Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1978 vintage. Great fill with a fully saturated cork. Used a Durand to remove and cork held up but big cork splinters shedding upon removal. Decanted and tasted over the course of an hour. Super silky, not chunky, sed. Light-medium body. Had to coax the nose out a little but revealed cassis, tobacco, dark plum, sandalwood and cherry pits. All these plus a slight, beef broth touch in the flavors. Not improving but can sustain another half-decade in this incarnation. Gorgeous, old BDX. Drink now till 2029. 12.8.23. — 2 years ago

Joe DAscoli

9.3

Corked shredded and didn’t have my Durand. Mess. Wine decanted almost 2 hours and oxygenated. Dense and super full bodied. Really needed food and the Wagyu tomahawks were perfect. Very excited to be collecting these now — 5 years ago

Matt Waring

9.1

Intense, but lithe and perfectly balanced blue and black fruit. A+ cru Beauj — 5 years ago

with Christine

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Every major holiday demands a celebratory wine. This Saturday Labor Day weekend, it’s a 1986 Leoville Las Cases.

The other weekend, we had Ribcap’s with a good Bordeaux & Napa Cabernet but, it was not what I was looking for with an Allen Brothers Ribcap. Allen Brothers steaks are the top 1% of beef in the country.

This 86 Leoville Las Cases started slow but, in short order excelled. The cork (not from my storage) made me hesitate to an extended decant. Even with the Durand corkscrew, it was a little tricky to remove the cork. However, the wine was still sound.

My favorite pairing is a Ribcap & an old Bordeaux. For me, no meal is slower or better. I grew up the youngest in a family of seven...raised by a single mother. My father passed away while I was four months conceived. So, we ate fast and fought for every scrap.

The nose reveals classic Bordeaux notes & style. Ripe, funky barnyard fruits of; cooked; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, black plum, dark cherries, slight dry cranberries, pomegranate, blueberries & rhubarb. Steeped tea, cola/red licorice, anise, golden brown to slightly burnt pie crust, dark, rich, turned earth, dry stones, limestone, cedar notes, old tobacco, underbrush, graphite, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, bay leaf, hints of eucalyptus/mint, old, soft leather, touch of mushrooms, just a hint of band-aid/va, with bright, fresh & withering; dark, red, blue, purple flowers framed is soft violets.

The palate is; smooth, elegant, ripe and juicy. The 86 still shows some baby, slightly tarry & teethe tannins. The structure, tension, balance and length are incredible. This 86 has years of life ahead of it if you enjoy them at this age and older as I do. Ripe, funky barnyard fruits of; cooked; blackberries, dark cherries, black, strawberries, black plum, dark cherries, slight dry cranberries, pomegranate, blueberries, faint raspberries notes, & rhubarb. Steeped tea, cola/red licorice, anise, golden brown to slightly burnt pie crust, crispy toast, dark, rich, turned earth, dry river stones, charcoal w/ ash, limestone/sandstone, dry clay, cedar notes, old tobacco with ash, underbrush, graphite, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, bay leaf, some vegetal characteristics, hints of eucalyptus/mint, old, soft leather, touch of mushrooms, used expresso grounds, dark chocolate, caramel, mocha powder, hints of band-aid/va, with bright, fresh & withering; dark, red, blue, purple flowers framed is soft violets. The acidity is a gentle rain shower and perfect. The long finish defines elegance, balance in fruit & earth, well knitted and goes on for several minutes in perfect harmony ending with dry earth & juiciness over the top.

What a treat it is to drink Bordeaux of this age & older. I love the style of 80’s Bordeaux and really appreciate the 12-13% ABV of that decade. Wish that never changed.

Not sure this makes it to 2060 but, there is still plenty of life in it. Don’t be afraid to decant it 1-2 hours without question on well stored bottles.

Photos of; Chateau Leoville Las Cases, old large wood vats, their archway you see as you enter the property from the D2 & staff working their Estate vines. — 5 years ago

Yoshinori Tsukuda

9.0

RP 92 points — 7 years ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.0

Rik, gul, oljig och allt som är bra med Chenin. — 8 years ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Final holiday season bottle. Our last bottle of the 97. What a wine. This bottle was probably slightly below the one we had last year but obviously still such a treat. Only 12.9% - love it! Cork broke but the Durand saved it. Dark fruit aromatics are off the charts. Doesn’t have the stinky leather of a top Bordeaux, but still obviously in the same family. Wonderful pairing with some tenderloin with a mushroom sauce. Finish is very long and though it doesn’t have the refreshing quality of the last bottle we had still delicious.

Pulled a bottle of 09 as well and need to decide when to drink it. — 3 years ago

Chris Bensick

8.9

Last of the ‘75s. Mid-shoulder. Mature but not over the hill. Well, maybe starting a gentle decline. Another triumph for the Durand corkscrew. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.7

WNH virtual Insignia Tasting. Vintages featured were ‘95, ‘96, ‘00, ‘01, ‘02, ‘09, ‘13 and ‘14.

This was the Wine Spectator wine of the year and received a 100 point score from Wine Advocate (for those interested in accolades and scores).

Knowing the pedigree here, I knew to expect some fireworks and tried to prepare accordingly. I gave this 24hrs upright after pulling from the cellar, and then decanted about 90mins, before consuming from the decanter over the course of the evening. The cork came out perfectly via the Durand and had absolutely zero seepage up the cork. My glass of choice was the new Glasvin Expression. Really like their glasses.

My first sip after opening had me looking at my wife saying “this is 18yrs old and is insanely youthful”. When hearing from my friends about their mid/late ‘90s, and for the ‘01, those offerings had basically zero merlot. The ‘00 had a similar amount to this (14%), and I think that component really elevated this to a more “elegant” style. The oak here comes across as a mix of French and American (though it’s all French)...the oak has such a distinct sweet note to it that I associate with American oak on Cali wines, yet isn’t full on coconut. Aromatically, it’s a beautiful display of cherry tobacco, black cherry cordial, violets, and elevated heady notes of black cherry pie. On the palate, there is creme de cassis, espresso, cocoa powder and mellowed red fruit before a finish that has surprisingly grippy tannin. This drinks like a bigger style left bank Bordeaux with how wonderfully integrated it is. Zero chance I’d call this 18yr old Napa cab if tasting blind. This easily has 5+yrs in this drinking window, and another 5-10 in the next evolution journey before really starting to slide. If opening now, decant 1-2hrs. One of the best expressions of aged Napa cab I’ve had this year. — 5 years ago

Lars Miller

9.4

Graphite, black peppercorn, and deep dark fruit note on the nose. After opening, a definite barnyard note with fruit undertones. A very different type of syrah, unadulterated and no tricks in the making of it. Quite nice! — 6 years ago

Steve S

9.2

Dried apricot and white prunes, honey, almonds/hazelnuts. Really fun. With Marco and Tim. — 6 years ago

Brash Higgins

9.0

Bit oxy, but lots of complexity — 7 years ago

Andrew Lohse

9.0

Gorgeous richness. Great QPR. — 3 years ago

TheSkip

9.1

Excellent value — 3 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Goodness the value of a value Merlot based bottle of tastiness. Purpley it is. But it isn’t just purple drapes, there is a pot of hot spiced tea bubbling and someone is puffing a cigar just outside the window. Where are you looking to through this wine window? At your friends. Wearing purple masks but they are there for you. — 5 years ago

George Hesse

9.0

This is much better than yesterday’s SB. I would get again. — 6 years ago

Eric Arnstein

9.0

Blackberry Gusher up front, with an arid wavy breeze to hang on as you wind sail off into the sunset. — 6 years ago

Daniel McGeough

9.2

Bang for buck!! — 6 years ago

Jonathan Glazer

9.0

This is a delicious, crisp and light wine. — 7 years ago

Peter Falk

9.3

Briljant Bourgogne! Underbara smaker av mörka körsbär, mandel, kanel och rostade fat. — 7 years ago

with Annika Lindh