Chateau Leoville Las Cases, a winery still completely surrounded by walls and located in the immediate vicinity of Chateau Latour, is the leading winery in Saint Julien and year after year first challenger to the Premiers from Medoc. Until the beginning of the 19th century, there was an entire estate called Leoville, which still included the areas of the equally famous 2ème Crus Chateaux Leoville Barton and Leoville Poyferré. Due to the childlessness of the first owner -de Gasquet- the property passed to his nephew Marquis de las Cases. Events such as civil wars, weddings and the division of inheritances led to the division into Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferre and most of the original property Leoville Las Cases. Due to the lack of interest from various descendants of the Marquis, the Delon family came to own the majority rights of Leoville Las Cases and has been running the estate with the greatest continuity ever since. The 97 hectares of vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (19%), Cabernet Franc (13%) and Petit Verdot (3%). The wine is aged for up to 18 months in 100% new barriques. The lion is the heraldic animal of Leoville Las Cases and is also symbolic of the power, depth, richness and almost perfect balance of this great wine.