1966 Château Léoville-Las Cases
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Tasting notes
If you want to be picky, this is more evolved on the palate than the Latour 1966, but it was still one of the wines of the tasting. Gorgeous jewel-like ruby colour, melted tannins, good vivacity, pretty much a perfect moment to drink to showcase how Las Cases is a slow-burner that is almost always worth betting on. Fresh and finessed, with tobacco, orange peel and wild strawberry. Owned at the time by a consortium of shareholders, with the Delon family dominant but not yet in the majority, headed by André Delon. His son Michel had just joined his father, but not fully taking over until 1976.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
This may be the most successful wine produced by this estate during the decade of the sixties, although some bottles of the 1962 come close to offering as much pleasure as the 1966. The wine may have turned the corner and begun its decline. I have never tasted it out of larger format bottles, but I suspect magnums of this wine might merit an outstanding evaluation. The wine has always been a classic Bordeaux, with more fruit and body than many 1966s. There is a degree of austerity, but the wine's dominant characteristics include a complex, tobacco, cedar, and red currant-scented nose, medium body, excellent concentration and ripeness, and a spicy, long, moderately tannic finish. Drink it up as it is unlikely to improve.
This may be the most successful wine produced by this estate during the decade of the sixties, although some bottles of the 1962 come close to offering as much pleasure as the 1966. The wine may have turned the corner and begun its decline. I have never tasted it out of larger format bottles, but I suspect magnums of this wine might merit an outstanding evaluation. The wine has always been a classic Bordeaux, with more fruit and body than many 1966s. There is a degree of austerity, but the wine's dominant characteristics include a complex, tobacco, cedar, and red currant-scented nose, medium body, excellent concentration and ripeness, and a spicy, long, moderately tannic finish. Drink it up as it is unlikely to improve. Wine Advocate.October, 1995
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.