Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1998 Trophy Wine Review

Leoville Las Cases is a 2nd growth wine under the Bordeaux 1855 Classification System.

It's name comes from one of the owners of the winery in the 1600s, Alexandre de Gascq who named the vineyard Mont-Moytie Leoville or Lionville. Following the French Revolution, the large Leoville vineyard was distributed among arguing siblings: 55 acres became Leoville Las Cases, 25 acres became Leoville Barton and 20 acres became Leoville Poyferre. The best vineyard near the river and Chateau Latour are owned by Leoville Las Cases.

Pierre Jean de Lascases, the oldest son received what is now Leoville Las Cases and added the Las Cases to the vineyard name. At the end of the 19th century, Theophile Skawinski purchased Leoville Las Cases. Skawinski passed his shares to Andre Delon and the Delon family has owned this winery every since.

The added an additional 45 acres of land but that is only used to produce Clos Du Marquis. Clos Du Marquis is not Leoville Las Cases' 2nd wine but a separate wine. The 2nd wine of Leoville Las Cases is Le Petit Leon. The vineyard is planted 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

I had the good fortune of visiting the winery in 2017 and having lunch with Pierre Graffeuille, who manages the winery. He gave me some great insight into the wine. Leoville Las Cases wines spend 18-20 months in new oak. The focus is on acidity rather than tannis and Pierre says it is known as the Burgundy of Bordeaux. He believes that if the Leovillle estate had not been split up, it would have be given 1st growth status. The wine is aged: 90% new oak and 10% in 1 year oak and then blended together.)

The 1998 Leoville Las Cases is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. Since 1996, Petit Verdot is no longer used in the blend.

For more information about the winery, please visit their website at https://www.domaines-delon.com/en/acc...