Chateau Leoville Las Cases (Futures Pre-sale) 2010

"This has almost searing acidity running through it, but it's ripe and mouthwatering, harnessing a massive core of black currant and red licorice notes. Supertight but very fine-grained, this gets tighter, but also longer, as it moves along. This could age in reverse for a while, before it starts to unwind. A brick house.
Barrel Sample: 95-98 Points "

98 Points

Wine Spectator

"As one would expect, this is a powerful, concentrated wine with 13.7% natural alcohol (compared to 2005's 13.2%). The pH is quite normal at 3.56, and its relatively high total acidity gives it a classic, fresh, yet backward style. Given how long vintages such as 1982, 1986, and I suspect, 2000 are taking to reach maturity, prospective purchasers of this wine should easily invest in a decade of cellaring, although I suspect it will be closer to 15 or more years before it reveals secondary nuances. A good 40- to 50-year wine, it is a dense purple, full-bodied style of Las Cases, with classic sweet kirsch, graphite and black currant fruit as well as hints of new saddle leather and subtle oak. Backward, layered and multi-dimensional, the wine is stunningly rich, but brooding. Forget it at least until 2020 or later.
Barrel Sample: 95-98 Points "

98 Points

The Wine Advocate

"This hugely dense wine has a great smoky character, showing power as well as great finesse. It has rich berry fruit, weaving through the dusty tannic structure, very powerful and concentrated. The finish is severe, but shows the year’s hallmark juiciness.
Barrel Sample: 96-98 Points "

98 Points

Wine Enthusiast

"Deep ruby with purple highlights. Sexy, classic, captivating cabernet sauvignon aromas of blackcurrant, graphite and cedar complicated by minerals. Silky-sweet, fine-grained and almost gentle on entry, with well-integrated acidity contributing to an impression of finesse. Then dense and firm in the mid-palate, with rich, brooding cassis, gunflint and mineral flavors. This is considerably less showy today than the 2009 was at a similar stage of development, conveying a more austere aspect to its dark fruit flavors. Finishes pure, seamless and very long, with incredibly silky tannins. How Jean-Hubert Delon manages to get tannins this sweet and smooth every vintage is beyond me. 94-97 points "

97 Points

International Wine Cellar

"This is very silky, with a racy and fresh character of violets, currants and raspberries. Full with a super texture. Racy structure. Reminds me of the 1996.
Barrel Sample: 95-96 Points "

96 Points

James Suckling