1996 Clos du Marquis Léoville-Las Cases
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Tasting notes
From my own cellar, the 1996 Clos du Marquis has sometimes been a wine that I have respected more than I have liked, yet in the last year, it appears to have undergone a transformation into a much more generous wine. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis, mint and sweet soil tones, my most recent bottle was medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit, supple tannins and a long, saline finish. If this trend continues, the 1996 is liable to displace the 1985 as my favorite mature vintage of Clos du Marquis.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Deep garnet, just a little more developed than the 1999 but still youthful looking. Subtle and fresh and fruity on the nose but still restrained. Then rich on the palate, red fruit, just a touch peppery, spice. Subtle and young-smelling. Hint of leafiness. High acidity, taut and fresh but not at all austere. Fine balance and length but still has a firm grip. Flamboyant. (JH)
Pale, slightly aged rim. Rather simple ripe fruit flavours on the nose but nothing at all wrong with it. Complete and nice integration on the palate. Just a hint of tannin on the finish. A good medium term drink. (second wine) (JR)
Beautiful aromas of currant, lightly toasted oak and perfume. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a tight finish. Still holding back.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 2007
About the producer
One of the leading estates in Bordeaux, Ch. Léoville Las Cases is one of the largest and oldest Classed Growths in the Médoc. Along with Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, it is widely considered one of the best estates in Saint-Julien.