The 2022 Leoville-Las Cases is a Bordeaux Blend from the St Julien sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This red wine, produced by Leoville-Las Cases, showcases the classic characteristics of a Bordeaux blend with a composition of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Merlot. The wine is known for its inky color and full-bodied intensity, with a concentration and purity that are immediately noticeable.
Jeff Leve of TheWineCellarInsider.com awarded the wine a perfect score of 100 points, praising its complexity and depth. Leve describes the wine as starting off with notes of "violets, cassis, blackberries, Cuban cigar wrapper, ash, smoke, licorice, and mint," and highlights the "seamless finish" that lasts up to 60 seconds. Leve notes that this vintage will require bottle aging and will begin to shine after a decade, continuing to evolve for 40-50 years.
Jeb Dunnuck, also rating the wine at 100 points, notes its "almost Pauillac-like style" with "ripe, powerful aromatics of graphite, lead pencil shavings, cassis, and liquid rock-like minerality." Dunnuck emphasizes the wine's balance and purity, stating that it is "massively concentrated and powerful" yet "flawlessly balanced."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, with a score of 100 points, calls the 2022 Leoville-Las Cases a "monument in the making" with "deep aromas of dark berries, violets, pencil lead, rose petals, and tobacco leaf." The review highlights the wine's multidimensional character, refined tannins, and long, vibrant finish.
James Suckling, also giving the wine a near-perfect score, describes it as having "no gravity" with "totally melted" tannins that provide "fantastic structure." Suckling notes the wine's "fresh and vivid" texture with flavors of "crushed stone, cloves, and Chinese spices."
Jane Anson, rating the wine at 97 points, describes it as "quietly confident" with "depth and intensity," noting its "muscular tannins" balanced by a "riper mouthfeel." Anson points out the estate's high alcohol content for this vintage, giving it a "seductive mouthfeel."
Neal Martin of Vinous praises the wine's "lavish and audacious" character, calling it a "tour de force" with "fabulous precision on the finish." The wine is described as "precocious" with "polished tannins" and "extremely pure."
Decanter also awarded the wine 100 points, calling it "luminous and utterly brilliant" with "hints of black bramble fruit, spicy peppercorns, violets, sweet cherries, crushed stones, ink, and cocoa powder." The review emphasizes the wine's "tension and direction" and "fine tannic structure."
The Wine Independent, giving the wine a perfect score, describes it as "the Taj Mahal of Cabernets" with "youthful, crunchy black fruits and mineral sparks." The review highlights the wine's "amazing structure" and "long, seamlessly lively finish."
In summary, the 2022 Leoville-Las Cases has received exceptional reviews from various professional reviewers, all praising its complexity, balance, and depth. The wine is expected to age gracefully and improve over the next several decades.