12 bottles per lot
Details
Château Léoville-Las-Cases 1982
Saint-Julien, 2ème cru classé
Slightly scuffed capsules. Slightly bin-soiled labels. Levels: ten base of neck and two top-shoulder
Tasting note: A rare opportunity, for me at any rate, to taste from the vat the autumn of the vintage. Astonishing that anything so powerful can simmer down into something drinkable. In fact it was slow to evolve. With nine notes made over the past decade it has been interesting to observe its progress at tastings and dinners. Even in the mid-1990s I thought that it was still unready and very tannic. At Kaplan’s tasting in 1997 its bouquet was surprisingly forthcoming, rich, no harsh edges; its texture was good, also its length. But still a fairly lean, tannic finish. Most recently, maturing but still deep with a rich core; surprisingly low-keyed, somewhat muffled nose; more positive on the palate, fairly sweet, full, rich, chewy, good extract. Delicious, but for the tannin. Last tasted Dec 2003 ***(**) if it ever comes round. M.B.
12 bottles per lot
Saint-Julien, 2ème cru classé
Slightly scuffed capsules. Slightly bin-soiled labels. Levels: ten base of neck and two top-shoulder
Tasting note: A rare opportunity, for me at any rate, to taste from the vat the autumn of the vintage. Astonishing that anything so powerful can simmer down into something drinkable. In fact it was slow to evolve. With nine notes made over the past decade it has been interesting to observe its progress at tastings and dinners. Even in the mid-1990s I thought that it was still unready and very tannic. At Kaplan’s tasting in 1997 its bouquet was surprisingly forthcoming, rich, no harsh edges; its texture was good, also its length. But still a fairly lean, tannic finish. Most recently, maturing but still deep with a rich core; surprisingly low-keyed, somewhat muffled nose; more positive on the palate, fairly sweet, full, rich, chewy, good extract. Delicious, but for the tannin. Last tasted Dec 2003 ***(**) if it ever comes round. M.B.
12 bottles per lot
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Noah May