Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1988
- Vintage
- 1988
- Country
- France
- Region
- Bordeaux,St Julien
- Size
- 750ml
- Rating
- WS95, WA94
- Grape
- Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Wow. Really youthful on the nose, with currant, blackberry and hints of vanilla bean. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and lots of mint and fruit. Goes on for a long time. Surprisingly youthful. Give it a couple of years. So focused and beautiful. -- '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2010. - WS95
I have drunk two bottles of the 1988 Léoville Las Cases this year, and both showed brilliantly, offering up deep aromas of cassis, cigar wrapper and sweet soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, seamless and velvety palate that has shed its youthful austerity to offer real charm and plenitude. Lively and penetrating, it surpasses the 1989 in quality. Drink: 2020-2040 - WA94
One of the oldest Medoc estates, Domaine de Léoville belonged to some of the wealthiest and most influential noble French families before it was acquired by the Las Cases family. The estate was split up between 1826 and 1840 as a result of the French Revolution. (Expropriation of emigrants’ property and constitution of egalitarian redistribution). Château Léoville Las Cases was created, thanks to a kind of birthright, from 3/5 of the original estate and the heart of the domain.
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The Grand Vin’s current terroir has therefore been at the historic heart of the original terroir since the 17th century. Pierre Jean, Adolphe and Gabriel de Las Cases were successive heirs to the property until 1900, when Théophile Skawinski purchased a share in the estate and became its manager. Léoville Las Cases has now been managed by the same family since the late 19th century and is today represented by Jean-Hubert Delon, sole owner of the Château and proprietor of Château Potensac in the Medoc and Château Nénin in Pomerol.