2000 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases Saint Julien

Pro Reviews

Vinous Media (VM)

Full, bright ruby. Superripe aromas of roasted currant, violet and black licorice. Powerful and highly aromatic in the mouth, with brooding black fruit, violet and chocolate flavors. A step up in acidity from the Clos du Marquis, giving the wine great vinosity and cut. Extremely long and aromatic on the finish, with big, chewy, thoroughly ripe tannins.

Wine Spectactor (WS)

Absolutely fantastic. This is one of the most exciting young reds I have tasted in a long, long time. It shows intense aromas of berries, currants and minerals, with hints of mint. Full-bodied and packed with fruit and tannins, its long finish is refined and silky. A benchmark for the vintage. Las Cases has always wanted to make first-growth quality in a top-notch vintage, and it certainly did in 2000. Best after 2012.

Wine Advocate (WA)

Along with the Medoc first growths, Leoville Barton, Chateau Montrose, Sociando Mallet, and a handful of other producers, Leoville Las Cases continues to make a wine meant for very long-term cellaring. When I did my earlier tastings of the 2000, my projected maturity dates were 2012-2040, but it is looking more like 2020-2050. This full-bodied blend of nearly 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.4% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc still has a youthful ruby/purple color, notes of graphite, kirsch liqueur, black currants, and lead pencil shavings, with good acidity, the tell-tale purity, layered ripeness and intensity, and a profound finish. However, with its high level of tannin and brooding backwardness, this superb effort needs to be forgotten for up to a decade.