The 2018 Léoville-Las Cases is a Bordeaux blend from the renowned St Julien sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This vintage is comprised of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc, aged in 90% new French oak barrels for 19 months. With an alcohol content of 14.5%, this wine presents a deep purple-black color, promising a significant aging potential.
Critics have lauded the 2018 Léoville-Las Cases, with many offering exceptional reviews. Jeb Dunnuck awarded it a perfect score, describing it as "pure magic and one of the finest expressions of this estate," highlighting its "dense purple color" and "profound wine loaded with notions of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, and violets." He emphasizes its "full-bodied, concentrated, and massive" nature while also being "incredibly well delineated and precise."
Roger Voss from Wine Enthusiast also gave a high score of 98, commenting on its "impressive structure and promises considerable aging." He notes the wine's "layered with dry tannins and concentrated texture," advising patience before consumption, suggesting not to touch before 2028.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded it a 99, appreciating its "rock-solid frame of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness," with a finish that is "very long and wonderfully minerally." She praises its "beautifully approachable tannins even at this youthful stage."
Other notable reviews include James Suckling, who also gave it a 99, calling it "elegant, complex" with a "full-bodied" palate and an "endless" finish, and Jane Anson, who highlights its "dense, velvety texture" and "stately, concentrated and powerful character of the tannins."
Overall, the 2018 Léoville-Las Cases is celebrated for its richness, complexity, and potential for aging, making it a standout wine in the vintage.