Extremely fine and complex for the vintage with blueberry, black currant and mineral aromas and flavors. Racy and refined backbone of tannins. Long and subtle.

The 2013 Leoville-Las Cases has perhaps one of the most understated bouquets for this estate in recent years. I do not mean that in a bad sense, after all, this was a vintage whereby it would be foolish to push too much. It gently unfolds with blackberry, bilberry and a light marine influence - iodine, a hint of black olive. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, nicely balanced with a saline note that comes through towards the finish. I appreciate the cohesiveness and refinement of this Leoville-Las Cases, certainly one of the best Médocs of this difficult vintage.

This has a rounded feel at first, with plum, blackberry and raspberry coulis flavors carried by supple tannins. Slowly and surely, a brooding charcoal note emerges through the finish, adding grip while a lingering iron detail lengthens the spine. This really stretches out in the glass, maintaining superior focus. JM

This gloriously located estate always delivers full-bodied and powerful wines, and despite a more slender frame in 2013, the same is true in this vintage. Very deep in colour, it shows ample oak and blackcurrant fruit on the nose, yet with freshness too. It's suave and concentrated, tannic and oaky, with considerable vigour and complexity. But it does lack some of its usual grandeur, and the moderate acidity gives a rather blunt finish.

The 2013 Léoville-las-Cases is wonderfully deep and layered in the glass. Violets, cloves, menthol and licorice add dimensions of complexity to the dark fruit. Hints of cassis, white flowers and sweet herbs develop later as the wine continues to flesh out. So many 2013s offer up their charms quite easily. Léoville-las-Cases is a rare wine endowed with a sense of mystery and intrigue. The power and breadth of this site come through, but tempered by the medium-bodied structure of the year. This is a terrific showing. The 2013 is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 12% Merlot. Tasted twice.

(74% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc and 12% merlot; 3.69 pH; 13% alcohol; 31 h/h; 85% new oak): Bright ruby-red. Very floral, minty red fruits and minerals on the captivating nose. Then tougher on the palate, with the spicy red fruit flavors kept under wraps by serious tannins and lively acidity. The bright, long finish features very pure floral and red berry nuances. Not the most charming LLC in memory, but a major success for the vintage. I especially like its lovely aromatic nose, which owes a lot to the strong cabernet franc presence, one of the largest percentages ever in this wine (at 50+ years, LLC has some especially old cabernet franc vines, and that makes a big difference on the Left Bank). Keep in mind that the 2008 also had a similarly high percentage of cabernet franc (12%), and I believe that this wine is also one of the stars of its vintage.

Better than many of the Medoc first-growths, the 2013 Las Cases was harvested relatively late, between October 2 and 17. It is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Only 40% of the production made it into the grand vin, and the finished alcohol was 13.1%. It reveals a dense ruby/purple color, supple tannins, good texture and depth, excellent freshness and intense dark currant and black cherry fruit notes. While not a blockbuster, it is a medium-bodied, well-endowed 2013 that should drink well for 10-15 years.

An honorable effort for a challenging vintage, the 2013 Léoville Las Cases delivers notions of cassis, raw cocoa and sweet, toasty new oak, followed by a medium-bodied palate with tangy acids and a saline finish. It's one of the Médoc's best wines in this forgettable year.

Shaded crimson. Minerally nose with some interest. Though there's quite a bit of acidity on the palate and clearly a lot of work has gone into managing the tannins. Long. Far from a disgrace but definitely not a standout vintage from this property! (JR)