2009 Leoville Las Cases
By Chateau Leoville Las Cases
2009 Leoville Las Cases from Chateau Leoville Las Cases, St-Julien, Bordeaux
The 2009 vintage at Chateau Leoville Las Cases sculpted a narrative in the pantheon of Bordeaux releases that will be etched in the annals for enthusiasts and investors alike. Nestled in the enviable appellation of St-Julien, this vintage stands as a bellwether for the estate's unwavering commitment to excellence.
A Vintage Graced by Helios
Circling back to the climatic conditions that birthed this exquisite expression, 2009 was ushered in by the benevolent hand of Helios, proffering a season with near divine proportion. Optimal sunshine and judicious rainfall ensured that each cluster of grapes reached a nigh state of perfection. This thoughtful orchestration of nature's elements transpires readily through every sip.
The 2009 Leoville Las Cases eschews an aromatic promenade of blackcurrant layered with a refined smokiness giving testament to its devoted time in oak. The palate follows with an ample caress of pure fruit, underpinned by sturdy, yet seamlessly woven tannins — a juxtaposition of power and elegance.
The Metamorphosis of Terroir and Time
What sets the 2009 varietal from Chateau Leoville Las Cases apart is not solely its initial flourish but its astonishing potential for further metamorphosis. Its structure bespeaks of longevity, projecting an investment trajectory that promises to reward those offering sanctuary in their cellars.
As I reflect on my consortment with this vintage over the years, what continuously beguiles me is its impeccable balance — an equilibrium that sings of the terroir from which it arose. It is with each revisiting that one can discern new subtleties, interwoven as though secrets only yielded to time itself.
In Summation: An Investment in Elegance
In summation, the 2009 Leoville Las Cases embodies a vintage convivial with both aficionados wishing to indulge and sagacious investors seeking to augment their portfolios. It is an exemplar showcase from Chateau Leoville Las Cases, illuminating their storied terroir under the golden heraldry of a year that radiantly favoured Bordeaux's left bank. Should you plot a course for vinous enlightenment or portfolio fortification, here lies a chapter worthy of your discourse.
Market price (HKD)
HK$22,960.48
12x75cl
Highest score
99
POP score
126.42
Scores and tasting notes
Amazing aromas of cep mushrooms, dark fruits and fresh flowers, follow through to a full body and super velvety tannins with a long long finish. Gorgeous structure to this. Sexy and almost decadent. Just like when I tasted it in Hong Kong. Try in 2019.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, February 14th 2012
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Léoville Las Cases rocks up with a drop-dead gorgeous nose of baked blackberries, warm plums and crème de cassis with suggestions of violets, rose hip tea, dark chocolate, menthol and sandalwood. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and decadent in the mouth, it has super ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and exotic.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 14 March 2019
The 2009 Leoville Las Cases may be the most open-knit and forward Las Cases I have tasted to date. Analytically, it is high in tannin and the alcohol is 13.8%, nearly a record at this estate. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc was showing brilliantly at the 2009 tasting I did in Hong Kong and at a later tasting. It boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration and lots of sweet, jammy black currant, black cherry and kirsch fruit intermixed with crushed rock and mineral notes. As always, proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon has built a massive wine with exceptional precision, unbelievable purity and aging potential of 40-50 years. I was surprised by the lusciousness of this cuvee on several occasions, and how much more forward it is given the fact that Las Cases can often be forebodingly backward and in need of 10-15 years of cellaring (at age 30, the 1982 is still a baby in terms of development!). The super-concentrated 2009 needs another 5-7 years before additional nuances emerge. This is a brilliant, full-throttle St.-Julien.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #199 February 2012
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. Two bottles tasted in different flights. The Chateau Leoville Las-Cases 2009 appears to have closed down a little in recent months. Here, it has a very controlled bouquet with delineated blackberry, wild hedgerow and briary and crushed stone. Later, more Pauillac-like scented emerge - mint and graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It does not quite have the clarity suggested by the aromatics, although there is certainly very good fruit concentration on the dense, almost surly finish. Tasted January 2013.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jul 2013