To the north of Margaux is the municipality of Saint-Julien, which is often seen as a link between the famous municipalities of Margaux and Pauillac. This can be described as quite disrespectful, because even if there are “only” 11 Cru Classés here, which still take up around 75% of the just over 900 hectares of vineyards, the wines still have their own style. Chateau Léoville Las Cases is also home to a chateau with a legendary reputation, whose wines are among the absolute best in Bordeaux and whose 1961 vintage enjoys an almost iconic and magical reputation. Two other “Leovilles”, namely Chateau Léoville-Barton and Chateau Léoville Poyferré, long undervalued, have earned their place in the sun. These wines achieve ratings in comparative tastings today that would also be a great honor for a 1er Cru. As in the other appellations and communes of the Haut-Médoc, Saint-Julien is also dominated by the characteristic Atlantic climate. The soil structures vary from east to west and from south to north. The plots closer to the Gironde have the typical pebbly soil left by the mighty river. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates here. Towards the west, the proportion of sand increases, which favors the planting of Merlot. From south to north the terroir also becomes increasingly clayey. The Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot varieties are also grown. In the wines, Cabernet Sauvignon also dominates with around 60% in the cuvée, the rest is distributed among the other grape varieties depending on the desired style. The characteristics of the wines combine the elegance and finesse of the wines from Margaux with the power and depth of those from Pauillac.
