1996 Ch. Léoville-Las Cases, St Julien

One of the best Lascases I have ever tasted.  Whilst the ripe 1990 is the more seductive wine at the moment, the 1996 has a linear class, focus and balance that is pretty much in the first-growth league.  It’s often said that there is a very strong argument for Lascases being reclassified as a first growth; in vintages such as 1996, 2000 & 2005 it’s all the more compelling.  One of the most complete clarets available.
(BBR Fine Wine)Château Léoville Las Cases

Having previously rated it nearly perfect, I was apprehensive of a letdown about tasting the 1996 Leoville Las Cases once it had been bottled, but that concern was quickly dismissed once I put my nose in the glass. A profound Leoville Las Cases, it is one of the great modern day wines of Bordeaux. This wine's hallmark remains a sur-maturite (over-ripeness) of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Yet the wine has retained its intrinsic classicism, symmetry, and profound potential for complexity and elegance. The black/purple color is followed by a spectacular nose of cassis, cherry liqueur, pain grille, and minerals. It is powerful and rich on the attack, with beautifully integrated tannin, massive concentration, yet no hint of heaviness or disjointedness. As this wine sits in the glass it grows in stature and richness. It is a remarkable, seamless, palate-staining, and extraordinarily elegant wine - the quintessential St.-Julien.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - Apr 1999)