2023 Leoville Las Cases
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Tasting notes
The slightly closed nose of the 2023 Léoville Las Cases took a while to unfurl, but once open offered black fruit, crushed stone and pencil shavings, along with creamy oak. There’s a wave of juicy blackcurrant on the attack, and a huge, blockbuster-style finish with real grip, but a touch of bright red fruit that lingers on. The 13.1% alcohol is well integrated, but this needs time to come round – for the other elements to come together. Aged in 80% new oak, this is the first vintage to be made in their gravity-flow winery, allowing for greater precision and parcel vinficiation. Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Crème de cassis, graphite, freshly sharpened pencils, and crushed stone all emerge from the 2023 Château Léoville Las Cases, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Merlot that was aged 18 months in 80% new French oak. This serious 2023 brings a beautifully rich, dense, layered style that's very much Las Cases, yet also shows the more rounded, supple profile of the vintage. It's concentrated and rich on the palate, with medium to full-bodied power, terrific mid-palate depth, ripe, solid tannins, and a great finish. It will be a more accessible Las Cases, but I don't think that's going to hurt its ageability. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 30-40 years. Drink 2030-2065.
The 2023 Léoville Las Cases is a total stunner. Dark, layered and seamless, it explodes from the glass with dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and new leather. The 2023 boasts all of the power and explosive energy that this site is known for, but with more refined tannins than in the past. Brisk saline notes punctuate the driving, virile finish. Las Cases is, without question, one of the wines of the vintage.
The 2023 Léoville Las Cases is matured in 80% new oak and bottled at the end of June 2025. Initially, the bouquet is very tight and requires considerable aeration to unlock the aromas of blackberry, cassis, cedar and light briny notes. Very well-defined, though it is cut from a different cloth than the dazzling '22. This seems more introspective. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, very harmonious with seamlessly integrated oak. There is a gentle build in the mouth, caressing, finely tuned with a touch of black pepper toward the finish that lingers on the aftertaste. Excellent.
About the producer
One of the leading estates in Bordeaux, Ch. Léoville Las Cases is one of the largest and oldest Classed Growths in the Médoc. Along with Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, it is widely considered one of the best estates in Saint-Julien.