A Series of Firsts
The legend of Las Cases begins with Augustine monks, the first to plant and cultivate the Grand Enclos, a rare piece of land that rises out of the Médoc marshes and slopes down to the tidal waters of the Gironde estuary. It is later named Mont-Moytié, after the noble de Moytié family that acquire it in 1638.
Fearlessly focused on the future, Pierre-Gaston decides to protect the heartlands of his estate with high stone walls, an ambitious project that takes many years.
He anticipates perilous times ahead for the French nobility. Although it is a period of relative peace and prosperity, a new wave of ‘free-thinking’ is threatening to engulf the country driven by philosophers of the Enlightenment.
Eager to complete the work of his father, Pierre-Jean, the first Marquis de Las Cases, finishes the construction of the famous stone walls and designs the legendary Archway, upon which he carves the Las Cases name.
Political and social upheavals threaten, stirred up by rural disturbances and movements of panic. Pierre-Jean, 1st Marquis de Las Cases, flees the country and goes into exile.
Violent revolution follows – the monarchy is overthrown, the feudal system is abolished, and France is established as a republic.
The Delon family celebrate their arrival at Las Cases by creating a site-specific cuvée using grapes from the 1st Marquis’ private vineyard, previously known as “Le Petit Clos”.
Launched under a new label “Clos du Marquis” it receives strong critical acclaim in London, immediately obtaining a ‘fine’ and ‘strong’ position alongside the leading Grands Crus Classés of the Médoc.
Las Cases leads the way, giving connoisseurs access to unblended wines from legendary vintages, with the first ‘caisse cépages’ (1986 vintage).
This highly limited release of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has captivated collectors. Beginning decades ago, one barrel of each varietal is isolated at the moment of harvesting and set aside to age gracefully, before it is bottled unblended.
The technique of harvesting green grapes is employed throughout the vineyards to fine tune quality and yield. The less well-developed clusters of grapes are selected and removed by hand to achieve the perfect leaf-to-fruit ratio. This thoughtful pruning method provides the optimal growing conditions for the remaining grapes.
