1999 Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Las Cases
About Producer
Created by Jean de Moytié in 1638 as Mont-Moytié, the Domaine de Léoville came to prominence in 1740 when it was passed down by marriage to Alexandre de Gasq, seigneur de Léoville, Président à mortier of the Parliament of Bordeaux. In the wake of the French Revolution, the estate was split up in 1826 and then in 1840, and Château Léoville Las Cases, in reference to the Marquis de Las Cases, one of the co-heirs of the estate, was created with 3/5 of the original estate, including the heart of the domaine. With 55 ha sitting on Quaternary gravel over gravelly sand and gravelly clay subsoils, and its famous enclosed vineyard abutting the vines of Latour, Léoville Las Cases is often not that far removed from the first growths of Bordeaux in great vintages. After an erratic post-WWII period, the estate has managed to produce, since the early 1980s, a string of vintages that have come close to perfection, thanks to the continued perfectionism of Michel Delon and his son Jean-Hubert. Should a revision of Bordeaux 1855 classification take place, Léoville Las Cases would deserve serious support for first growth status.
Varietals
Blend of 62% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot and 19% cabernet franc.
About Appellation
Sandwiched between Margaux and Pauillac, Saint-Julien AOC is home to 11 grands crus classés in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. The 910ha vineyards sit on a top layer of gravel on clay and limestone soil covered with large white stones ('galets'). While there are traces of vines planted here since the 8th century, extensive viticulture only started off in the 17th century when members of the local nobility and bourgeoisie created large vineyards. Like most of the Médoc, cabernet sauvignon reigns supreme, followed by merlot which plays an invariably supporting role. There are also lesser plantings of cabernet franc and petit verdot. The best estates have vines planted on gentle slopes along the Gironde estuary where terroir and micro-climate are the finest.
Tasting Notes
Enthralling nose of red and black fruits, orange peel, game, smoke, tobacco and forest floor, medium-bodied mouthfeel with firm structure, silky texture and remarkable purity, multilayered flavours of black cherry, currant, toasty oak, truffle and hints of dark chocolate interlaced with subtle mineral undertones, fine acidity and resolved tannins carrying through a long, persistent finish. Squeezed in between two much acclaimed vintages, 1999 is often overlooked in Bordeaux given the extreme weather conditions in that year. Still, this is a sensational wine from an off vintage that has amazingly defied the passage of time. Though not having the level of complexity of greater vintages, it’s a wine with remarkable balance, composed poise and exquisite charm. Bearing the signature richness and power of Léoville Las Cases, albeit in an understated fashion, it exudes at each sip a thrilling sense of harmony and there is a lingering thread of ripe berry fruit on the polished palate that adds a captivating overlay to the aftertaste. (12/2021)