The 2009 Château Léoville Las Cases is a flagship wine from one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious estates, located in the Saint-Julien appellation. This Second Growth estate, often considered First Growth in quality, produces a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend known for its power, elegance, and age-worthiness. The 2009 vintage is celebrated for its opulent fruit, seamless structure, and extraordinary concentration. It offers aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, graphite, cedar, and exotic spices, with a palate that balances richness, fine-grained tannins, and vibrant acidity. The finish is long, precise, and harmonious, showcasing the estate’s exceptional terroir of gravelly-clay soils near Château Latour.
This full-bodied, tannic wine pairs beautifully with hearty dishes such as roasted or grilled red meats (beef, lamb, venison), game, and rich stews. It complements decadent cheeses, patés, and dishes with earthy or truffle elements. Asian-inspired dishes with bold flavors or hearty fish like tuna also work well, as do mushroom-based dishes and pasta with robust sauces.
Critics’ Reviews:
- Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (Wine Advocate): 99/100 – “Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Léoville Las Cases rocks up with a drop-dead gorgeous nose of baked blackberries, warm plums and crème de cassis with suggestions of violets, rose hip tea, dark chocolate, menthol and sandalwood. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and decadent in the mouth, it has super ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and exotic.”
- Jane Anson: 98/100 – “Luscious vintage that allows even Las Cases to be generous and almost hedonistic at 14 years old… tannins that are powerful and confident, guiding the cassis fruit while allowing gourmet notes of black chocolate, tarte tatin and pomegranate to surface, along with bitter edges of burnt saffron, liquorice and charcoal.”
- Jancis Robinson MW: “Very deep crimson. Subtle with great depth of fruit and a hint of tobacco… Really quite voluptuous… Very firm but a bit of a step change with all that sweetness on the top.”
- James Suckling (Wine Spectator): “Black color. What a nose. Black licorice, raspberry, currant and dried flowers galore. Full-bodied and superpowerful, with masses of fruit and toasted oak, but a blockbuster finish of fruit, tannins and everything else. I have never tasted such a flashy sample. A more fruit-forward style for Las Cases.”
General Note: Critics describe the 2009 as one of the estate’s greatest vintages, comparable to legendary years like 1982, 1986, and 1996, with monumental concentration and finesse. It’s noted for being more open and forward than typical Las Cases vintages.
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