Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2023

VINUM: "Einmal mehr eine Nase zum Wegträumen, tief, nobel, floral, verspielt, pure Emotion; am Gaumen dicht gebaut, ein Monument, mit Eleganz und beeindruckender Leichtigkeit, sensationelle Tanninqualität, knackige Frucht, alle Elemente sind perfekt austariert, grosse Länge. Ein majestätischer Las Cases."

DECANTER: "Bright, gorgeous, expressive aromatics of dark purple and black fruit. A sense of opulence and clear Cabernet effects on the nose. Supple and agile, juicy and succulent, a rich almost thick cherry juiciness, fleshy, ripe and cool. Lovely minty, liquorice and graphite undertone that keep the freshness going to a long finish. It’s a bit bolder than I expected for LLC and also a bit bigger for the vintage. A characterful style, certainly not missing any body but retains pure charm - this is out to please, certainly not tough or too serious, this is more easy to approach. Lots of herbal elements, pencil lead, graphite and wet stone with cloves and cinnamon. It’s still compact no doubt, but despite the power there’s finesse and it ends clean and lifted. Up there with the best of the vintage. With 4% Merlot, it’s the lowest percentage ever in the blend - 2022 was 5%. 43hl/ha yield. Harvest September 9 to October 2. 6.6% press. 3.79pH. Ageing 18 months, 50% new."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Exceptional quality of cabernet comes through here, with a lot of graphite, lead pencil, crushed stone, walnut and currant fruit. It grows and expands on the palate, remaining in focus at the same time. Refined and seamless with beautiful tannins that show power and intensity. It rolls across the palate with verve. 86% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 4% merlot."

WEINWISSER: "86 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 % Cabernet Franc, 4 % Merlot, 13.1 Vol.-%, pH 3.79, IPT 72, 43 hl/ha, Presswein 6.6 %. Sehr komplexes tiefgründiges Bouquet, Wildkirsche, zarte Alpenheidelbeere und edle Cassiswürze. Im zweiten Ansatz Graphit, heller Tabak und Holundergelee. Am dicht verwobenen Gaumen mit samtiger Textur, energiegeladener Rasse und engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, dicht und ungeheuer präzise, was für eine Kraft und Tiefgründigkeit dieser St Julien besitzt. Im katapultartigen, nicht enden wollenden Finale ein Feuerwerk mit Schlehensaft, dunklem Edelholz und salzigem Jod-Ton. Hier heißt es, Geduld zu bewahren."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Cigar wrapper, creme de cassis, flowers, cherries, mint, and blackberries produce the bouquet. The palate is intense, full-bodied, concentrated, racy, and vibrant. The fruit has lift, length, purity, and a creamy edge to the racy-mouth-feel. The finish lingers, with layers of perfectly, ripe, berries that build, and expand in the mid-palate, through to the juicy, sapid finish. As always, Leoville Las Cases requires bottle aging. But for Las Cases, it is going to be a pleasure to taste relatively early, with just a decade of age. Produced from a blend 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Merlot. 13.10% ABV. 3.79 pH. Harvesting took place September 9 - October 2. This is not only the third time in the history of the estate with more Cabernet Franc than Merlot in the blend. It is also the smallest amount of Merlot ever placed into the Grand Vin. It is also interesting to note that LLC was the first major wine to be released in the 2023 campaign, setting the stage for what could take place this year. Drink from 2030-2065."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2023 Leoville Las Cases is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little shaking, notes of ripe blackcurrants, black cherries, and mulberries slowly emerge from the glass, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of iris, crushed rocks, fertile loam, and dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate is very tightly wound with taut black berry layers and loads of mineral accents, framed by firm fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. This should be a very long-lived Las Cases! The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Merlot, with pH 3.79, alcohol of 13.1%, and TPI 72. It is aging for around 18 months in French oak barriques, 80% new."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Nuancen von Tabak, Waldheidelbeere, frisch und klar. Leicht pfeffrig, aber kein Paprika. Am Gaumen eine hohe Menge sehr hochwertiger Gerbstoffe, frisch und gut Saft freigebend, auf passende Weise geschmeidig grundiert, gute Gaumenfrucht, integrierter Alkohol, sehr gute Länge mit taktil-mineralischen Komponenten."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2023 Château Leoville Las Cases is another absolute classic 2023 from the Médoc. Pure crème de cassis, leather, graphite, violets, and a Latour-like sense of minerality define the aromatics, and it's incredibly concentrated, has medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, focused, structured mouthfeel, and plenty of both tannins and acidity. While the tannins are incredibly ripe and polished, this beauty is nevertheless one for the cellar and will demand bottle age."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and only 4% Merlot, the 2023 Léoville Las Cases is one of the more serious, structured wines of the vintage, reminiscent of a modern-day version of the estate's excellent 2001. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis and plums mingled with hints of licorice, mint and creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a taut core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of fine, youthfully firm tannins. It will require and reward patience."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "A powerful statement but very embryonic. Subdued aromatically but dark fruit present. Tight and restrained but builds on the palate. Notable acidity and freshness. Good length on the finish. Clearly built for the long haul. Drink 2034 - 2055."