2022, Clos du Marquis, SAINT-JULIEN

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

Produced by Léoville Las Cases, but no longer their second wine. Clos du Marquis is a wine of classed growth quality in its own right, produced from a vineyard on the other side of the road near to the vines of Leoville Poyferré. 2022 is a blend of 44.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45.5% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

"We've never seen such refined Cabernet Sauvignon at this property," says Jean-Hubert Delon of the 2022 Clos du Marquis, and the resulting wine is certainly unusually suave and expressive, bursting with aromas of cassis, plums, orange zest, violets and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with excellent concentration, supple tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish, it will likely offer a rather broad drinking window. 93-95+ William Kelley, Wine Advocate.

Dark bramble fruit on the nose with touches of graphite, violets, pencil shaving, liquorice, ink, dark chocolate and mocha. Forward and open, rich and opulent, such intensity of dark fruits giving power, concentration and forward motion but so sleek and sensuous. This is confident but serious in that it expands vertically growing in complexity and gaining more density and velvety texture. Acidity is there but not so pronounced putting the emphasis more on the construction. Feels extremely well made with precision and long length. 93 Georgina Hindle, Decanter.

Structured with a layert of fine tannins. Full-bodied yet agile and floating. Juicy at the end. Excellent finish. Lots of lead pencil and crushed stone at the end. 95-96 James Suckling.

The 2022 Clos du Marquis is very perfumed and high-toned on the nose. The 2022 is floral and powerful, with black cherries and blueberry fruit, perhaps not quite the delineation, almost pastille-like. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh with pleasing mineralité. This remains linear and tensile toward the finish, with graphite lingering on the aftertaste. Excellent. 92-94 Neal Martin, Vinous.

Cocoa bean, smoked coffee bean, intense tannins, powerful with depth and concentration, dense tannins, cassis and baked plum fruits, a ton of dark pepper spice, and baked earth, expands outwards through the palate, plenty of St Julien character. 92 Jane Anson.

Drinking Window: 2028 - 2048