Château Léoville-Las Cases

Identity

Château Léoville Las Cases is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, in the Médoc. Classified as a Deuxième Grand Cru in 1855, it has been owned by the Delon family since the end of the 19th century, today represented by Jean-Hubert Delon. Umberto Marino serves as cellar master, while Michael Georges is the technical director.

History and Philosophy

The history of Château Léoville Las Cases dates back to the 17th century as part of the former Domaine de Léoville. This historic estate was divided between 1826 and 1840, giving rise to several properties, including Léoville Las Cases, which represents the core and three-fifths of the original vineyard. The Delon family has managed the property since the late 19th century. The estate has carried out equipment upgrades since 2002 and is certified Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE).

Appellations

Château Léoville Las Cases produces wines under the Saint-Julien appellation.

Practical Information

Address: Saint-Julien, 33250 SAINT-JULIEN-BEYCHEVELLE

Telephone: 05 56 73 25 26

Fax: 05 56 59 18 33

Email: contact@lascases.com

Visits are available by appointment, Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Find out more

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château Léoville Las Cases vineyard spans 98 hectares. Its Grand Clos, covering some 55 to 60 hectares, is enclosed by stone walls and extends from the village of Saint-Julien to Château Latour. The average vine age is around 40 to 43 years. The soils are predominantly composed of Quaternary gravel resting on sandy-gravel and clay-gravel subsoils, with varying depths of clay. The proximity to the Gironde creates a favourable microclimate, fostering early grape ripening and protecting the vineyard from frost. The grape varieties planted are: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Harvesting is carried out by hand.

Flagship Cuvées

The estate produces several cuvées. The Grand Vin is named Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases (or Château Léoville Las Cases). It is crafted predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, delivering a complex expression of these grape varieties.

Clos du Marquis, created in 1902, is a cuvée sourced from vines situated within the Saint-Julien appellation, yet distinct from the historic Léoville cadastre. Although long regarded as a second wine, it is today a wine in its own right.

The estate's second wine, Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases (formerly Le Petit Lion de Léoville Las Cases), was created in 2007. Sourced from younger vines in the Clos de Léoville, it features a higher proportion of Merlot in its blend compared to the Grand Vin, making it generally more approachable and suited to earlier drinking.

Vinification and Ageing

The Grand Vin is aged for 16 to 20 months in French oak barrels, with the proportion of new oak varying from 60% to 100% depending on the vintage. For example, for the 2014 vintage, ageing lasted sixteen months in 85% new barrels.