2016 Château Léoville-Las Cases

This has a vivid nose of dried flowers, walnuts, subtle dark fruit and a touch of earth. The palate is exceptionally refined, medium- to full bodied, harmonious and integrated, with wonderful subtlety and energy. The fruit is elegant and well integrated. The finish is long and elegant as well as textural. This is approachable, but it will show its true colors with a couple of years of cellaring. Drink or hold. 10 Years On retrospective.

More restrained aromatically than the Poyferré, true to form, great quality, takes its time, stately and muscular but lean rather than overpowering. Clarity and poise, cassis and bilberry, slate and crayon, still a baby. I have given this vintage 100 points in the past, but it is still extremely closed. 50% new oak.

Deep dark hidden depths on the colour here, and this is the highest tannin count (82IPT) of all the vintagtes that I am tasting, including the 2020. Classic 2016 flavours and aromatics from this parl of Bordeaux - crushed rocks, concentrated creème de cassis, slate-licking minerality, this scrapes through the palate. Almost softened by chocolate shavings although the sensation is more akin to biting into a cocoa bean. The precision and the sense of tightrope walking is incredible, this is flying high and will only get better and better over time. I am standing by this score, but don't expect it to be showing you the best of itself any time soon. 50% new oak.