Intense and fragrant, the aromatic bouquet offers great complexity. Reserved at first, the nose eventually reveals generous notes of black fruit, including blueberry and black cherry. Spicy notes and chocolate appear, further evolving fresh mint notes. From the onset, the wine evolves with great elegance. The palate unfolds slowly, revealing a splendid texture with powerful and perfectly integrated tannins. The acidity of the vintage ensures a perfect balance and aromatic persistence. Complex, opulent, fresh and fine, the Le Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases 2018 has unparalleled class and a huge potential for age.

"The Grand Vin is the product of exceptional terroirs from the former Léoville estate. These terroirs are located mainly in the Clos Léoville Las Cases, which you pass as you leave Saint- Julien village for Pauillac. They extend over nearly 60ha producing Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet Francs with a complex, polished expression and characteristics which are totally unique to the Grand Vin of Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases and have been widely recognized for years." - Winemaker notes

One of the oldest Medoc estates, Domaine de Léoville belonged to some of the wealthiest and most influential noble French families before it was acquired by the Las Cases family. The estate was split up between 1826 and 1840 as a result of the French Revolution. (Expropriation of emigrants’ property and constitution of egalitarian redistribution). Château Léoville Las Cases was created, thanks to a kind of birthright, from 3/5 of the original estate and the heart of the domain.

After a wet start to the year, 2018 was marked by a beautifully dry and hot summer. Harvested over three weeks between September 18 and October 18, the grapes were able to reach a perfect level of ripeness.

"Pure magic and one of the finest expressions of this estate I could imagine, as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Léoville Las Cases comes from a mix of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in (I believe) all new French oak. Its dense purple colour is followed by a profound wine loaded with notions of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, melon, crushed stone, tobacco, and violets. Full-bodied, concentrated, and massive on the palate, yet also incredibly well delineated and precise, it has a wonderful mix of seemingly ripe, sunny fruit from a warm year yet the minerality, purity, and precision of a cooler year. This wine is going to be just about immortal; however, do your best to hide bottles for a solid 10-15 years." - 100/100 Jeb Dunnuck

"Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate bright rim. Delicate noble wood savouriness, fine black forest berry confit, a hint of licorice and blackberries, multi-faceted bouquet. Powerful, fruit expression, ripe super tannins, mineral and very long lasting, great freshness, ripe black cherries, will need longer time in the bottle, huge potential, a Vin de Garde." - 100/100 Falstaff

"This has such a textured, ripe, plump, and poised black fruit character that is clear from the aromatics alone. Mouthfilling with huge texture and density, full of licorice root, black chocolate shavings, and cocoa pod with crème de cassis edging. This is delicious and has chewy tannins that you can pick up with a shovel. One of the 'wines of the vintage'. Only 2% of press wine (unusually low, as it can go up to 15% in some years). It grips on tight to the finish - extremely impressive. 90% new oak. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050" - 99/100 Decanter

"An elegant, complex nose of blackberries, blueberries, and herbal and spice notes with dark-chocolate and earthy undertones. Violets, flowers, and graphite, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, layered tannins and a crushed-stone undertone throughout the fresh, velvety, and layered palate. Very complex, muscular, and formed. The finish is endless. Lowest percentage of press wine ever in this. So deep. Try after 2027." - 99/100 James Suckling

"The 2018 Léoville Las Cases is composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot, harvested September 15 to October 4 with yields of 35.5 hectoliters per hectare, it has 14.49% alcohol and was aged in 90% new barriques. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a fair bit of coaxing to reveal striking scents of blackcurrant pastilles, wild blueberries, and redcurrant jelly, giving way to notions of crushed rocks, lavender, Indian spices, unsmoked cigars, and black truffles, plus a provocative waft of rose oil. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with black fruit preserves and earthy layers, accented by bright, lively red berry and floral sparks. It has a rock-solid frame of firm, ripe, grainy tannin's and bold freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully minerally. The tannin's are so beautifully approachable even at this youthful stage, making it delicious to drink now, but afford it 5-6 years in bottle to allow those finer nuances to emerge and drink it over the next 40+ years." - 99/100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Stylistically different, but not far off from the level of quality found in the perfect 2016, this is a future legendary vintage of Leoville Las Cases. As you begin to nose the wine you find a boatload of crème de cassis, Cuban cigars, smoke, forest leaf, tobacco, blackberry, coffee bean, flowers, and earthy aromas. Full-bodied, rich, and dense, the wine meshes power with soft, supple, round, rich layers of fruit that feel just great as they coat your palate. Long and intense, comparing this with the 2016 and 2019 over the decades is going to be a lot of fun." - 99/100 The Wine Cellar Insider