Grand vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases - Saint-Julien 2013

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

par Neal Martin le 28/10/2016

The 2013 Leoville-Las Cases has perhaps one of the most understated bouquets for this estate in recent years. I do not mean that in a bad sense, after all, this was a vintage whereby it would be foolish to push too much. It gently unfolds with blackberry, bilberry and a light marine influence - iodine, a hint of black olive. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, nicely balanced with a saline note that comes through towards the finish. I appreciate the cohesiveness and refinement of this Leoville-Las Cases, certainly one of the best Médocs of this difficult vintage.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

le 31/03/2016

Jamessuckling.com

94 / 100

par James Suckling le 15/02/2016

Extremely fine and complex for the vintage with blueberry, black currant and mineral aromas and flavors. Racy and refined backbone of tannins. Long and subtle. Drink in 2019.

Wine Advocate

89-92 / 100

par Robert Parker le 29/08/2014

Better than many of the Medoc first-growths, the 2013 Las Cases was harvested relatively late, between October 2 and 17. It is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Only 40% of the production made it into the grand vin, and the finished alcohol was 13.1%. It reveals a dense ruby/purple color, supple tannins, good texture and depth, excellent freshness and intense dark currant and black cherry fruit notes. While not a blockbuster, it is a medium-bodied, well-endowed 2013 that should drink well for 10-15 years. (89-92+ points)

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

89-92 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 16/05/2014

(74% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc and 12% merlot; 3.69 pH; 13% alcohol; 31 h/h; 85% new oak):  Bright ruby-red.  Very floral, minty red fruits and minerals on the captivating nose.  Then tougher on the palate, with the spicy red fruit flavors kept under wraps by serious tannins and lively acidity.  The bright, long finish features very pure floral and red berry nuances.  Not the most charming LLC in memory, but a major success for the vintage.  I especially like its lovely aromatic nose, which owes a lot to the strong cabernet franc presence, one of the largest percentages ever in this wine (at 50+ years, LLC has some especially old cabernet franc vines, and that makes a big difference on the Left Bank).  Keep in mind that the 2008 also had a similarly high percentage of cabernet franc (12%), and I believe that this wine is also one of the stars of its vintage.

timatkin.com

94 / 100

par Tim Atkin MW le 07/05/2014

The Cabernet Sauvignon that makes up the core of this blend (74%) was surprisingly ripe in 2013. It still has the famous rigour and structure of Las Cases, with bloody, iron-like notes, but there’s more than enough black-fruited flesh on the bones. Very fine.

matthewjukes.com

17,5 / 20

par Matthew Jukes le 23/04/2014

(74 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 Cabernet Franc, 12 Merlot) With 10% press wine and 85% new oak this is a powerful, dense spicy Las Cases. Pretty good balance but slimmer and more muscular than before. More of a cage fighter than a fencer! There are small flashes of greenness among the cassis fruit which are not off-putting, but they seem to tighten the tannins further making the whole wine seem a bit combative and dry. There is a huge difference in mood between this wine and the lush Clos du Marquis.

Vinous

91-94 / 100

par Antonio Galloni le 18/04/2014

The 2013 Léoville-las-Cases is wonderfully deep and layered in the glass. Violets, cloves, menthol and licorice add dimensions of complexity to the dark fruit. Hints of cassis, white flowers and sweet herbs develop later as the wine continues to flesh out. So many 2013s offer up their charms quite easily. Léoville-las-Cases is a rare wine endowed with a sense of mystery and intrigue. The power and breadth of this site come through, but tempered by the medium-bodied structure of the year. This is a terrific showing. The 2013 is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 12% Merlot. Tasted twice.

Jancis Robinson

17,5 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 16/04/2014

Drink  2020-30
http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201404153.html

My Bettane + Desseauve

18,5 / 20

le 15/04/2014

Admirable échantillon, porteur du nez le plus complexe et le plus racé à ce stade de tous les vins dégustés dans le Médoc, merveilleuse texture, tannin noble. Il ajoute à la puissance des plus grands pauillacs une finesse supplémentaire qui en fera un grand classique.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 15/04/2014

The Grand Vin is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc that includes 9.5% pressed wine and delivers 31hl/ha. It was picked between 2 and 17 October. It has a very classic Léoville Las-Cases bouquet with tobacco-scented black fruit that opens nicely during the time I spend chatting to Jean-Hubert Delon. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, again, a much more fresh and classic take on Las-Cases reminiscent of 1980s vintages such as the 1983 or 1988. Just add "gentleman's club".

Decanter.com

18,25 / 20

par Steven Spurrier le 14/04/2014

Magnificent colour, already fragrant nose, great purity and depth with firm  Pauillac edge, will develop beautifully, a superb wine in this vintage.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

par James Suckling le 08/04/2014

A dense, rich young wine with licorice and spice character. Some tar, too. Medium to full body with firm tannins and a fresh, clean finish. Dense fruit structure for the vintage.      

Wine Enthusiast

95-97 / 100

par Roger Voss le 03/04/2014

A powerful, structured wine, this is dominated by juicy Cabernet Sauvignon but with an aromatic edge from Cabernet Franc. The wine is rich for the vintage, yet with a fresh profile. Balanced, it is a stylish wine that shows a fine future.

René Gabriel

17 / 20

par René Gabriel le 03/04/2014

74 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 % Cabernet Franc, 12 % Merlot. 31 hl/ha. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicht in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Feinsüsses, delikates Bouquet, Kandis, Preiselbeeren, Cassis, Schwarztee, hat aber auch etwas Florales mit dabei, mittlerer Tiefgang. Im Gaumen harmonisch, schön ausgelegt, hier mehr blaue - und schwarze Beeren aufweisend, im zweiten Ansatz eine dezent nobel-bittere Adstringenz anzeigend, kernige Nuancen im Finish.

Wine Spectator

91-94 / 100

par James Molesworth le 03/04/2014

A touch taut, with a tobacco and cedar overlay to the racy red currant, plum and bitter cherry notes. Shows lovely austerity through the finish, presenting a long echo of cold fireplace. Distinctive. —J.M.