2008 Leoville Las Cases
By Chateau Leoville Las Cases
2008 Leoville Las Cases from Chateau Leoville Las Cases, St-Julien, Bordeaux
The landscape of Bordeaux offers a tapestry as nuanced as the vintages it produces, with the year 2008 standing as an exemplar testament to the region's prodigious ability to yield wines of profound structure and longevity. Among these, the 2008 Leoville Las Cases from Chateau Leoville Las Cases distinguishes itself as a stellar paradigm of St-Julien's grace under climatic pressure.
Vintage Viability: The Distinction of 2008 Leoville Las Cases
The year 2008 threw challenges aplenty at Bordeaux's vigilant vignerons. A mildew-tempting moist spring gave way to a teste summer, with an eventual reprieve arriving in September—a saving grace that delivered a harvest of unexpectedly exceptional quality. This particular turn of the seasons has imbued the 2008 Leoville Las Cases with a character uniquely its own—resilient, complex, and remarkably balanced.
In this exceptional vintage, we find shadows of classicism married to the sheer fortitude that defines the 2008 harvest. It is within the depths of its ruby embrace that one`s palate is coaxed through layers of dark fruit, cassis, and earthy undertones. Here lies an impeccable integration of oak, with subtle whispers of vanilla, giving way to a structured and enduring finish.
An Astute Addition to Any Fine Wine Portfolio
For the investor with a discerning eye towards both quality and potential return on investment in fine wine, the 2008 Leoville Las Cases offers an attractive proposition. This vintage not only captures the essence of St-Julien terroir but also reveals what can be achieved in years that commence with adversity only to end in triumph.
Respected amongst peers and pursued by collectors, this noble claret stands as a consummate example of what makes Bordeaux vintages both diverse and investible—characteristics that are emblematic of any well-rounded wine portfolio.
To conclude, one must admire how Chateau Leoville Las Cases transcended the varied conditions to produce such a remarkable 2008 vintage. Striking a brilliant balance between power and elegance, this wine bears all the hallmarks of a classic Bordeaux—ripe for enjoyment now but with the backbone to mature gracefully. The 2008 Leoville Las Cases is undoubtedly one seductively complex siren song for collectors and investors alike—a true exemplar of St-Julien's fortitude and finesse.
Market price (GBP)
£1,310.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
87.33
Scores and tasting notes
Super racy and balanced. Masses of licorice and currants, intense aromas. Full and very silky with an intensity of fruit. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2015.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, December 20th 2010
Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. We opened both bottles of the Chateau Leoville Las-Cases 2008, the first inexplicably missing a little substance but the second much more deserving. This has a very classic, austere bouquet with blackberry, cedar, sous-bois and tobacco. It has fine definition and comes across quite Graves-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, slightly dusty black fruit but with fine delineation towards the long, graphite finish. Tasted January 2012.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Mar 2012
The 2008 Léoville Las Cases is composed of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet colored, it slowly unfurls to reveal compelling scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries, stewed plums and cassis with hints of dried Provence herbs, mocha, underbrush and charcoal, plus a lively waft of eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruit layers with loads of bright herbal and minty sparks, supported by grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and savory.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 4 March 2021
A classic style of Las Cases that is somewhat masculine for the vintage, tannic and backward, and less formidably concentrated than the 2009 or 2010, the 2008 needs 7-8 years of cellaring. Dense purple, the aromatics are closed, but with coaxing and aggressive swirling, notes of crushed rock, black currants and some forest floor notes emerge. Impressively built, medium to full-bodied, layered and stunningly concentrated, this is a sleeper vintage for Leoville Las Cases that should improve considerably, given how closed it was the day I tasted it. It is another 30+ year wine from proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #194 May 2011