Chateau Léoville Las Cases & Léoville Barton

"It is certainly one of Bordeaux’s longest-lived wines, and seems to have more and more of a character resembling Lafite Rothschild more than its nearby neighbor, Chateau Latour." ~Robert M. Parker, Jr.

21 Year Anniversary of the 2003 Vintage

Celebrate the 21st birthday of this 2003 duo from Saint-Julien and experience a side-by-side snapshot of how this powerful vintage has evolved over the years! These historic chateaux, together with Léoville-Poyferre, once made up the largest estate in the Médoc, a property previously owned by Alexander de Gasq of Château Palmer. Today, the divided estate has maintained its pedigree as all three châteaux represent some of Saint-Julien’s (and Bordeaux’s) top wines with highly-regarded reputations, more than deserving of their 2nd growth standings in the 1855 Classification.

Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 'Grand Vin de Leoville'

Léoville-Las Cases in particular has garnered such a compelling stance as a Bordeaux Super Second that Wine Spectator has deemed it to be “the Sixth First Growth.” Even the single 50-hectare plot from which this fruit is sourced abuts the famed vineyards of Pauillac’s southernmost 1er cru, Château Latour! Undoubtedly if the rankings were to see any new additions to its top tier, Léoville-Las Cases would be next in line for an upgrade. These wines offer the value of premier cru without the expense.

Chateau Leoville-Barton

Another quintessential expression of Saint-Julien is the more classic styling of Léoville-Barton. While the fruit is typically selected earlier in the harvest season to offer a fresher, more food-friendly wine, the warmth of 2003 gave this style more impactful weight and perfume that has aged beautifully over the years. The Barton family, who has passed the estates down generation to generation since 1826, prizes drinkability and balance, which has earned them a reputation for affordability with refinement. Together with its more immense counterpart, these two producers can show the range Saint-Julien has to offer and can exemplify a well-rounded experience of a particular terroir on the Left Bank.

Legendary Vintages 1996 & 2005

For further indulgences, we also offer two other vintages from Léoville-Las Cases: 2005, a universally-admired vintage that has shown enormous energy and ageability, and 1996, a distinctive year that has grown more herbaceous and savory with time.

Written by: Victoria O'Bryan