2010 Château Léoville Las Cases

Description

100  Roger Voss for Wine Enthusiast
“A hugely powerful wine, full of dark, brooding tannins. It’s a wine for seriously long-term aging, a sculptural vision of classic Bordeaux structure with with classy, ripe blackberry fruits. It has fresh acidity and an immense full-bodied character, cut through with mineral acidity. A great wine, with great potential.” Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2013 (3/2012)

100  Decanter
“Layered, textured, deep, cigar box, cassis and earth, managing to simultaneously stretch out, and burrow down. The edges open slowly but surely and seductively. Still inky in colour, this has all the powerful texture and tannic architecture that you expect from Leoville, and unlike the 2009 at its ten year point it is still keeping plenty of secrets close to its chest. But you are going to want to be around when it fully opens.” (2011)

99  James Molesworth for Wine Spectator
“Stunning and pure from the get-go, with intense cassis and blackberry fruit. Ultimately takes a slightly austere approach, with a wrought-iron structure driving along while pastis, black tea, licorice snap and asphalt notes course underneath. Long and loaded with grip, this remains remarkably fine-grained. A very chiseled Cabernet that is wonderfully precise and incredibly long. Best from 2020 through 2040.” Collectibles (3/2013)

99  James Suckling
“The aromas to this wine have a beautiful purity of raspberries, blueberries, currants, and flowers that follow to a a full body, with super integrated tannins that are like the finest silk in texture. It shows elegant and pretty fruit character and a reserve and finesse of such great years as 1989 and 1995. The bright strong acidity gives a crunchy and creamy texture. This has a tiny bit more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend than 2009.” (11/2013)

97+  Neal Martin
“Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Leoville Las-Cases 2010 has a very elegant bouquet with earthy, tobacco infused black fruit, fine delineation and well-integrated oak. It is tight at first, but opens nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry. Very fine tannins, very elegant and harmonious with beautifully judged acidity leading to a classic finish that is totally seductive. Glorious. Tasted January 2014.” (03/2014) 97+ points Lisa Perotti-Brown in Wine Advocate: “Blended of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet colored 2010 Léoville Las Cases delivers tons of evolving black fruits on the nose with notes of crème de cassis, prunes and incense plus wafts of cloves, cedar, cigar box and powdered cinnamon. Full-bodied, rich, bold and decadently fruited, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins, and the oak is faintly notable on the palate. It finishes impressively with long-lingering mineral notes. This one probably needs 3-5 more years to really hit its stride!” (3/2020)