95-100 / 100
Noncontractual photograph
Vintage | 1996 |
Rating | 95-100 |
Classification | Médoc - 2ème Cru Classé |
Region | Bordeaux |
Appellation | Saint Julien |
Colour | Red |
Volume | 0.75 l |
Price | From 200 € to 300 € |
Château | Leoville Las Cases |
Country | France |
Côte Rotie
CAVE DES VIGNERONS REUNIS 1996
Côte Chalonnaise
Cornas
Margaux
DOMAINE PEYRE ROSE Clos Syrah Leone 1996
Coteaux du Languedoc
GERIN JEAN-MICHEL La Landonne 1996
Côte Rotie
CHAPOUTIER Ermitage Le Pavillon 1996
Hermitage Rouge
PAUL JABOULET AINE La Chapelle 1996
Hermitage Rouge
Having previously rated it nearly perfect, I was apprehensive of a letdown about tasting the 1996 Leoville Las Cases once it had been bottled, but that concern was quickly dismissed once I put my nose in the glass. A profound Leoville Las Cases, it is one of the great modern day wines of Bordeaux. This wine's hallmark remains a sur-maturite (over-ripeness) of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Yet the wine has retained its intrinsic classicism, symmetry, and profound potential for complexity and elegance. The blackpurple color is followed by a spectacular nose of cassis, cherry liqueur, pain grille, and minerals. It is powerful and rich on the attack, with beautifully integrated tannin, massive concentration, yet no hint of heaviness or disjointedness. As this wine sits in the glass it grows in stature and richness. It is a remarkable, seamless, palate-staining, and extraordinarily elegant wine - the quintessential St.-Julien. Despite the sweetness of the tannin, I would recommend cellaring this wine for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035.