Château Leoville Las Cases

The history of Château Léoville Las Cases

This château can be recognized by its stone gateway surmounted by a reclining lion watching over the vines, and by its surrounding wall linking the village of Saint Julien to Château Latour. The vineyard is located in the commune of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, in the heart of the Saint Julien appellation, and was classified as a 2nd growth in the 1855 classification.

The château was created in 1840 from the dismantling of the former Château Léoville by Pierre-Jean de Las Cases and his niece, wife of Jean-Marie Poyferré, which became Château Léoville Poyferré (the third part having been dismembered in 1826 when the family bought it, giving rise to Château Léoville Barton).

Since the end of the 19th century, the Delon family has owned the estate, and today Jean-Hubert Delon runs the château. The Delon family also owns Châteaux Petit Marquis, Potensac and Nénin.

Louis de Funes' famous line from the 1976 film "L'aile ou la cuisse" (The Wing or the Thigh), although imaginary, has contributed to the Château's reputation: "This wine benefits from a beautiful south-western exposure, on a well-sloped hillside. It's a Saint Julien, Château Léoville Las Cases 1953!"

What are the characteristics of Château Léoville Las Cases wines?

The 98-hectare vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Merlot (24%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (1%).

The terroir is highly complex, composed mainly of Quaternary gravel on a gravelly-sandy and gravelly-clay subsoil. More or less deep and compact clays, sometimes even outcrops, are also present. In addition, the river creates a special microclimate that enables grapes to ripen very early and protects the vineyards from frost. This mix of soils has a direct influence on vine development and grape quality.

The best vintages of Château Léoville Las Cases

The best vintages are: 1945 - 1959 - 1961 - 1982 - 1986 - 1990 - 1996 - 2000 - 2001 - 2005 - 2009 - 2010 - 2015 - 2016 - 2018 -2019

Find details of all vintages here.

Food and wine pairing

Château Léoville Las Cases wines go perfectly with game, grilled red or white meats and hard cheeses. As for desserts, this red wine goes perfectly with chocolate or coffee specialties.

What is the second wine of Château Léoville Las Cases?

Created in 2007, "Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases" is the château's second wine. It is made from the youngest parcels of vines in the Clos de Léoville, and uses a higher proportion of Merlot in its blend than the grand vin.