Château Léoville Las Cases 2012

Once again among the best wines of the year: of remarkable breed and class, superb, dense, crisp tannins, and an endlessly long fruity finish.

This is very tight at this early stage, with a wall of smoldering charcoal holding the core of dark plum, blackberry paste and cassis in reserve. The sleek finish shows admirable length and a mouthwatering echo of iron. This harnesses the austerity of the vintage to its advantage, and should unwind slowly in the cellar. Best from 2018 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.

Structured palate with deep-scented fruit and potential, but lacking the extra excitement and distinction that this terroir can provide.

So pure on the nose with aromas of blackcurrants, raspberries and licorice. Hints of stones. Full-bodied, with polished yet chewy tannins and a long, racy finish. Layered tannins. Citrusy undertones. Bright acidity. Better in 2019.

The 2012 Léoville Las-Cases is much more closed on the nose, quite strict with blackberry, cedar and gravelly aromas, later hints of cassis and a splash of soy. The palate is medium-bodied with a fairly oaky entry, though there is fruit concentration to soak that up with bottle age. Maybe it just lacks a bit of personality at the moment, and a second bottle at Bordeaux Index's horizontal confirms a bit of roughness, a bit hard-edged at this stage. Give this time. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

Tobacco, cedar wood, blackberries and fresh herbs create the nose. On the palate, the wine delivers a classic blast of fresh, concentrated cassis, salty, mineral-driven tannins, and a chewy, long, cassis-filled finish. This will be better with a decade of age.

Very dense and rigid structure, elegant dark fruit, floral notes and tobacco, long and lingering, plenty of fine tannin and a bright freshness, classic and elegant style with a bright potential for long ageing.

Standing out for its sheer purity and class, the 2012 Leoville-Las Cases is about as seamless as they come, with medium to full-bodied richness, fabulous notes of crème de cassis, cedary spice, plums, spice and wood smoke, with its oak component pushed well into the background. While not a blockbuster, it is impeccably balanced, with a full, layered mid-palate, building tannin and a rock-solid finish. Give this straight up classy 2012 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles over the following two decades or more.

The tannins are noticeably bigger than the other St Juliens in the lineup, with more grip through the palate, and you feel the structure exerting a gentle pressure at the close. There are fruits here also, in the cassis and bilberry frame as with Léoville Barton, with touches of mint leaf and eucalyptus. Not generous, but plenty of impact, and a gentle mouthwatering salinity. Lighter framed within the Las Cases world, but one of the more impactful 2012s overall.

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Leoville Las Cases drifts out with fragrant notions of warm cassis, dark chocolate, roses, and dried mint with hints of iron ore and forest floor. Fragrant black fruit absolutely dances on the medium-bodied palate, with super-ripe, fine-grained tannins and vivacious freshness, finishing long and perfumed. This beautiful wine still has a good 20-30 years left.

The nose of Léoville Las Cases 2012 is superb, and the palate is dense and straight, showcasing a superb, high-class Cabernet; overall it is very long, precise, and fine. The Cabernet reached lovely ripeness, which is rare in the Médoc. A great success.