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What a perfumed, elegant, structured wine, with all the elements of fruit, wood, tannins just in the right place. It shows great tannins, powerful black and red berry fruits, denseness, and a classic, fresh aftertaste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA dense and decadent wine with chocolate, currant and licorice aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. A beautiful wine now. It shows the finesse and class of an aged Bordeaux.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2001 Gruaud Larose has a much more vivacious bouquet than the millennial Gruaud, featuring vibrant black cherry and raspberry fruit, pressed iris, light peaty scents and a touch of tobacco that emerges with time. There is more delineation here compared to the 2000. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and touches of soy borrowed from the previous vintage, yet there is more depth and delineation toward the finish.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis shows a rich and dense nose of blackberry, coffee and smoke. Full-bodied, with soft and round tannins and a long, smoky finish. Very fresh and velvety. GL is really doing excellent things these days, even in less-than-easy vintages. Best after 2008. 2,455 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSSurprisingly accessible as well as supple, this 2001 St.-Julien reveals a deep plum/purple color along with a rich bouquet of smoke, roasted vegetables, black currants, plums, licorice, and Asian spices. Velvety-textured and medium-bodied, with loads of fruit, and a plump, expansive, plush texture, this is an atypically forward Gruaud Larose to drink now and over the next 12-14 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

A wonderfully firm, concentrated wine that walks a fine, balanced line between richness and poised structure. It is classic in the best sense, showing all the shape of a fine Bordeaux, while adding the extra dimension of the freshest of black fruits, complexity from a few hints of wood, and a dark, brooding, long-lasting aftertaste.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2001 Léoville Barton is still a few years from full maturity. Unwinding in the decanter and glass with aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, loamy soil, cigar wrapper and vanilla pod, it’s medium to full-bodied, rich and muscular, with a deep, concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and ripe but firm tannins that still assert themselves on the finish. If Léoville Poyferré is in its prime today, this Léoville Barton still ideally deserves a few more years’ patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPGorgeous aromas of crushed blackberries and flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, with well-knit tannins and a silky, caressing palate. Long. This is a wonderful wine. Lots of finesse. Best after 2008. 22,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2001 Léoville-Barton presents plenty of brambly red fruit on the nose, along with singed leather and mushroom; it’s just a little more animally than I expected. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and sappy, offering supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and lightly spiced with white pepper and clove. Quite persistent in the mouth. Not sophisticated, perhaps, but classic in style, fresh and toothsome.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A classic in development, a wine that will last for decades. It is certainly powerful, but already the shape is finalized, with its plums and berries settling down with perfumes, acidity, just enough tannins and a warm, welcoming richness. A great argument for the superiority of 2001 over 2000.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2001 Léoville Las Cases is simply stunning. I was fully prepared to decant it given that Las Cases is almost always a brute in its youth. And make no mistake about it, a twenty year-old Las Cases is still a youngster. Quite frankly, I am not at all prepared for the sheer intensity and richness that emanates from the glass. No decanting needed. The 2001 is simply magnificent upon opening. A rush of generous inky blackberry jam, spice, graphite and leather conveys superb textural intensity. Time in the glass helps the aromatics come alive. Shockingly rich and voluptuous, the 2001 is also wonderfully open today. Uncharacteristically so for Las Cases, in fact. But who’s complaining? Certainly not me.Even so, the 2001 is ultimately a mid-weight Las Cases, with plenty of opulent fruit, but not quite the tannic heft that is such a signature of this reference-point St. Julien. Readers lucky enough to own the 2001 are in for a real treat. This is an especially fine bottle, perhaps the finest I have come across. Aside from all the technical analyses and descriptors, what really matters most is that the 2001 is a wine that delivers immense drinking pleasure. I absolutely loved it.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGPencil lead, leather, smoked cedar and reserved but carefully sculpted cassis and bilberry fruit - this is Léoville-Las Cases showing its classicism in a vintage that is the home of balanced, nuanced and elegant wines. It continues to open and gather depth over 15 minutes in the glass, suggesting there is plenty of potential ahead, but the tannins have now softened and integrated into the overall structure. Grip and freshness runs right through the palate, and a Cabernet-dominated savouriness makes you salivate through the finish. Plenty of power at 21 years old. Beautiful dark fruits, a successful reflection of a vintage that still has plenty to offer. Drinking Window 2021 - 2044.Decanter | 95 DECA very typical Las Cases with a Pauillac note, even though it’s St.-Julien. Lead pencil, dried herb, currant and black olive. Medium-to full-bodied, firm and creamy with a long finish. It’s very persistent. Pretty austerity. Be sure to decant this a couple of hours in advance. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSComing from an underrated vintage in Bordeaux, the 2001 Château Léoville Las Cases is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc that hit 13% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7 and an IPT of 70. This was a milder, cooler year, and the 2001 offers a more complex, mature bouquet of cedary herbs, menthol, tobacco, lead pencils, and dried flowers, with a wonderful core of sweet red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a wonderful mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It's drinking at point today yet certainly has another 10-15 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2001 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet colored with a touch of brick, it charges out of the glass sporting energetic notes of kirsch, blackberry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles with underlying scents of star anise, cumin seed, potpourri, oolong tea and tobacco leaf plus a waft of incense. The medium-bodied, exquisitely elegant palate explodes with a myriad of exotic spice, floral and dried berries notes, framed by soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and with impeccable poise and sophistication.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA long, refined beam of gently mulled black currant and plum fruit is inlaid liberally with a smoldering charcoal note, while tobacco, ganache and warm paving stone accents form the background. A touch reticent through the finish, with the charcoal edge winning out. Shows lovely cut and length.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2035. 11,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSNo written review provided | 93 W&S

The completeness of 2001, with its miraculous balance, is present in this wine. The acidity, ripe blackcurrants sit comfortably on top of dry tannins, the fleshiness of the fruit taking the edge off the tannins. It seems to bring out the structure, the fruit and the refreshing acidity of great Cabernet.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is one of the best vintages of the past 30 years, utterly and absolutely gorgeous. It was first vintage made with Isabelle Davin as the in-house oenologist. Rich and welcoming fruit structure, effortless in how it makes its presence felt, with a mouthwatering finish of charcoal and slate that tempers any suspicions of over-ripeness. This is floating out of the glass, it’s currently at that moment when the great Médoc wines take flight. Even with the gloss of Léoville Poyferré there is no mistaking those Médoc tannins. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECThe 2001 Léoville Poyferré, which I had not tasted for a decade, is very harmonious on the nose and features slightly darker fruit than the 2000, offering blackberry, cedar, fresh tobacco and smoke aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, lithe tannins, fresher than the 2000 and more backward. It has a disarming velvety texture and turns spicy toward the finish. Hints of clove and bay leaf linger on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 93 W&SSweet notions of plums, black currants, caramel, and spicy oak are provocative and alluring. Subtle but substantial, layered, and textured, with medium body as well as sexy, up-front flavors, low acidity, and ripe tannin, this beauty is among the most evolved and flamboyant of the appellation. Nevertheless, it should age well. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.Robert Parker | 90 RPSmoky and rich with lots of spice and berries. Medium- to full-bodied, with very good tannins with soft and silky texture and a medium finish. Not as impressive in bottle as barrel, but outstanding. Best after 2008. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A sweet, fruity, medium-bodied, surprisingly forward effort, the deep plum/purple-colored 2002 Gruaud Larose exhibits ripe aromas revealing herbaceous as well as spice notes. There is some potentially worrisome astringent tannin in the finish, but the wine’s depth augers well for this being ultimately resolved and integrated. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018Robert Parker | 88-90 RP

The 2002 Léoville Barton offers blackberry, tar and a touch of brine on the well-defined, focused nose. Medium-bodied and defined by its youthfulness and vigor, the 2002 is quite sappy, with good grip on the finish. I admit that I was astonished when the identity of this bottle was revealed. Recommended given its market price. Tasted at the inaugural Vinous off-line.Vinous Media | 93 VMEven better from bottle than from cask, and one of the finest wines of the vintage, this dense purple-colored 2002 reveals wonderfully sweet notes of charcoal, fresh mushrooms, smoke, earth, leather, cassis, and cedar. Full-bodied, highly extracted, broodingly backward, dense, and deep, this impressively endowed offering is built for the long term. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028.One of the classic wines of Bordeaux and still realistically priced, Leoville-Barton is becoming increasingly popular because of the extraordinary quality/price ratio it offers.Robert Parker | 92 RP

This is full of vigour and life – an enjoyable wine from a challenging year. At this stage in its development the cassis notes are merging with tannins, which are starting to soften but haven’t forgotten what they’re here for. Good balance, with a lovely fresh edge at the close of play as it rises rather than falls, and the menthol notes are very attractive. A slight tightness on the finish tells you that the fruit is a heartbeat away from full ripeness, and although this will age well it lacks some characteristic generosity. The rest of the blend is made up of Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 91 DECThis wine has completely shut down since it’s been bottled but exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color, high levels of tannin, and sweet, noble black currant fruit intermixed with some licorice, espresso roast, and pain grille. In the vernacular, it is closed for business, with medium to full body, high levels of tannin, and good acidity in a more structured, classic style than the 2003. This is a big, traditionally made wine to forget for a good 5-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020.Robert Parker | 90 RPThe 2002 Léoville-Poyferré has an open nose with dusky black fruit, melted tar and a touch of pencil box; more fruit here compared to other Saint-Julien wines. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic tannins, a touch of blackberry pastilles, tobacco, allspice and light graphite notes towards the Japanese nori-tinged finish. Probably reaching its peak now, but with the substance to offer another 12 to 15 years driVinous Media | 90 VM

Aromas of blackberry, toasted oak, sweet tobacco and espresso. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, fruity finish. I like the texture. Best after 2010. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSSpicy and earthy, with lots of ripe fruit. Full bodied, with soft round tannins and a juicy finish. Yummy and decadent. No need to wait, but it will be much better if you pull the cork after 2014.James Suckling | 91 JSUnder the management of Jean Merlaut, this estate has lost some of the super-opulence of the wines of the 90s, and gained finesse and elegance. That has stood the 2003 in good stead, emphasizing solidity and dry tannins to balance the wood and cranberry flavors of the fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Intense blackberry and cherry, with hints of currant. Toasted oak and sweet tobacco too. Roses and other flowers, such as lilacs. Full-bodied, with masses of tannins yet incredibly long and seductive. Best after 2012. 18,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2003 Léoville Barton was sensational on release, closed down slightly for 4-5 years, and is just now starting to emerge from its adolescence and is on the early side of its drink window. Possessing a saturated purple/ruby color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, charcoal, lead pencil shavings and damp earth, it’s full-bodied, gorgeously concentrated, balanced and long. While from a freakishly hot vintage, it has terrific purity as well as complexity. In short, it’s a blockbuster yet classic wine from Anthony Barton that’s going to provide incredible amounts of pleasure over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA spectacular success, the opaque plum-colored 2003 Leoville Barton is still on the young side of its plateau of maturity. It exhibits a striking bouquet of forest floor and black currants as well as a full-bodied, exuberant, youthful style, an opaque plum/ruby color, a lot of complexity, and striking depth and richness. This is a profound, stunning effort from Anthony Barton and his team. Bravo! It should continue to provide immense pleasure for 20-30 years.Robert Parker | 96 RPSomehow Barton has overcome the heat of the 2003 vintage and has come out with a new wine that is rich and elegant. There are generous tannins, ripe black currant fruits, balancing acidity, all in an ensemble that is so much more than the sum of its parts.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEGood medium ruby. Explosive nose of black raspberry, coffee and leather. Hugely rich, dense and sweet, with deep flavors of currant, plum and chocolate complicated by underlying minerality. Wonderfully dense and full on the back end, with broad tannins and palate-staining length. Today, the 2005 comes off as dry by comparison. A standout of the vintage, and likely to be long-lived in the context of the year.Vinous Media | 93 VM69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Majoring on gourmet chargrilled black cherries, you feel the heat of the vintage, but in its exotic expression rather than a dusty one –there is clear integrity in the fruit, which is helped perhaps by the estate’s location close to the river. Luscious, with exotic spices; elegant and holding together well. Ready to drink now but will hold on. Drinking Window 2017 - 2032Decanter | 93 DECCurrants and plums with mint on the nose follow through to a full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a new wood, ripe fruit aftertaste. Tight and firm, but wait until after 2012 to pull the cork.James Suckling | 92 JS

The spectacular 2003 Leoville Poyferre exhibits a dense purple color with a touch of lightening at the edge as well as notes of creosote, barbecue smoke, jammy black currants, licorice and spice box. This intense, voluptuously textured, full-bodied St.-Julien possesses low acidity and ripe tannin. Still fresh and exuberant, it is just entering its plateau of full maturity where it should remain for 10-15+ years.Robert Parker | 96 RPI love the rich and opulent nose to this with flowers, plums and currants. Full and powerful with great freshness and balance. Still a little tight, yet dense and intense. Wonderful wine through and through. Leave it alone for five or six years still. Pull the cork after 2016.James Suckling | 95 JSPure cassis on the nose. Impressive. Full-bodied, thick and powerful, with loads of fruit and big, velvety tannins. Goes on for minutes on the palate. Huge wine. Very, very impressive. This is one of the big surprises of the vintage. Best after 2012. 19,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Léoville Poyferré, Cabernet Sauvignon, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Smells really lovely, you get that burnt caramel note, cola, sour cherry, some bramble blackcurrant and dried flowers in the background. Really chewy and mouth filling, I love the texture - tannins, fruit and acidity are well integrated and gently mouth filling - a charming success without the markers of the hot vintage. You get the minerality on the tongue, the soft cinnamon and turmeric spice with blackcurrant and blackberry fruits and a cooling, lifted finish. Excellent expression. A joy to drink now, and perfect with food. A fantastic 2003. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2022-2036)Decanter | 94 DECA huge, opulent wine that packs sweet, rich tannins and spicy fruit. In the midst of all this decadence, though, is a kernel of tannic dryness. This estate, long the weakest of the three Lèoville wines, is now back in top form. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVibrant red in color, reserved behind a wall of new oak, this wine offers concentrated black cherry and damson plum flavor with delicious richness. Then the tannins strike, mostly mineral in the end, fine, but not fresh (as the color and fruit had initially led me to believe). Give it a few years to mature, then serve it with a steak for pure hedonism.Wine and Spirits Mag | 92 W&SThe 2003 Léoville-Poyferré has always been one of this infamous vintage’s success stories. Perhaps in recent years it has lost some of its vigour on the nose with black plum, brown spices, leather and that light Bovril aroma, but there is better delineation than many others. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and quite savoury. It is beginning to show some dryness and little monotony on the finish. I wonder whether its best days are behind it? Still a very decent showing however. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier..Vinous Media | 91 VM