The 2008 Leoville-Las Cases Bordeaux Blend is a red wine produced in the St. Julien sub-region of Bordeaux, France by Leoville-Las Cases. This wine is renowned for its balanced structure and aging potential, with an alcohol content of 13.5% and a traditional cork closure.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rates this wine at 95+ points, highlighting its "vibrant, youthfully primary" character and noting that it is aging more slowly than the 2009 vintage. According to William Kelley, the wine reveals "aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak." Kelley describes it as "medium to full-bodied, taut and layered, with tangy acids, ripe tannins and a long, penetrating finish."
James Suckling also rates the wine at 95 points, praising its "super racy and balanced" profile. He notes "masses of licorice and currants intense aromas," and finds it "full and very silky with an intensity of fruit." Suckling recommends enjoying this wine after 2015.
Wine Spectator gives the wine a score of 94, emphasizing its dense, layered character with "crushed blackberry, fig paste, and mulled black currant offset by smoldering tobacco, charcoal, and anise notes." The finish is described as "all iron and roasted earth," indicating its potential for longevity, best enjoyed from 2013 through 2023.
Neal Martin's Wine Journal also scores the wine at 94 points. Martin finds the bouquet "classic austere" with "blackberry, cedar, sous-bois, and tobacco," and praises its "fine delineation towards the long graphite finish."
Decanter and Jeb Dunnuck both rate the wine at 94 points and 95 points respectively. Decanter notes its "firm, rich tannins" and predicts it will require another five years to reach its drinking window, while Dunnuck praises its "incredible Cabernet character" with notes of "graphite, crushed rocks, green tobacco, and crème de cassis-like fruit."
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com also awards it 95 points, observing that it is "already showing secondary nuances of olives, herbs, truffle, cedar chest, lead pencil, and barbecue smoke." He suggests that it will develop more softness and complexity over the next 5-10 years.
Wine Enthusiast's Roger Voss also rates it 95 points, citing its "superb tannins" and "great solid core of structure," with "direct black berry fruits, elegant texture, and intense acidity."
Overall, the 2008 Leoville-Las Cases is a highly regarded Bordeaux blend, noted for its aging potential, complex aromas, and balanced structure.
