Despite being the smallest appellation in the Médoc, the vineyards across Saint-Julien nonetheless make up the highest concentration of 1855 Grand Cru Classé classified estates in all of Bordeaux. This prestige is due in large part to the special terroir shared by the contiguous properties of Léoville-Las Cases, Léoville Poyferré, and Léoville Barton. Once part of a single Léoville estate originally formed in 1630, the three properties would branch off and assume individual ownership 150 years later thanks to acquisitions, marriages, and subsequent inheritances. The modern history of Las Cases, Poyferré, and Barton now sees each property universally regarded among the top wine estates in the world with all three wines showing distinct personalities yet also sharing an unmistakable commonality. Widely considered to be the longest lived of this impressive trio, Léoville-Las Cases is held in such high esteem that it's often considered to be a First Growth-caliber bottle in many vintages and sets the standard for all of the wines made in Saint-Julien. At times the most opulent of the three "cousins", Léoville Poyferré can often be a bit more expressive in its youth and offer a level of beautiful drinking that takes Las Cases considerably longer to attain. Léoville Barton, meanwhile, has enjoyed the reputation of being a bit of an "insider's wine" thanks to the remarkable quality and value it delivers as one of the most textbook expressions of classically-styled Bordeaux you could ask for. A recent Wine Spectator #1 Wine of the Year has brought some well deserved praise to Léoville Barton yet it still remains incredibly undervalued not only among peers in Bordeaux but alongside similarly priced Cabernet blends from across the world.
Year in and year out, experienced collectors are quick to invest in the three Léoville wines thanks to their consistency and track record of performance in the cellar. Acclaimed vintages like 2010 and 2016 are almost no-brainer purchases that will approach 30-40 years of peak drinking for each wine -- and almost certainly longer for the powerhouse Las Cases. Yet there are still vintages that remain overlooked and underappreciated even among savvy buyers. We've previously highlighted 2017 as one such vintage and the incredible value available from Las Cases, Poyferré, and Barton in this vintage compels us to hammer home this point again. While every cellar should deservedly be anchored by home runs like 2010 and 2016, the nearly 2-for-1 "discount" available from 2017 compared to the other two vintages is worth highlighting -- especially when an extra point or two in the ratings is reflected by $100 or more per bottle. This afternoon we are pleased to offer three highly rated vintages from Léoville-Las Cases, Léoville Poyferré, and Léoville Barton that allow for the opportunity to build your cellar around some of the most proven properties in all of Bordeaux. So revered are the wines from this corner of the world that former US president Thomas Jefferson once lauded the original estate as "Lionville" upon his first visit in 1788. Almost 250 years later, very little has changed and the wines have only gotten better with each generation. This 3-year collection of Léoville-Las Cases, Léoville Poyferré, and Léoville Barton will be arriving at TCWC early next year.