Tasting Notes
Vinous 93+
Full ruby-red. Plum, tar, cedar and nutty oak on the nose; less exotic than most ’03s. Then massive and full on the palate; almost too big for the mouth. As silky as this is, it also possesses very good acidity for the vintage. Finishes with huge but lush tannins and superb length. The IPT here is 74, compared to 70 in 2005, and the alcohol is a tad higher, at 13.2%. A perfect vintage of Las Cases for tasters who normally find this wine too rigorous, but this still promises to be long-lived.
Robert Parker 95
One of the successes of the vintage, the 2003 Leoville Las Cases becomes more and more reminiscent of the 1982 as it ages. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, petroleum jelly and vanilla pod, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a broad, fleshy profile and a concentrated core of fruit framed by ripe, velvety tannins. It’s undeniably high pH in profile, but not to excess.
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050
JancisRobinson.com 16.5
Deep garnet. Ripe fruit-cake aromas and spice but with some cedary herbaceous notes too. More leafy on the palate and uncharacteristically juicy. Fine grained and dense tannins but there’s good fruit depth. Flavourful not elegant. (JH)
Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020
