2002 Leoville Las Cases
By Chateau Leoville Las Cases
2002 Leoville Las Cases from Chateau Leoville Las Cases, St-Julien, Bordeaux
In the illustrious tapestry of Bordeaux's wine narrative, the 2002 Leoville Las Cases from the venerable Chateau Leoville Las Cases offers a unique thread. This vintage has an enchanting story to tell—one penned during a growing season marked by climatic vagaries that put our beloved vines to the test.
An Enlightening Embodiment of St-Julien's Resilience
The 2002 vintage in Bordeaux did not unfurl under auspicious skies. Unlike its immediate predecessors, this year was punctuated by rainfall and cooler temperatures that required painstaking vigilance in the vineyards of Saint-Julien. Yet, it is these very trials that have shaped the 2002 Leoville Las Cases into an intriguing investment prospect for connoisseurs.
Upon decanting, one is greeted with a regal bouquet where dark fruits consort seamlessly with an earthy truffle undernote, betokening the classic tenets of its noble lineage. The initial palate impression is one of poise and structure, delineating a symphony where cassis and blackberry notes dance alongside taut tannins—a testament to the meticulous selection and blending prowess of Chateau Leoville Las Cases.
A Vintage Vanguard: Investment Merits
Foresight and heritage have always underscored the philosophy at Chateau Leoville Las Cases. The fruit of this approach becomes evident as the 2002 vintage matures—unravelling with each year a bit more of its intricate complexity. As an investment piece, this unfolds as a narrative of resilience and elegance.
Despite its challenging birthright, the 2002 Leoville Las Cases defies the year's capricious nature with surprising vitality and balance. Offering a lingering finish that insists upon reflection, this vintage stands as a paragon for savvy investors seeking longevity coupled with quiet strength.
Distinct among its siblings, the 2002 vintage beautifully encapsulates the confluence of time-honoured viniculture and climatic perseverance. Rest assured, within its depths lies an opportunity reminiscent of Bordeaux's storied past yet promising future dividend in your cellar's portfolio.
Market price (USD)
$1,720.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
94
Scores and tasting notes
Only 43% of the production made it into the final blend of this remarkable 2002. Produced from a low 17 hectoliters per hectare, it includes 66.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 13.9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. It has the highest alcohol ever achieved in a Leoville Las Cases (13.5%) as well as a lofty pH of 3.85. Nevertheless, the impression is one of a structured wine with considerable density, a ruby/purple color, layers of flavor, and a classic overall personality. The wine exhibits pure black currant, licorice-infused fruit, huge body, a viscous mid-palate, and a long, heady finish. I suspect this wine won’t be nearly as charming as the 2003 in its youth, but it hasn’t yet closed down, and I am amazed at just how rich, intense, and full-bodied it tastes even after bottling. This is certainly one of the half dozen or so candidates for wine of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030+.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 28 April 2005
Tasted blind at Farr’s 2002 Bordeaux tasting. A ripe blackberry nose with graphite, blueberry, wild hedgerow and a touch of leather. A sweet entry, a lot of extraction here with firm, solid, chewy tannins but well defined and clean. Real density and weight to this wine. Grippy…lacquers the palate with its fruit, one of the most persistent ’02 Clarets but it certainly needs time. Tasted October 2009.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jan 2010