Chateau Léoville Las Cases - Saint-Julien 2004

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byNeal Martinthe8/1/2014

Tasted at Bordeaux Index annual 10-year on tasting from an ex-château bottle. The Leoville Las-Cases 2004 has a glorious bouquet that to be honest, puts its peers in their place. It displays exquisite delineation and mineralité, the fruit very pure with scents of blackberry, white pepper, cigar box and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied with a composed entry and a fleshy texture that renders this a much more approachable Las-Cases vis-a-vis other recent vintages. It has a sense of classicism that is very appealing although there is wonderful depth of fruit on the finish. It reminds me of the over-achieving 1994 several years ago. Tasted March 2014.

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe7/2/2007

Performing better from bottle than it did from cask, this blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc has put on weight over the last year. It exhibits the classic style of both Las Cases and St.-Julien in its deep black currant notes interwoven with sweet cherries, wet stones, and toasty vanillin. Made in a structured, medium to full-bodied style with superb concentration, beautiful purity, and admirable symmetry, this beauty is one of the strongest efforts of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028. Also tasted: 2004 Clos du Marquis (88)

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe6/30/2007

Deep red-ruby. Expressive aromas of currant, plum, mocha, tobacco and minerals, with a slight dusty character. Supple but a bit youthfully inky, with a dusty quality to the moderately sweet fruit. This is a bit dry compared to the young 2006, and one has the impression that the oak tannins are less successfully integrated with the wine's fruit. This concentrated, persistent wine really needs seven or eight years of cellaring. 90 (+?)

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2007

Intense aromas of currant, blackberry and light vanilla. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Layered, with everything in the right proportion for the vintage. Excellent. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2012. 20,000 cases made.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe6/30/2006

Proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon believes the 2004 Leoville Las-Cases, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, represents a lighter version of the 1996 and 1986 Las Cases. While an outstanding effort, it does not possess the breadth or depth of flavor found in the two aforementioned vintages. A classic bouquet of black cherries, cassis, crushed rocks, flowers, vanilla, and background oak emerges from this dense ruby/purple-tinged 2004. Medium-bodied with moderately high tannin and crisp acidity in the strong finish, it should be at its finest between 2010-2020.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/3/2005

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/2/2005

Jean-Hubert Delon has produced an elegant, tannic 2004 that may lack the prodigious depth and texture of Las Cases’s finest vintages, but remains quintessentially pure as well as very St.-Julien. Only 34% of the production made it into the final blend (76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc). Rigid and tight, with a deep ruby/purple-tinged color, and a sweet nose of black cherries, currants, minerals, and subtle background oak, this medium-bodied 2004 is built along the lines of the 1999. As always, it is a wine of considerable distinction, subtlety, grace, and class. The harvest at Las Cases was relatively late, with all the fruit brought in between October 4 - 17.

TAST

18,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/28/2005

Le vin a été dégusté au château et pas à l'aveugle. Mais on ne peut que s'incliner devant l'intensité et la précision de sa personnalité, avec une étoffe et une assise tannique de même valeur que celle des premiers crus. Une très belle forte proportion de cabernets (près de 90 %) accentue les dimensions habituelles de cèdre et de tabac havane et le rend proche de Lafite, avec peut-être encore plus d'énergie. Le clos du Marquis, très puissant et charnu n'avait pas encore à ce stade une définition de corps et de saveur comparables.

Carnets de dégustation RVF

9 / 10

the4/22/2005

75% cabernet-sauvignon, 13% merlot, 11% cabernet franc. 60% de fût neuf. 34% de la récole. La robe très sombre présente une teinte noire avec des reflets brillants. Très précis, subtil, le nez ne se montre pas très expansif. Avec une attaque concentrée et suave, le vin dévoile un superbe milieu de bouche, épicé, dense, suave, très accompli, et des tanins massifs mais totalement masqués. très élégant, d'une grande pureté, il possède la suavité et la pureté du 1959. Pour le situer par rapport aux millésimes récents, le 2000 se montre plus exotique, le 2001 plus ferme dans le style d'un pauillac, le 2002 représente la quintessence de Saint-Julien et 2003 constitue un monstre de puissance.

Wine Spectator

95-100 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/30/2005

Intense aromas of black licorice, berries and currants follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of velvety tannins and a long caressing finish. Builds on the palate. Reminds me of the 1996 Las Cases. May be better.