2013 Leoville Las Cases

The 2013 Léoville Las-Cases has the finest nose of the three Léoville: the best delineation and focus with more complexity and slightly more fruit, though it is still very "classic" in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, decent weight, not complex yet harmonious with just a touch of herbaceous that one can easily abide on the finish. Solid. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting.

Shaded crimson. Minerally nose with some interest. Though there's quite a bit of acidity on the palate and clearly a lot of work has gone into managing the tannins. Long. Far from a disgrace but definitely not a standout vintage from this property! (JR)

The rule that in difficult vintages you should go to the best estates is more than amply proved here with the 2013 Las Cases. Even the colour takes you far away from the usual expectations of a year when pretty much everything went wrong. The IPT (essentially the tannin count) is lower than usual at 63IPT compared to for example 82IPT in 2016, but there is still a deep plum colour through the glass, although fading a touch on the outer edges. Smoked caramel on the nose, which is unusual in Las Cases, but it's enticing, and the dried roses that you get in older vintages are here already, along with fruit that leans towards raspberry rather than cassis, layered up with gingerbread and turmeric spice, and fresh acidities that give lift rather than bite. Still not a 2013 that I would say put away or cellar, but it's easily one of the wines of the vintage. Jean-Hubert Delon owner.