Leoville Las Cases - St. Julien (Futures) 2021 (Pre-arrival) (750ml)

 Pre-arrival 
WA
95-97
JA
94
JS
96-97
TWI
91-93+
V
94-96

Price: $223.00

Producer Leoville Las Cases
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Subregion Saint-Julien
Varietal Bordeaux Blend
Vintage 2021
Sku 1005871
Size 750ml

James Suckling: 96-97 Points

13 May 2022 ? This is very tannic and powerful with currant and salty undertones. Inky. Blackberry and blackcurrant too. Full-bodied with lots of power at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon 15% cabernet franc and 5%

Wine Advocate: 95-97 Points

One of the wines of the vintage the 2021 Léoville Las Cases is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 1999 and 1996?only better. Offering up incipiently complex aromas of cassis plums and dark berries mingled with loamy soil cigar wrapper and exotic spices it's full-bodied layered and multidimensional with superb amplitude and concentration velvety tannins lively acids and a long penetrating finish. Uniting classicism and charm it exemplifies how a great terroir exigent agronomy and meticulous winemaking can deliver greatness even in a less propitious vintage. It's a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Cabernet Franc and a mere 5% Merlot this year checking in at 13.2% alcohol.

Vinous: 94-96 Points

The 2021 Léoville Las Cases was picked from 28 September until 8 October and includes just 5% Merlot from the northern sectors of the vineyard due to coulure. They found that increased percentages of Merlot did not contribute to the blend. Matured in 85% new oak it has an intense nose with black fruit graphite and light iris flower aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit quite a potent marine influence at play almost briny (perhaps accentuated by the changeable weather on the day of my visit). Very impressive in terms of depth and backbone/grip with iodine and oyster shells towards the finish this is a cerebral Las-Cases that will demand patience. Then again name me a vintage of Las-Cases that doesn't! Alcohol here is at 13.20%.

ja

Jane Anson: 94 Points

Plenty of fruit on display here with waves of cassis blackberry and bilberry along with the more typical of the vintage redcurrant and blueberry savoury and full of juice along with cloves black pepper slate and graphite. There is a power here and estate signature but the austerity that you often find in young Las Cases is really dominant in the architecture and character of the wine right now and you will need patience over ageing for it to soften. 85% new oak. A strong candidate for upscoring in bottle.

The Wine Independent: 91-93+ Points

The 2021 Leoville Las Cases is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot harvested from 28 September to 8 October and to be aged in 85% new oak. Deep purple-black colored it opens with profound notes of ripe juicy blackcurrants black cherries and plum preserves leading to hints of lilacs cedar chest dusty soil and graphite plus a hint of cumin seed. Light to medium-bodied the palate delivers a quiet intensity of earth-laced black fruits with very fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness finishing long and minerally. pH 3.71 IPT 77.