Château Léoville Las Cases Saint-Julien 2e Cru Classé 2019

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Recognizable by the leonine sculpture that surmounts its gate, Château Léoville Las Cases occupies the historic part of the former estate of the lords of Léoville, which was one of the most important in the Médoc. The reputation of its wine grew in the 18th century, under the leadership of Blaise Antoine Alexandre de Gasq de Léoville, who raised it to the level of the greatest vintages of the region. When it was divided up at the beginning of the 19th century, a fraction of the Léoville estate fell to the Las Cases family, represented by Pierre-Jean de Las Cases. The newly created vineyard would henceforth be known as Château Léoville Las Cases. The quality of the wine produced was not unduly affected by these upheavals, and it was quite logical that it was awarded the Second Grand Cru classification in 1855 (just like its neighbors Léoville-Barton and Léoville-Poyferré). Since the end of the 19th century, Château Léoville Las Cases has belonged to the Delon family.

The strength of this legendary vintage undoubtedly lies in its famous Clos, with its complex terroir and diverse and complementary plots. The great wine is produced exclusively from this terroir, which in various ways evokes that of Château Latour. Depending on the vintage, it can present a more upright, Pauillac profile or a more tender expression, more reminiscent of a Saint-Julien. The wine regularly displays an impressive blue-black color, even in average years. At its peak, often after about twenty years of patience, it offers a complex bouquet and phenomenally noble flavors on the palate, with the finest aromatic nuances of Cabernet Sauvignon from the great Médoc terroirs. Owned by Jean-Hubert Delon, one of Bordeaux's finest connoisseurs of great French wines, this vintage has demonstrated unfailing consistency since the 1970s and, each in their own style, the latest vintages seem to go even further.