History
One of the oldest Medoc estates, Domaine de Léoville belonged to some of the wealthiest and most influential noble French families before it was acquired by the Las Cases family. The estate was split up between 1826 and 1840 as a result of the French Revolution. (Expropriation of emigrants’ property and constitution of egalitarian redistribution). Château Léoville Las Cases was created, thanks to a kind of birthright, from 3/5 of the original estate and the heart of the domain.
The Grand Vin’s current terroir has therefore been at the historic heart of the original terroir since the 17th century. Pierre Jean, Adolphe and Gabriel de Las Cases were successive heirs to the property until 1900, when Théophile Skawinski purchased a share in the estate and became its manager. Léoville Las Cases has now been managed by the same family since the late 19th century and is today represented by Jean-Hubert Delon, sole owner of the Château and proprietor of Château Potensac in the Medoc and Château Nénin in Pomerol.
Terroir
The Clos encases a terroir of very great complexity. It is mainly composed of Quaternary gravel (“graves”) over gravelly sand and gravelly clay subsoils. We also find clays which are variably deep and compact, but which sometimes break through to the surface. The proximity of the Gironde River has created the wide diversity of soils, formed over various geological periods by successive superimpositions.
The river also creates a special microclimate that enables very early ripening of the grapes and protects the vineyards from frost. This cameo of geological combinations influences the growth of the vine and the composition of the grapes: regular but restricted water supply and a very low intake of nutrients bring out the best in the great Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet Francs which usually achieve their full potential whatever the vintage. The incomparable terroir gives this great wine its unique personality.
THE VINEYARD CHARACTERISTICS 
AOC: Saint-Julien
Surface area: 98 ha
Average age of vines: 40 years
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 66% / Merlot 24% / Cabernet Franc 9% / Petit Verdot 1%
Density of plantation: 8 600 plants/ha
The largest plot of Léoville-Las Cases’ vineyards, known as the Grand Clos, is located on the northern boundary of St-Julien, with only the Juillac tributary separating its vineyards from those of Château Latour in Pauillac.
A the vineyard area in total extends 97 hectares (240 acres) planted with a grape variety distribution of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The vineyard underwent major replanting during the 1950s, and today the vines average 30 years of age.
Léoville-Las Cases produces two wines, its grand vin, and a second wine called Clos du Marquis that has been in production since 1902.
Grapes are harvested by hand, crushed and then may be fermented in temperature controlled wood, concrete, or stainless steel vats of varying size depending on the style of the vintage. Léoville-Las Cases also employs a state of the art reverse osmosis machine to help extract excess water from the grape must in a rainy vintage. Use of this machine is considered legal, but highly controversial, and while Léoville-Las Cases is not the only estate to employ this technique, few estates admit to their use. After processing and fermentation, the wine is transferred into oak barrels for 18–20 months of aging before being fined with egg whites and bottled.
The average annual production is 180,000 to 200,000 bottles for the Grand Vin, and 250,000 to 270,000 bottles for the second wine, Clos du Marquis.
Château Léoville-Las Cases Saint-Julien
Overview: The Grand Vin is the product of exceptional terroirs from the former Léoville estate. These terroirs are located mainly in the Clos Léoville Las Cases, which you pass as you leave Saint- Julien village for Pauillac. They extend over nearly 60ha producing Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet Francs with a complex, polished expression and characteristics which are totally unique to the Grand Vin of Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases and have been widely recognized for years.
Terroir: Mainly composed of Quaternary gravel (“graves”) over gravelly sand and gravelly clay subsoils. The proximity of the Gironde River has created the wide diversity of soils, formed over various geological periods by successive superimpositions. The river also creates a special microclimate that enables very early ripening of the grapes and protects the vineyards from frost.
AOC: Saint-Julien
Surface Area: 55 ha
Average Age of the Vines: 52 years
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 61% / Merlot 21% / Cabernet Franc 16%
Plantation Density: 8,600 plants/ha
2008 Reviews:”…boasting extraordinarily sweet tannin as well as abundant black cherry and cassis notes intermixed with a prominent underlying minerality. Despite the massive density, concentration, and length, the wine is extremely precise, nuanced, and impeccably pure.” –97pts, Wine Advocate
2005 Reviews: “This is breathtaking. Black in color, with incredible aromas of crushed blackberry, mineral, licorice and lead pencil. Full-bodied, with a mind-blowing texture of seamless tannins that coat every millimeter of the palate. Goes on and on, with licorice, currant and flowers. Time will tell if it’s better than the 2000. Best after 2017. 20,000 cases made.”-100pts, Wine Spectator
1999 Reviews: “Full ruby-red. Captivating nose of roasted currant, cedar and minerals, with a floral lift; quite fresh for the year. Sweet, supple, dense and full, with no dip in the middle. This is impressively chewy and concentrated for a ’99. Finishes long and flavorful, with sweet, building tannins.”-92pts, Vinous
1997 Reviews: “A star of the vintage, this classy, cedary, black currant, and sweet cherry-scented, dense ruby-colored Las Cases exhibits a beautiful dosage of new oak, medium body, expansive, ripe, concentrated flavors, plenty of glycerin, and exceptional purity. It is low in acidity, and already delicious.”-90pts, Wine Advocate
1983 Reviews: “Dark ruby core…Cassis/cedery nose is still tight but very classy. Smooth velvety structure, med/full bodied. Very concentrated with silky smooth tannins. Still youthful – a brilliant wine for the vintage…Excellent.” – 94pts, WinePages.com
Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases
Overview: In recent years, several vineyards in Léoville-Las Cases were uprooted and replanted, and these are now coming into production. To preserve the quality level of the Grand Vin, the winemakers decided to create a second wine, beginning with the 2007 vintage. The Petit Lion shares the philosophy of its two elder siblings; it is vinified and aged in order to preserve its fresh, ripe fruit flavor throughout its life. However, it is designed as a second wine, and is therefore made to be more accessible and for earlier drinking, with a significant proportion of Merlot used in the blend.
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Tasting Notes: Very ripe, luscious, full-bodied red with expressive flavours – ripe blackberries, hint of dark chocolate, plums. Highly ambitious wine that will require some bottle age to tame the dense tannins, which currently overpower the fruit.
2009 Reviews: “Currants on toasted bread character on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a medium finish. Balanced and attractive. This is the new name for the second wine.” – 91pts, Wine Spectator
Clos du Marquis
Overview: The name of this wine, created at the beginning of the 20th century when the vineyard was planted, was inspired by the Petit Clos adjacent to the Château de Léoville, residence of the Marquis de Las Cases. Clos du Marquis is a historical brand by the Domaines Delon, a separate vineyard to Leoville Las Cases whose first vintage was released in 1902.
The creation of this brand was to allow a clear identification of two completely distinct terroirs. The situation remains unchanged today as the vineyard producing the Clos du Marquis is located on top terroirs of the Saint Julien appellation, surrounded by such prestigious Classified Growths as Léoville Poyferré and Léoville Barton.
Terroir: The Clos du Marquis vineyard is 500 meters west of the famous walled enclosure of Léoville Las Cases known as the ‘Enclos’. It is made up of quaternary gravel that is older and finer than the Enclos gravel. The presence of organic matter in the top soil, due to the presence of a forest on this land in the past, brings a typical Saint-Julien style to the Clos du Marquis. The grapes ripen later in this vineyard than in the Enclos, the latter being warmed by the micro-climate of the nearby Gironde river. The vineyard, planted on the Saint-Julien plateau, 20 meters above sea level, is composed of humic podzol over sandy-clay gravel. The Clos du Marquis terroir is characterized by a greater regularity in the soil types as well as a higher hydrological sensitivity than the Enclos.
AOC: Saint-Julien
Surface Area: 45 hectares (111 acres)
Average Age of the Vines: 35 years
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 67 % / Merlot 32 % / Cabernet Franc 1 %
Plantation Density: 8,700 plants / hectare
2015 Reviews: “…a pure and harmonious bouquet with blackberry, sous-bois and subtle tobacco aromas that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin in the mouth, a keen line of acidity, fine precision here with a mineral-rich finish that exudes terroir expression. This is a great Clos du Marquis from Jean-Hubert Delon and his team, a Clos du Marquis with swagger.”-93pts, Wine Advocate
2007 Reviews: “Definite tannins here, a wine that shows ripe fruits, richness and a solid core. It is not huge, but does have structure, bitter chocolate, sweetness.” – 91pts, Wine Enthusiast
La Petite Marquise du Clos du Marquis
Overview: As the younger vines came into production on the Clos du Marquis vineyard and with the aim of preserving its unanimously recognized quality, the winemakers decided to create a second wine. La Petite Marquise is an affectionate nickname given by the Marquis de Las Cases to his little daughter, and adopted by Mr. Delon for his own daughter. La Petite Marquise is, above all, a tribute to all the women who have brought their feminine touch to the history of the estate over the centuries.
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Tasting Notes: Produced from grapes grown on the superb Clos du Marquis terroir, La Petite Marquise shows great subtlety and refinement. With its harmonious expression and delicate tannic structure, this wine is elegantly seductive and enchanting. To be enjoyed relatively young due to the high percentage of Merlot in the blend.
2016 Reviews: “The 2016 La Petite Marquise is a precise, beautifully delineated Saint-Julien. Sweet tobacco, cedar, menthol, and licorice add aromatic nuance to a core of red cherry/plum fruit in this mid-weight, super-expressive wine. Above all else, though, I find a sense of finesse to the 2016 that is compelling. Tasted two times.” – 91pts, Vinous