Château Léoville Las Cases 1997 comes from a Bordeaux vintage that produced a wealth of soft, attractive user-friendly Bordeaux.

Léoville Las Cases is the most legendary wine of Saint-Julien: on a quality par with the Médoc's first growths, without the hefty price premium to match. It is a prime example of a Bordeaux 'super-second' - a second growth operating at a first growth level.

Léoville Las Cases is also one of the largest, oldest and most picturesque of the Médoc's classified Bordeaux growths. Grapes are fermented at lower than average temperatures, which is partially responsible for the wines displaying some of the most exotic aromas and aromatic richness in the Médoc.

This 1997 vintage is drinking at its peak right now.

Gamey nose with smoky, sweet blackcurrant fruit. The sweet, concentrated theme continues on the palate with some leathery, oaky and tobacco elements adding a good savoury dimension.

"A deep garnet hue. The nose is lovely with cedar, freshly picked mint and blackberry leaf. The palate has good depth, very well-balanced with a “solid” rather than “hollow” middle. Masculine, good weight, blackberry leaf and tobacco towards the linear, tannic finish. It just fades a little on the finish when I thought it would go on and on. An impressive ’97 and certainly on par with some of the First Growths." eRobertParker.com (July 2008)