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Léoville Las Cases 2004

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Léoville-Las Cases

Label

Tasting Notes

Performing better from bottle than it did from cask, this blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc has put on weight over the last year. It exhibits the classic style of both Las Cases and St.-Julien in its deep black currant notes interwoven with sweet cherries, wet stones, and toasty vanillin. Made in a structured, medium to full-bodied style with superb concentration, beautiful purity, and admirable symmetry, this beauty is one of the strongest efforts of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028. Also tasted: 2004 Clos du Marquis (88)

93
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (171), June 2007

The 2004 Léoville Las-Cases feels stubborn and closed on the nose despite rigorous coaxing. Eventually it reveals attractive, tightly wound blackberry, briary, sandalwood and undergrowth notes. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, masculine as usual with Las-Cases, rather aloof and you might say a bit charmless. It is not a Saint-Julien that has resolved to give pleasure, the austerity on the finish is a little blunt at the moment. Being Las-Cases, perhaps it just needs longer time in bottle? Tasted at the annual CVBG tasting in London. 2019 - 2035

92
Neal Martin, vinous.com, July 2018

Intense currant, blackberry and light vanilla aromas. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Layered, with everything in the right proportion for the vintage. Excellent red. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2012.

95
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 2007

Dark crimson. Lively topnotes of a confident wine with a seriously long term future ahead of it. Very concentrated but some almost sweet, treacly fruit on the front palate and then very fine tannins. Lots built in there but well integrated. Dry tannins but very fine. Not exaggerated. A good difference in drinking dates between this and the second wine Clos du Marquis but not of style. Very bright fruit. Real life. Good for the year. Needs lots of time. Drink 2017-30.

17.5+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, August 2005
92
Farr Vintners, Southwold Bordeaux Tasting, January 2008

Intensity of colour, aromas and structure. This is dense, syrupy and intensley ripe, with great acidity, big, but ripe tannins and huge raspberry length. It's a terrific wine, rich with concentration, power and, at the same time, real finesse. It will continue to grow and flower. 2010-2030

Wine International Panel, Wine International (June 05), June 2005
91/95
-, Wine International (June 05), June 2005
Read more tasting notes...

Proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon believes the 2004 Leoville Las-Cases, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, represents a lighter version of the 1996 and 1986 Las Cases. While an outstanding effort, it does not possess the breadth or depth of flavor found in the two aforementioned vintages. A classic bouquet of black cherries, cassis, crushed rocks, flowers, vanilla, and background oak emerges from this dense ruby/purple-tinged 2004. Medium-bodied with moderately high tannin and crisp acidity in the strong finish, it should be at its finest between 2010-2020.

90/92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (165), June 2006

Jean-Hubert Delon has produced an elegant, tannic 2004 that may lack the prodigious depth and texture of Las Cases’s finest vintages, but remains quintessentially pure as well as very St.-Julien. Only 34% of the production made it into the final blend (76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc). Rigid and tight, with a deep ruby/purple-tinged color, and a sweet nose of black cherries, currants, minerals, and subtle background oak, this medium-bodied 2004 is built along the lines of the 1999. As always, it is a wine of considerable distinction, subtlety, grace, and class.

91/93
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (158), April 2005

Intense aromas of black licorice, berries and currants follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Builds on the palate. Reminds me of the 1996 Las Cases. May be better.

95/100
James Suckling, Wine Spectator (April 05), April 2005
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.