2021 Château Léoville-Las Cases
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Tasting notes
Léoville Las Cases has again produced one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2021. Always classic in style with a benchmark linear structure to the palate, Las Cases has also found more concentration than most in 2021, bringing some rare glycerol-like richness and plush fruit to the mid-palate. The wine is elegance personified with the tannins building an effortless framework in the mouth, bringing both depth and breadth to the palate. Fresh blackcurrant fruit, riper cassis and liquorice notes integrate well with the pepper spice of high-quality oak. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot
Critic scores
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Very deep crimson. Intense, almost flattering cassis nose. Quite attention-grabbing and sweet for the vintage. Very vibrant. Long. (JR)
Unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, the 2021 Château Léoville Las Cases is flat-out brilliant and brings that classic Las Cases regalness and structure. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, crushed stone, and an almost bloody, salty character all define this riveting 2021, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has more mid-palate density and depth than just about every other wine in the vintage, and despite its structure, it's going to be relatively accessible in just 5-7 years. It will most likely be one of the longest-lived in the vintage.
The 2021 Léoville Las Cases is beautifully defined on the nose: blackberry, raspberry, still that subtle marine element, a hint of Japanese wakame and shucked oyster shells. The oak (85% new) is very well integrated, though it needs some time to be completely subsumed. The palate has exquisite balance—very poised and pure. It is not a heavyweight or powerful Las-Cases, yet there is convincing tension and a judicious dab of spice toward the finish that fans out and lingers. It will require several years in bottle, but it will be worth waiting for. This has the substance to age with style.
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.