Recently Rated Château Léoville Las Cases Wines
From Wine Spectator's blind tastings
On Bordeaux’s Left Bank, 2011 was an outstanding vintage, but the following two years appear inconsistent. Early barrel tastings of the young 2012 and 2013 wines suggest Léoville Las Cases still made outstanding wines in those less consistent vintages. (Barrel-rated wines are re-evaluated in our blind tastings once they are bottled; look for future reviews.) And for a less-expensive introduction to this St.-Julien estate, try the very good second wine, Le Petit Lion, made from the same vineyard as the grand vin.
Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien 2013
Barrel Tasting Score Range: 91–94 points
Release Price: $NA
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. —James Molesworth
Region: Bordeaux, France
Issue Date: Web Only–2014
Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien 2012
Barrel Tasting Score Range: 93–96 points
Release Price: $NA
Displays a solid core of plum, blackberry and cassis, lined with roasted apple wood and backed by a hint of ganache and briar. Shows excellent integration overall, with a serious iron note buried on the finish. A rock-solid version for this vintage. —James Molesworth
Region: Bordeaux, France
Issue Date: Web Only–2013
Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien Le Petit Lion 2012
Barrel Tasting Score Range: 86–89 points
Release Price: $NA
Iron-tinged and pure, with bright cherry and damson plum notes receiving a floral lift on the finish. Not big, but focused and precise. —James Molesworth
Region: Bordeaux, France
Issue Date: Web Only–2013
Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien Le Petit Lion 2011
Score: 89 points
Release Price: $45
Dark, ripe and winey, with plum, cassis and blackberry fruit pumping along, showing mouthwatering anise and fruitcake notes. Has depth and muscle, but remains approachable now. Drink now through 2021. 7,500 cases made. —James Molesworth
Region: Bordeaux, France
Issue Date: Web Only–2014
