My tasting notes for this wine begin with the following words "wow, wow, wow!" I had been looking forward to retasting this 1996 since I had it in spring, 1997, and I was not disappointed by its evolution. The wine possesses an opaque purple color, and an attention-getting, staggering, sweet nose that offers the essence of black currant fruit, kirsch, and minerals as well as the essence of Leoville-Las-Cases's personality. It is fabulously concentrated, with the sur-maturite (over-ripeness) of Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the wine's most undeniable hallmarks. When measured, the tannin level is extremely high, but you would never know that when tasting this wine because of the massive amount of extract, purity, and virtually perfect equilibrium. Despite its rare combination of unbridled power and complexity, this wine has beaucoup de finesse, as well as a finish that lasts close to 45 seconds. A candidate for a perfect rating, it is a modern day legend in the making. Will it surpass the 1986 and 1982? Time will tell. Only 40% of the total harvest was used in the 1996, with the final blend containing a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than usual.

| Robert Parker