Château Léoville Las Cases – 2018 Grand Vin de Léoville

Château Léoville Las Cases – 2018 Grand Vin de Léoville.

A monumental Saint-Julien that unites power, purity, and poise — an icon of Bordeaux craftsmanship.

Few names in Bordeaux command as much respect as Château Léoville Las Cases. The estate stands as the northern sentinel of Saint-Julien, bordering Pauillac and separated from Château Latour only by a stone wall. This proximity to First Growth terroir has long defined its stature — and the 2018 vintage confirms why Las Cases is often spoken of in the same breath as Bordeaux’s greatest wines.

About the Region

Saint-Julien, nestled between Pauillac and Margaux on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, is a commune of balance. It marries the power of its northern neighbor with the grace of its southern one, producing wines of structure and harmony. Its vineyards stretch over gravelly rises that drain freely while reflecting warmth onto the vines — conditions that favor Cabernet Sauvignon, which dominates the appellation’s plantings.

The gravel beds here are deep and ancient, interspersed with veins of clay that lend density and longevity to the wines. Combined with the moderating influence of the Gironde estuary, which tempers both heat and frost, Saint-Julien’s terroir allows for slow, even ripening. The resulting wines are known for precision, depth, and their remarkable ability to age. Among them, Léoville Las Cases sits at the pinnacle — a benchmark for the appellation’s style and an estate often regarded as a “First Growth in all but name.”

About the Winery

Château Léoville Las Cases traces its roots back to the 17th century, originally part of one of Bordeaux’s largest estates before it was divided into three: Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton, and Léoville Poyferré. Today, the Delon family continues to guide Las Cases with a philosophy that values precision and purity above all else.

The heart of the estate lies in the “Grand Enclos” — 55 hectares of vines planted on complex gravel and clay soils overlooking the Gironde. This proximity to the river not only moderates the climate but contributes to the unique energy and refinement that distinguish Las Cases from its peers. The vineyard is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (around 80%), complemented by Merlot and Cabernet Franc, a blend that reflects the estate’s dedication to classical Left Bank structure with layers of aromatic complexity.

At the helm, Jean-Hubert Delon and his team pursue an uncompromising approach to detail. Each parcel is vinified separately, and yields are kept deliberately low. The result: wines of formidable depth, capable of decades of graceful evolution.

About the Vintage

The 2018 growing season in Saint-Julien was one of contrast — a challenging, humid spring followed by an exceptional, dry summer that brought perfect ripeness. The vines at Las Cases, rooted in deep gravel and clay, weathered the conditions superbly. By harvest time, the fruit achieved extraordinary concentration and tannic maturity without losing balance or freshness.

Harvest took place between September 18 and October 10 under serene conditions, allowing the team to pick each parcel at peak ripeness. The final blend consists of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot, matured for approximately 18 months in 90% new French oak. The result is a wine that captures both the density of the vintage and the classical elegance that defines Las Cases.

About the Wine

The 2018 Château Léoville Las Cases is a study in precision, patience, and proportion — a Saint-Julien that balances monumental depth with breathtaking refinement. With an IPT of 80 and a pH of 3.65, it stands as one of the most structurally complete wines ever produced at this legendary estate.

In the glass, the wine is opaque and regal, displaying a deep garnet core with purple reflections that hint at its concentration and longevity. The bouquet unfolds gradually — almost shy at first — before revealing the intricacy for which Las Cases is revered. Aromas of cassis, black cherry, and wild blueberry rise gracefully from the glass, joined by violet, graphite, and crushed stone. With aeration, layers of cedar, cigar leaf, and dark cocoa emerge, followed by faint touches of iron, truffle, and rose oil, each new swirl uncovering a deeper facet of the wine’s personality.

On the palate, the 2018 Las Cases is commanding yet composed — a masterclass in tension and texture. It opens with a wave of ripe black fruit that glides across the tongue with silken precision. The mid-palate builds in power, revealing notes of crème de cassis, plum compote, and blackberry liqueur, beautifully interwoven with tobacco, graphite, and warm earth. Beneath this opulence lies a finely chiseled mineral spine — a hallmark of the Grand Enclos’ gravelly soils — which brings vibrancy and definition to every layer of flavor.

The tannins are abundant yet exquisitely polished, wrapping the fruit in a texture reminiscent of cashmere rather than armor. They provide immense grip, but also a sense of flow — that rare combination of strength and grace that separates the truly great from the merely powerful. The oak is impeccably judged, contributing subtle tones of spice, cedar, and mocha without overshadowing the purity of fruit.

What defines this vintage most is its duality: the warmth and generosity of 2018 combined with the classical cool precision that defines Las Cases. It possesses both the ripe, sun-kissed fruit of a bold year and the linear, saline minerality of a cooler one. The result is a wine of astonishing balance — rich, structured, and immensely long, yet always elegant.

The finish lingers endlessly, echoing with blackcurrant, violet, graphite, and a touch of saline freshness that seems to draw directly from the nearby Gironde. There’s a quiet nobility here, a sense that every element is perfectly placed, waiting only for time to reveal its full harmony.

This 2018 Léoville Las Cases is not just a great wine — it is an architectural achievement, built to endure for decades. Though it already offers extraordinary pleasure in its youth, true greatness will come with patience. From 2030 onward, this wine will begin to unveil its inner complexity — layers of truffle, cigar box, and dried rose — destined to evolve gracefully for half a century or more.

Conclusion

In 2018, Château Léoville Las Cases produced a wine that transcends category — a “First Growth in spirit” that encapsulates the grandeur of Bordeaux at its most complete. It is a wine of meditation, built for the long term yet already breathtaking in its youth. Expect decades of evolution, as its structure and precision slowly unveil layers of beauty and depth.

We proudly award the 2018 Léoville Las Cases a 98-point DWA Score — a monumental expression of Saint-Julien, and one of the defining wines of the vintage.

This review is written by our own Niels Aarts. We tasted this bottle during one of our private tastings (thanks Bas for bringing it), where this wine stood as a reminder that true greatness is born not from prestige, but from patience, precision, and place.

Taste Date:     October 2025

Website:         Château Léoville Las Cases