Chateau Léoville Las Cases - Saint-Julien 1996

TAST

19 / 20

the9/1/2009

le plus parfait des las Cases présentés : un sommet en matière de richesse de constitution , de noblesse aromatique et de raffinement dan sle tannin, sans les aspérités qui marquaient les grands millésimes "classiques" de jadis. Un des plus beaux exemples du savoir-faire médocain actuel. Très longue garde garantie.

Guide de la RVF des meilleurs vins de France

10 / 10

the8/30/2005

Wine Advocate

98 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe9/1/2002

Très profond, s'imposant comme l'un des très grands bordeaux de notre temps, ce vin rivalise avec les prouesses accomplies à Las Cases en 1982, 1986, 1990 et 2000. Pourpre-noir de robe , il exhale de spectaculaires senteurs de cassis, de liqueur de cerise, de pain grillé et de minéral. L'attaque est puissante et riche, l'ensemble, doté de tannins merveilleusement fondus, ne révèle pas la moindre mourdeur ni le plus petit manque de structure, malgré sa concentration massive. ce vin remarquable gagne encore en stature et en richesse au fur et à mesure qu'il se développe dans le verre. S'exprimant tout en rondeur et sans aspérité, avec une élégance exceptionnelle, il tapisse littéralement le palais- c'est une véritable quintessence de Saint-Julien, vinifié à la manière d'un Latour, son voisin immédiat. Malgré la douceur de ses tannins, je conseille de ne pas y toucher avant 4 à 5 ans encore. A boire entre 2010 et 2040. 98+

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

96 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe7/31/2002

Saturated bright, dark ruby. Perfumed, vibrant, very youthful aromas of cassis, violet and bitter chocolate. Dense and powerful, with great clarity of flavor thanks to a terrific spine of acidity. Almost painfully structured wine but not at all hard. Finishes very long and gripping, with a note of bitter chocolate. Drink 2012 through 2040.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe12/31/1999

A racy, silky red. Intense aromas of blackberries and raspberries. Full- to medium-bodied, with a lovely concentration of fine tannins and a long, long finish. Not as good as the '95. Best after 2002.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

96 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/31/1999

Deep saturated ruby. Quintessential Medoc perfume: black cherry, cassis, violet, minerals, leather, cedar and roasted nuts. Large-scaled and thick, with a texture that truly three-dimensional. Powerful structure gives the wine an extraordinary solidity. Sweet, supple and impressively deep. Tasted alongside the '95, the '96 came across as more refined and considerably more minerally, with the tannins hitting the palate later. Superb claret.

Wine Advocate

98 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1999

Having previously rated it nearly perfect, I was apprehensive of a letdown about tasting the 1996 Leoville Las Cases once it had been bottled, but that concern was quickly dismissed once I put my nose in the glass. A profound Leoville Las Cases, it is one of the great modern day wines of Bordeaux. This wine's hallmark remains a sur-maturite (over-ripeness) of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Yet the wine has retained its intrinsic classicism, symmetry, and profound potential for complexity and elegance. The black/purple color is followed by a spectacular nose of cassis, cherry liqueur, pain grille, and minerals. It is powerful and rich on the attack, with beautifully integrated tannin, massive concentration, yet no hint of heaviness or disjointedness. As this wine sits in the glass it grows in stature and richness. It is a remarkable, seamless, palate-staining, and extraordinarily elegant wine - the quintessential St.-Julien. Despite the sweetness of the tannin, I would recommend cellaring this wine for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

95-97 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/31/1998

Saturated, deep ruby-red. Brooding aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry, minerals and shoe polish; the sheer strength of fruit here struck me as almost California-like. Thick with extract and wonderfully sweet and ripe in the mouth; builds slowly and inexorably to an amazingly long finish. Substantial, ripe tannins coat the entire mouth. Today the considerable power of this wine is masked by its perfect balance. A strong candidate for wine of the vintage.

Wine Advocate

98-100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/1998

My tasting notes for this wine begin with the following words "wow, wow, wow!" I had been looking forward to retasting this 1996 since I had it in spring, 1997, and I was not disappointed by its evolution. The wine possesses an opaque purple color, and an attention-getting, staggering, sweet nose that offers the essence of black currant fruit, kirsch, and minerals as well as the essence of Leoville-Las-Cases's personality. It is fabulously concentrated, with the sur-maturite (over-ripeness) of Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the wine's most undeniable hallmarks. When measured, the tannin level is extremely high, but you would never know that when tasting this wine because of the massive amount of extract, purity, and virtually perfect equilibrium. Despite its rare combination of unbridled power and complexity, this wine has beaucoup de finesse, as well as a finish that lasts close to 45 seconds. A candidate for a perfect rating, it is a modern day legend in the making. Will it surpass the 1986 and 1982? Time will tell. Only 40% of the total harvest was used in the 1996, with the final blend containing a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than usual. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030.

Wine Advocate

96-100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1997

Let me make it simple - this is the most prodigious Leoville-Las Cases since the 1982, and it may be as profound as that historical wine! When I saw Michel Delon in January, 1997, when we were tasting the 1993, 1994, and 1995 vintages, he could not conceal his excitement over what he thought would be the blend for the 1996 Leoville-Las Cases. As he stated, never had he harvested Cabernet Sauvignon so ripe, high in sugar, and intensely concentrated. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc were disappointing, save for one parcel of very old vine Cabernet Franc that made it into the final blend. The selection employed by Delon at Las Cases continues to be dragonian, with only 40% of the harvest making it into the grand vin. For the first time in years, no Petit Verdot was utilized. Even I have a hard time finding the words to describe wines of this quality. It is an opaque purple/black/blue color. Although still in its infancy, the nose soars from the glass, offering amazingly penetrating and pure aromas of cassis, minerals, and spice. Despite the fact that 70% new oak casks are used, I could not find any evidence of new oak in the nose - a testament to the incredible richness of 1996's late-picked Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. Extremely full-bodied, magnificently concentrated, yet brilliantly balanced (nothing is out of place), this seamless, potentially legendary classic will require 10-12 years of cellaring. It has 35-40 years of aging potential. Remarkably, Las Cases has produced nothing less than a top-notch wine in the decade of the nineties. Readers would be foolish not to consider buying the magnificent 1995 and marvelous 1994, but believe it or not, the 1996 towers over those two gorgeous wines. A candidate for perfection?