Chateau Leoville Las Cases (Futures Pre-Sale) 2021

Professional Ratings

• 97 James Suckling
  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% merlot.
  Barrel Sample: 96-97
• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2021 Léoville Las Cases has turned out beautifully in bottle and clearly numbers among the very finest wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, violets and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated with a deep and multidimensional core of fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins and girdled by lively acids, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Serious and structured without being austere, it's a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and a mere 5% Merlot.
  Rating: 96+
• 95 Decanter
  A brilliant Las Cases in 2021. Quite a savoury nose - dark chocolate covered blackcurrants, like a Black Forest gâteau as well as such signature Cabernet markers - green pepper, black pepper and mint. This is serious, not as immediately charming or expressive, but grows in stature, expanding slowly while still maintaining a tight, focussed core. Spiced on the tongue, quite marked with sharp fruit that has an almost sour tang to it. You get the Cabernet Franc spice for sure - the highest percentage ever at 15% - alongside structure, length and intention. Acidity is well balanced and the tannins are so fine. Such purity of grape characteristics and terroir markers. Classic in the absolute best sense, there’s no hiding with every detail on show and in time this will be brilliant. Ageing in 85% new barrels. 3.66pH.
  Barrel Sample: 95
• 95 Jeb Dunnuck
  Unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, the 2021 Château Léoville Las Cases is flat-out brilliant and brings that classic Las Cases regalness and structure. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, crushed stone, and an almost bloody, salty character all define this riveting 2021, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has more mid-palate density and depth than just about every other wine in the vintage, and despite its structure, it's going to be relatively accessible in just 5-7 years. It will most likely be one of the longest-lived in the vintage.