拉斯卡斯堡的一項大膽作風就是大量減少釀產,像一個絕佳年份1986年生產旺盛的年份,那個酒莊不儘量量產,唯獨拉斯卡斯堡捨得剔除50%的收成,1990年份也不例外,也捨去了67%的收成,像這樣的酒莊早就有資格晉升為一級酒堡。在收成雨水較多的年份,她也是少數的酒莊之一,將多餘的水份過濾掉,以致不影響酒質。拉斯卡斯堡與另一個同在聖祖利安的Ducru Beaucaillou杜庫堡經常戶相較勁,不論在出廠價或品質上,可謂一山不容兩虎。這頭「獅子園」是頭睡獅子,一睡得10-15年才會甦醒,是個需要有耐心等待的酒莊,待她甦醒後那種結構緊密、集中、豐腴以及重單寧的獅子強烈的個性就會表現無疑。
WA:98 Drink:2035 - 2065
The 2019 Léoville Las Cases is a brilliant young wine that will delight Bordeaux purists. Unwinding in the glass with scents of cassis, dark berries, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, layered and tightly wound, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and an abundance of rich, powdery tannins. Concentrated and serious, much like its immediate neighbor Château Latour, it is likely to emerge as one of the vintage’s longest lived—and greatest—wines.
One of the greatest and most consistent estates of the Médoc, Léoville Las Cases is in terrific form today. The core of the estate is the 50-hectare "Clos," surrounded by walls and bordering the Gironde to the immediate south of its neighbor, Latour. In the vineyards, where Cabernet Sauvignon rules, the team are experimenting with cover crops and biodynamic methods, and in the cellars and chai, winemaking remains very traditional. The 2019 is one of the very finest wines of the vintage, though as ever, it is not intended for consumers seeking immediate gratification.