Château Léoville Las Cases 1996

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Léoville Las Cases 1996

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays an opaque purple hue, almost black, reflecting exceptional concentration. After several decades of evolution, it shows brick and garnet highlights at the rim, signs of graceful maturation.

Nose

The bouquet reveals remarkable complexity, unfolding intense aromas of blackcurrant and black fruits. With aeration, secondary notes of black cherry, cedar, mint, tobacco and graphite gradually emerge. Nuances of cigar box, leather, minerality and subtle floral touches enrich the whole, while a saline dimension reminiscent of oyster shell brings tension and precision.

Palate

The attack is immediately engaging, revealing outstanding fruit concentration. The mid-palate impresses with its density and purity, without any heaviness. The tannins, though powerful, express themselves with exceptional finesse and a silky texture. The finish is persistent, unveiling evolving flavors of black fruits, tobacco, cedar and graphite. The balance between fruit, tannins, acidity and alcohol reaches near-perfect harmony.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs beautifully with grilled or roasted red meats, notably ribeye steak and beef tenderloin. It also accompanies herb-crusted lamb, feathered game, as well as dishes featuring truffles and wild mushrooms, with elegance. Aged hard cheeses, such as Comté or Cantal, also make excellent partners.

Serving and cellaring

Château Léoville Las Cases 1996 can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve gracefully until around 2050. Decanting for one to two hours allows its aromatic complexity to be fully appreciated. Ideally serve between 16 and 18°C.

An iconic Saint-Julien, powerful and refined

The estate

Created between 1826 and 1840 during the breakup of the former Léoville estate, Château Léoville Las Cases is a Bordeaux 2ème Grand Cru Classé, in AOC Saint-Julien in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle (Gironde). The vineyard spans 98 hectares, including the famed 50-hectare Grand Clos enclosed by walls. The estate is now owned and run by Jean-Hubert Delon (Domaines Delon). Predominantly cabernet sauvignon, complemented by merlot, cabernet franc and a little petit verdot, it produces a great wine renowned for its concentration and outstanding aging potential.

The vineyard

The heart of the vineyard lies in the prestigious Grand Enclos, a plot of around 53 hectares surrounded by historic walls, located on the northern edge of the Saint-Julien appellation, directly bordering Pauillac. This privileged location captures both Pauillac’s characteristic power and Saint-Julien’s refined elegance. The soils are composed of deep Quaternary gravels over clay-gravel and sandy-gravel subsoils. The proximity of the Gironde estuary exerts a moderating influence on the climate, encouraging slow, complete ripening of the grapes. The vineyard is farmed according to sustainable and biodynamic principles, with manual harvesting and controlled yields.

The vintage

The 1996 vintage proved particularly favorable for cabernet sauvignon on the Bordeaux Left Bank. The summer brought contrasting conditions, followed by a dry, sunny September that allowed cabernet sauvignon to achieve exceptional phenolic ripeness, notably on the Médoc’s gravelly soils. Harvest took place between September 25 and October 10, enabling optimal parcel selection. The season’s warm, dry conditions favored grape concentration and enhanced the wine’s aromatic complexity.

Vinification and aging

For Château Léoville Las Cases 1996, only 40% of the total crop was selected to produce the grand vin, reflecting uncompromising quality standards. Fermentation took place in wooden vats for twelve to twenty days, with temperatures controlled between 24 and 28°C. This extended maceration enabled optimal extraction of phenolic and aromatic compounds. Aging continued for fifteen to sixteen months in French oak barrels, with 35 to 40% new oak, bringing structure and complexity while preserving the expression of the terroir and the fruit.

Grape varieties

Cabernet sauvignon (70 %)
Cabernet franc (16 %)
Merlot (14 %)