Château Léoville Las Cases St Julien 1855 2ème Cru 2018

Of all the properties in Bordeaux that can benefit from a year where alcohols and ripe fruit combine to give a touch of gloss and richness through the mid-palate, the monumental Léoville Las Cases must be it. Nothing is taken away from the stately, concentrated and powerful character of the tannins, but it has a dense, velvety texture alongside cassis, bilberry, black chocolate and liquorice root, poised but hinting of generosity to come. One of my wines of the vintage, and impossible not to include in this list of top 50 to lay down. 90% new oak. 80IPT. 3.65pH. Yield of 35.5hl/ha. Harvest September 15 to October 4.