Chateau Leoville Las Cases
Château Leoville Las Cases is one of the most legendary and prestigious estates in Bordeaux, situated in the Saint-Julien appellation. The chateau is revered for its exceptional Cabernet-dominated wines and rich history and praised by every connoisseur of Bordeaux wines for its exceptional price-quality.
History
The history of Leoville Las Cases begins in the early 17th century, when Jean de Moîtier, a member of the Bordeaux parliament, founded a vineyard called Mont-Moîtier in 1638. It was one of the first estates in the Médoc to produce wine, alongside such iconic names as Château Margaux and what would later become Château Latour. Over the course of the following century, the land passed through marriage into the hands of Alexandre de Gasc, who renamed the estate Léoville.
Léoville was a pioneer: it switched to growing small-berried grape varieties, introduced a trellis system made of pine wood for its vines, and used solutions with a high sulphur content to clean the barrels: methods that were bold at the time but are now standard practice throughout Bordeaux. By the time of Alexandre de Gasca’s death, the estate had grown to over 300 hectares, becoming one of the largest in the region.
The Division and Birth of Léoville-Las Cases
The estate’s fortunes changed dramatically following the French Revolution, when it was divided up as a result of a large-scale redistribution of land. In the early 19th century, part of the estate became Château Léoville Barton. In 1840, another section passed to Pierre Jean de La Cases, leading to the creation of Château Leoville Las Cases. The remaining lands formed Château Léoville Poyferré, and these three estates retained interconnected buildings with shared areas: a rare layout that can still be seen today.
Noble families and modern owners
Château Leoville Las Cases passed from hand to hand among several distinguished French families before Théophile Skawinski acquired a share in it in 1900. Skawinski’s involvement marked the beginning of a journey that ultimately led to the current owners: the Delon family, with Jean-Hubert Delon currently serving as the sole owner and also overseeing Château Potensac and Nénin.
Vineyards and terroir
Today, Leoville Las Cases covers 98 hectares, making it the largest of the three Léoville châteaux. The jewel in its crown is the Grand Clos, a famous walled plot bordering Poyac and Château Latour, their vineyards separated by nothing more than a stream. The 55 hectares of the Enclos form the heart of the estate, characterised by deep gravel soils rich in clay and sand, with a south-eastern exposure that ensures optimal ripening of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot and Cabernet Franc are also grown here, planted lower down the slopes and harvested separately.
The vineyard is divided into seven main blocks, comprising 125 individual plots. The grape varieties grown at Leoville Las Cases are Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (19%) and Cabernet Franc (16%). The average age of the vines is 40 years. Until 2002, a small amount of Petit Verdot was also used here.
Grape selection is very strict. For example: 50% of the 1986 harvest and 67% of the 1990 harvest were declassified and deemed substandard.
Classification and reputation
In 1855, Château Leoville Las Cases was officially recognised as a Deuxième Cru (Second Growth) in Bordeaux’s enduring classification system, a ranking it has retained ever since and which many consider to be on a par with the finest First Growths in terms of quality and prestige. The estate further increased its reputation in 1902 with the release of Clos du Marquis, its famous second wine, the first of its kind in Bordeaux. In 2007, the château added another second label, Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases.
Winemaking philosophy
Leoville Las Cases is prized for its combination of the power, complexity and elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon with the supporting structure and aromatic nuances of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Year after year, the wines are highly praised for their longevity, depth and refinement, revealing notes of black berries, graphite, cedar and tobacco. They are aged in French oak barrels, with the grand cru using more new barrels than average, and are released only when deemed ready to reflect the estate’s uncompromising standards.
The finest vintages of Léoville-Las Cases
Around 200,000 bottles of Léoville-Las Cases are produced annually.
The finest vintages are: 1945, 1959, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018.
The Highest Quality and Innovation
Léoville Las Cases embodies tradition, but equally so high levels of innovation. Léoville Las Cases remains a family-owned estate, ensuring continuity in its philosophy, vineyard management and wine style. Its Grand Clos and other plots are cultivated almost entirely organically, whilst oenological research forms the basis for future winemaking.
International recognition
Léoville Las Cases has gained worldwide recognition, and its wines are regularly ranked among the finest Bordeaux wines. Its 1971 vintage took sixth place at the legendary ‘Judgment of Paris’ tasting in 1976, cementing the reputation of its wines thanks to their exceptional quality and ageing potential.
Critics often compare its finest vintages to First Growth wines, sometimes even noting a ‘Latour-like’ structure, power and complexity. This is hardly surprising, given that Château Latour is a neighbour and shares a similar terroir.
Visiting the estate
The château invites visitors to its historic cellars and vineyards, introducing them to the history of centuries-old traditions in the production of magnificent wines. The tour offers a wonderful opportunity to understand the quality and history behind the creation of every bottle.
