Léoville-Las Cases St.-Julien 2016

100 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "One of the high points of this great vintage, the 2016 Léoville Las Cases is a brilliant wine that unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, pencil shavings, cigar wrapper, loamy soil and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's concentrated and complete, with beautifully refined tannins, vibrant acids and a long, mineral finish. Even in this series of great wines, it stands out for its cool classicism and unerring precision. Still an infant, while the 2016 is sufficiently polished to be far from forbidding, the real fireworks won't begin for another decade. Drink: 2030-2075. (Aug 2022)"

100 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "Nothing under 20 years old supplies fruit for the grand vin de Léoville. It's extremely dark and rich, a stately purple in colour with some violet around the rim. Right from the off it expands upwards and outwards, showing polished dark, dark fruits such as black cherry and cassis, alongside slate, liquorice and rosemary. It's mouthfilling and almost less austere than all of the others, yet it's a serious wine. The tannins close in on themselves at the end, showing how this is built to last. A great advert for the whole of Bordeaux, and for me it's the clear wine of the vintage. Drinking Window: 2026-2045. (Oct 2018)"

100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2016 Léoville Las Cases is the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate; in fact, in this reviewer’s opinion, this magical, perfect wine couldn’t be better. Made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc aged 22 months in 90% new oak, it reveals a deep, saturated purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, iris flowers, graphite, crushed rocks, and freshly sharpened lead pencils. A perfect example of the old saying “an iron fist in a velvet glove,” it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, stacked mid-palate, flawless integration of its acidity and tannins, and a monster finish. The balance and purity here are off the charts. Hide bottles for a decade or so and enjoy over the following half a century. Drinking Window: 2029-2079. (2/28/19)"

100 points James Suckling: "Very complex and alluringly spicy aromas that bubble in and out of the nose, together with fresh tobacco, raspberries and iodine, moving into blackcurrants, blackberries and a gently gravely, stony edge. The palate has incredible polish that is a foil for the intense power and concentration of this wine. The texture is flawless, building smoothly with fine-grained and focused tannins that sustain a long, fresh finish. The new 1986, which was a legend. This is probably better. A blend of 75 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 14 per cent merlot and 11 per cent cabernet franc. Try from 2024. (3/2/20)"

100 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Deep dark ruby, opaque core with a bright narrow rim. Subtle hints of liquorice and cassis, tobacco nuances, touch of fine noble wood touch and delicate hints of candied orange zest. Powerfully close-meshed with ripe cherry, vivid, integrated tannins and fresh acidity. The mineral finish has good length with dark berry fruit and a lemon touch. A wine for laying down which will benefit from at least ten years. (5/24/17)"

100 points (20/20)/'Le Coup de Coeur,' La Revue du Vin de France: "True essence of Las Cases, the 2016 is obviously still impenetrable. This muscular, but also very complex wine literally sticks to the palate. The finish unfolds continuous streams of incredible fruit, all in freshness and brilliance. (2020)"

100 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Leoville Las Cases is deep purple-black in color. It bursts forth with flamboyant notes of crushed blackcurrants, juicy blackberries, and candied violets, giving way to slowly emerging nuances of charcoal, iron ore, wet pebbles, mossy tree bark, and black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a powerhouse of black fruit and mineral layers, supported by super-firm, super-ripe tannins and fantastic tension, finishing epically long and achingly beautiful. So Good! You could actually drink this now, crime that it would be, but it is just so delicious even in its youth. It should go on for half a century or more. Drink: 2025-2075. (Dec 2022)"

99 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "The blend here is led by Cabernet Sauvignon, but only 75% of the total, however it is worth noting that there is an 11% contribution from Cabernet Franc, so together the Cabernets make up 86%. The remaining 14% is all Merlot. The élevage was in 90% new oak, the new wine remaining in barrel for 18 to 19 months. This has a very serious nose, with highly polished fruits, reminiscent of perfumed black cherries and blackcurrants, swirled with notes of vanilla and toasted oak. The palate is superb, so savoury and correct, but so textured, sinewy and precise, the structure and fruit of the wine tightly interwoven. It feels so huge in its composition, and yet it is so deft and elegant in the way it moves across the palate;only its trail of rich, polished and velvety tannins, which slowly appear from beneath the curtain of fruit, give any clue to its magnificent future. These tannins linger in the finish, with confidence, supporting the dark and savoury fruits. A classic St Julien, and a wonderful result for this property. (Dec 2018)"

99 points International Wine Report: "The 2016 Leoville Las Cases looks to be an instant all-time classic from this iconc Château. This simply has it all, as it starts with hauntingly seductive aromas of fresh ripe blackberries, dark currants, fresh florals, tobacco, gravel, crushed stones aalong with hints of graphite and iron minerals all emerging beautifully from the glass. On the palate this doesn't miss a beat, it possesses a gorgoeus full body, with incredible textural richneess, beautifully polished tannins and incredible overall balance making for an utterly ethereal experience. It contines to impress as it displays remarkable purity and sheer class, as it heads through the long, majestic finish. This is without question the finest young Las Cases I personally have ever tasted, and I can only imagine it will go on to age brilliantly over the course of the next three decacdes or more. Drink: 2025-2055. (Jan 2019)"

98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2016 Léoville Las Cases is a majestic, seamless, opulent wine. Yes, I am talking about Las Cases, traditionally one of the Left Bank's most austere, forbiddingly tannic wines. Sumptuous and full-bodied, the 2016 takes over all the senses, with seemingly endless layers of inky, purplish fruit. Mint, lavender and white flowers are some of the many notes that emerge from the exotic, arrestingly beautiful bouquet as the 2016 makes its case for consideration as one of the wines of the vintage. The 2016 got an extra three months in barrel and was therefore bottled on the later side, but that does not appear to have done anything to close the wine down. The 2016 was magnificent on both occasions I tasted it. Put simply, the 2016 Las Cases is a total stunner. Don't miss it! Drink: 2026-2066. (Jan 2019)"

98 points Wine Spectator: "This is really dense, yet remarkably polished and poised, delivering wave after wave of blueberry, açaí berry, raspberry and blackberry puree notes, all while warm tar and sweet tobacco details cruise underneath. There's a long, smoldering cast iron note through the finish that adds both austerity and authority in a truly unique manner. Best from 2025 through 2045. (3/31/19)"