760. Château Léoville-Las Cases, Saint-Julien, 1978

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Our final, slightly hungover, on-our-way-to-the-airport tutored tasting after Rust was highly memorable. At the hedonists’ palace that is the Palais Coburg hotel-restaurant – with a truly epic wine cellar, we were treated to some great growers and their wines. Plus a Coburg cellars blind taste challenge of 2 wines including this 1978 LLC. I missed the pair as well-aged Cabernets, and thought old-school Rioja (the second had an American oak note). But both were elegant with very mature tannins. This had pale garnet hues with a tawny rim, and a nose of tobacco, smoky spice, black tea and leather. I only picked a dried cherry fruit note not blackcurrant. Moderate fruit, and a slightly alcoholic finish, but fascinating to try well-aged Bordeaux.