Chateau Leoville Las Cases   Leoville Las Cases

2001 Leoville Las Cases

By Chateau Leoville Las Cases

2001 Leoville Las Cases from Chateau Leoville Las Cases, St-Julien, Bordeaux

The majestic 2001 Leoville Las Cases from Chateau Leoville Las Cases stands as a testament to the profound elegance inherent in the gravely terroir of St-Julien. This vintage materialised from a year that asked much of Bordeaux's vignerons; the season projected initial concern with a damp spring, but an Indian summer granted salvation, enfolding the fruit in warmth and giving rise to optimally ripened clusters. In the glass, this claret articulates its lineage with both grace and authority.

 

Meticulous Craftsmanship in a Challenging Year

The savoir-faire of Chateau Leoville Las Cases triumphed in 2001, deftly orchestrating a blend that belies the complexities wrought by that year's climatic roller coaster. Their meticulous approach in selecting plots and precise timing in harvesting has yielded a wine whose balance and structure are noteworthy. The engagement is immediate: cassis and blackcurrant notes ally with an undercurrent of cigar box and graphite—a nod to the noble lineage of St-Julien wines.

 

An Exemplary Investment Wine

The astute collector recognises the investment calibre of the 2001 Leoville Las Cases; it encapsulates the vintage's distinct profile superbly. Supple tannins frame this full-bodied narrative, where intricacy is juxtaposed with a vitality that promises continued evolution within the cellar's sanctum. Moreover, this offering from Chateau Leoville Las Cases has unfurled over time, beginning to unravel its latent complexities—a potent draw for fine wine investors.

 

Voltage and Serenity Combined

A finely-tuned voltage runs through the wine’s architecture, delivering energetic bursts of flavour that interlace with moments of serene maturity. There is much here to captivate the connoisseur's palate: dark fruits interspersed with touches of earthy truffle and a lingering finish suggestive of the finest dark chocolate.

In sum, this treasure from St-Julien bridges intangible artistry with the concrete tenets of viticulture. As dull parallels abound online describing Bordeaux's countless vintages, the compelling narrative of 2001 Leoville Las Cases asserts itself as singular—one where each savoured sip divulges another verse in its storied journey. For those discerning investors seeking to bolster their portfolios with a wine of pedigree and promise, look no further than this remarkable offering from Chateau Leoville Las Cases.

Market price (GBP)

£1,790.00

12x75cl

Highest score

94

POP score

127.86

Scores and tasting notes

94

Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On horizontal. Dark garnet core with a deep brick rim. The nose is very intense with an almost honeyed level of richness to it. Blackcurrant, pencil shavings and a touch of Dorset plum, fine definition and gaining more and more clarity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, great fruit intensity here with superb, citrus-driven acidity. Blackberry, a touch of cranberry and cedar, very long and sensual towards the finish. The nose needs more bottle age to development refinement, but the palate is very classy. Tasted March 2011.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal May 2011

94

The 2001 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet colored with a touch of brick, it charges out of the glass sporting energetic notes of kirsch, blackberry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles with underlying scents of star anise, cumin seed, potpourri, oolong tea and tobacco leaf plus a waft of incense. The medium-bodied, exquisitely elegant palate explodes with a myriad of exotic spice, floral and dried berries notes, framed by soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and with impeccable poise and sophistication.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 4 March 2021

93

Jean-Hubert Delon thinks the 2001 Leoville Las Cases could turn out to be as good as his 2000. I'm not sure I agree, but it may come close. A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2001 (which represents only 40% of the production) reveals notes of sweet vanillin intermixed with pure cassis, black cherries, and lead pencil shavings. Elegant and medium-bodied, it possesses a saturated purple color, high tannin, and a structured, backward feel in the mouth. This quintessentially elegant Las Cases needs another 5-7 years to hit its plateau of maturity. It will be one of the Medoc's longest lived wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2030.

Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #153 June 2004

Vintage performance