Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases

In the glass

Aroma: pure cassis, violets, burning embers, cigar box, cedar

Palate: black plum, graphite, dense concentrated fruit, precise structure, palate-staining finish

Saint-Julien Deuxieme Cru Classe (1855) in the super-second category: extraordinarily concentrated cassis fruit with near first-growth precision, dense tannins demanding patient cellaring of 15 or more years.

What it pairs with

• Saddle of venison with black pepper sauce
  The wine's massive tannin structure and dark fruit demand the intensity of aged game with a peppery reduction.
• Truffle-roasted Pauillac lamb
  Lamb's mineral character and earthy truffle are transformed by the wine's concentrated black fruit and cigar-box cedar.
• Aged Mimolette or mature Comté (36 months)
  Crystalline, nutty aged cheese cuts through the wine's dense tannin and highlights its violet florality.
• Wagyu beef sirloin
  Extraordinary marbling requires the extraordinary tannin grip of a great Las Cases vintage.

How to serve Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases

Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
2. Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass. The bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Saddle of venison with black pepper sauce, Truffle-roasted Pauillac lamb, Aged Mimolette or mature Comté (36 months). Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Léoville-Las Cases descends from the original Léoville estate divided after the French Revolution. The Delon family has owned it since the late 19th century, producing wines at consistently elevated quality from the walled Grand Clos adjoining Château Latour. The 2022 vintage drew top-tier critic reviews (reviewer-points tuples on scores array).

1. 1855: Classified as Deuxième Cru in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification
2. 1900: Grand Vin label with 'Grand Clos' designation formalised
3. 2007: Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases introduced as official second wine
4. 2022: 2022 vintage drew top-tier critic reviews from Wine Advocate and James Suckling (reviewer-points tuples on scores array)

Facts

Producer

Château Léoville-Las Cases · visiting guide

Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon (84%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (6%)

Classification

Saint-Julien AOC, Deuxième Cru Classé (1855)

Oak

Approximately 90% new French oak barrels, 18 months

ABV

13.5%

Production

96,000 bottles

Price

€200-500 at retail

Drinking window

15-40 from vintage

First vintage

1900

Frequently asked about Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases

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