One of the oldest Medoc estates, Domaine de Leoville belonged to some of the wealthiest and most influential noble French families before it was acquired by the Las Cases family. Like many properties after the French Revolution, the estate was divided between 1826 and 1840 into the three Leovilles we know today: Leoville-Las Cases, Leoville-Poyferre and Leoville-Barton.

Chateau Leoville-Las Cases was created, thanks to a kind of birthright, from three-fifths of the original estate, including the very heart of the property. The Grand Vin has therefore been sourced from the best part of the original terroir since the 17th century.

Pierre Jean, Adolphe, and Gabriel de Las Cases were successive heirs to the property until 1900, when Theophile Skawinski purchased a share in the estate and became its manager. Leoville-Las Cases has now been managed by the same family since the late 19th century and is today represented by Jean-Hubert Delon, sole owner of the chateau and proprietor of Chateau Potensac in the Medoc and Chateau Nenin in Pomerol.

The Grand Vin is the product of exceptional terroirs from the heart of the original Leoville estate. These are located mainly in the Clos Leoville-Las Cases, which you pass as you leave the village of Saint-Julien for Pauillac. They extend over nearly 60 hectares producing Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with a complex, polished expression and characteristics which are totally unique to the Grand Vin of Las Cases.

The 2021 Leoville-Las Cases is a Bordeaux Blend from the esteemed St Julien sub-region in Bordeaux, France. Produced by Leoville-Las Cases, this wine is predominantly composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot. Notably, this vintage marks the first time more Cabernet Franc has been used than Merlot in the estate’s history.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded this wine a high score of 96, praising it as "one of the very finest wines of the vintage." William Kelley elaborated on its characteristics, highlighting its "aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, violets and pencil shavings," and commending its "beautifully refined tannins" and "long, penetrating finish."

Jane Anson of janeanson.com also rated it highly with a score of 94, noting its "chiselled and austere" character with "concentrated creme de cassis" and a "hidden creamy mid palate." She emphasized the wine's "huge depth and character" and its "supremely Léoville Las Cases" qualities.

Decanter's review, which scored the wine 95, described it as a "brilliant Las Cases in 2021" with a "savoury nose" and "sharp fruit that has an almost sour tang." The review highlighted the presence of "Cabernet Franc spice" and praised the wine's "structure, length and intention."

Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com also scored it 95, describing it as having "smoke, cedar, tobacco leaf, slate, lead pencil, blackberries, espresso and currants" on the nose. He mentioned its "juicy, almost creamy, yet classically structured finish," and noted its 13.20% ABV.

Antonio Galloni from Vinous gave the wine a score of 96, calling it a "wine of elegance and restraint" and attributing its refined character to the higher level of Cabernet Franc in the blend. He highlighted its "blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mint, spice and rose petal" notes.

Jeb Dunnuck rated the wine 95, calling it "unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage" and commending its "classic Las Cases regalness and structure." He described its "cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, crushed stone, and an almost bloody, salty character."

James Suckling gave it a near-perfect score of 97, praising its "very tannic and powerful" nature with "currant and salty undertones" and calling it "full-bodied with lots of power at the end."

Wine Enthusiast also gave it a 97, with Roger Voss noting the wine's "impressive" structure, intensity, and elegant tannins, and highlighting the dominance of Cabernet Franc in this vintage.

Lastly, Wine Spectator scored it 94, describing it as having "a rare level of finesse, depth and balance" with "black currant coulis" and a "long, iron-tinged finish."

Overall, the 2021 Leoville-Las Cases has received exceptional reviews, with many reviewers praising its structure, depth, and refined character.