1999 Château Léoville-Las Cases
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Tasting notes
The 1999 Léoville Las-Cases is a vintage that I have not encountered for several years. It has a generous bouquet for the vintage, showing slightly gamy red fruit on the nose, and perhaps just a touch of Brettanomyces . Yet it remains attractive, with orange peel scents developing alongside cedar and sous-bois. The medium-bodied palate presents sappy red fruit and a touch of black truffle alongside cedar and a hint of dark chocolate. It is not a complex Las-Cases, yet feels long and quite tender. Drink now and over the next 15 years. Tasted from an ex- château bottle at the estate.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Sweet and muscular and a bit more concentrated than most but – I would submit, m'lud – not more fun. Pretty chunky tannins. Awkward and stolid and thick. Not much appeal. But long, playing the density card. (JR)
Very deep crimson. Concentrated flavours with the odd top note of excitement just starting to emerge. Still very, very tough though. Difficult to see why anyone would back this obdurate horse. (JR)
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.