Château Léoville Las Cases - Saint-Julien 1988

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/10/2011

For a Las Cases from a slow-maturing vintage, this is surprisingly ready to drink. Lots of minerals and a dry St-Julien finish with fully dissipated tannins.

La Revue du Vin de France

19 / 20

the5/10/2009

La supériorité de ce vin a fait l'unanimité. Sa chair, son assise tannique sont impressionnantes. L'attaque en bouche est marquée par un velouté superbe. Très grande intensité alliant puissance et élégance. Il s'impose avec des arômes de fruits noirs, d'épices et de havane. Une fois encore, Léoville Las Cases montre qu'il peut atteindre, voire dépasser les meilleurs premiers !

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe9/10/2008

Wow. Really youthful on the nose, with currant, blackberry and hints of vanilla bean. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and lots of mint and fruit. Goes on for a long time. Surprisingly youthful. Give it a couple of years. So focused and beautiful.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe9/30/2005

Ce vin, qui se montre toujours sous un excellent jour, est probablement plus réussi que le 1989, pourtant plus prisé et plus onéreux. D'un grenat pourpre-sombre et trouble, il exhale un nez de sous-bois, de cake, de cèdre, de cerise noire et de raisin sec, qui introduit un ensemble moyennement corsé et modéremment tannique, au fruité encore ample et doux, laissant en bouche une impression de bel équilibre. Un classique, à boire jusqu'en 2020.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe12/31/2001

This wine continues to show brilliantly and is certainly a more successful effort than the more renowned and expensive 1989. The color is a dark, murky garnet/purple. The wine shows notes of underbrush, fruitcake, cedar, black cherries, and currants. The wine still shows some moderate tannins in the mouth, but the fruit is sweet, the wine is expansive, and the overall impression is a very symmetrical, medium to full-bodied, rather classic Medoc.

Wine Spectator

90 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe5/31/1999

Very fresh aromas of dried cherries, blackberries and wet earth. Full-bodied, with extremely well-integrated, silky tannins and a fresh blackberry and mint aftertaste. Slightly dry and funky on the finish. Try it a bit later. A Las Cases that's rather rustic.--1989 Bordeaux horizontal. Best after 2003.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe11/30/1998

An outstanding Las Cases, though completely forgotten by many people. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and lovely tobacco, violet and berry aromas and flavors. Extremely fruity finish.--1988 Bordeaux horizontal. Best after 2000.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe10/31/1995

This tasting consisted of each of the varietal components of Las Cases, followed by the final blend for Leoville-Las Cases. The weedy 1988 Merlot reveals a light ruby color with some lightening at the edge. Aromas of herbal tea clash with sweet fruit in this medium-bodied, high acid wine. The elegant Cabernet Franc is outstanding. It offers a medium dark ruby color, followed by a super-intense, penetrating fragrance of minerals, blackcurrants, spice, and a subtle mint note, as well as finesse. This was an impressive showing for a varietal component. The tough, backward Cabernet Sauvignon is tannic and closed, revealing muscle and strength. Tasted alone, it is nothing more than a building block for the final wine. The disappointing Petit Verdot possesses a vegetal character, astringent, harsh tannin, hollowness, and a lack of fruit and charm. Remarkably, the 1988 Leoville-Las Cases has always been one of the most successful wines of the vintage. In this tasting it clearly outshone all its component parts. With a rich, spicy, fruitcake, cedary, cassis-scented nose, this medium-bodied, moderately tannic Las Cases offers attractive sweetness and suppleness on the palate, a well-delineated and focused personality, and a moderately tannic finish. The wine is just beginning to reveal some aromatic development. It will benefit from another 2-5 years of cellaring and will keep for 20+ years.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/31/1993

The 1988 is a star of the vintage. The full-intensity bouquet of pure black-cherries and toasty new oak represents the classic aromatic profile of Las Cases. Beautifully balanced, medium-bodied, concentrated flavors exhibit wonderful ripeness and excellent tannins. The 1988 Leoville-Las-Cases avoids the harsh, dry astringent tannins and vegetal taste of many 1988s. Today, the 1988 looks under-valued. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2020.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/1993

The 1988 is one of the true stars of the vintage. The full-intensity bouquet of black-cherries and toasty new oak is high class. Beautifully balanced, medium-bodied, concentrated flavors exhibit impressive ripeness and high tannins. The rich and full 1988 Leoville-Las-Cases avoids the harsh, dry astringent taste of many 1988s. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2020.