't last as long in the glass as the 1996, softening over a few hours, but it's one to look out for. Opened just before drinking.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Both Robert Parker and I have been rather dismissive of the 1970 Leoville Las-Cases in the past, which of course means that at some point someone comes along with a bottle that confounds expectation. Poured just prior to the Wine Advocate's Las-Cases dinner by a generous subscriber, while I was seated next to export manager Pierre Grafeuille, we were both smitten. It had a comely bouquet with degraded red berries, a touch of undergrowth and black stewed tea, delivering impressive delineation, if not power. The palate is medium-bodied, surprisingly elegant and without question the most vigorous example of the 1970 that I have encountered over the years. While not profoundly complex or rivaling the finest examples of this Saint Julien, it is the kind of mature Claret that puts a smile on your face, seeming to be so effortless and refined. Will future bottles be as good as this? Was it a one-off? Who knows, but certainly here we had a Bordeaux that delivers drinking pleasure after 46 years without too much effort. Tasted April 2016.
Dark and glowing with a ruby rim. Rather too light and austere for 1970's dryness and rigidity. Faded quite fast. This was not made in Las Cases' most glorious era. (JR)
Poor wine of tasting. Muted, cloying nose. Sweet dried out red fruit. Tarty on the palate. Lacks depth and structure. Low tannins. Very obvious and probably the poorest Las Cases I`ve tasted. Certainly below par.
About the producer
One of the leading estates in Bordeaux, Ch. Léoville Las Cases is one of the largest and oldest Classed Growths in the Médoc. Along with Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, it is widely considered one of the best estates in Saint-Julien.