Clos du Marquis Saint-Julien 2017

94 Points James Suckling Wonderful aromas of blackberries, flowers, violets and Indian spices. Medium to full body with extremely polished, tight tannins that interface well with the ripe fruit. Remains extremely long and focused. A blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot and 1% cabernet franc. 

94 Points Wine Enthusiast Solid tannins come from the vineyard, giving this dense, concentrated wine with a powerful structure and blackberry fruits. The wine’s future is assured, with richness, spice and fruitiness all coming together. 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck Made from 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and a splash of Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Clos du Marquis is another beauty from the team at Leoville Las Cases. Offering a deep, concentrated, yet rounded style, as well as terrific ripe fruits, forest floor, and tobacco aromatics, it has a great mid-palate and building tannin, all while staying in the more forward, charming style of the vintage. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following two decades.

93 Points Wine Spectator A fresh, pure style, with violet and cassis aromas leading off, followed by a racy core of raspberry, blackberry and black currant fruit. Very well-integrated, featuring a deeply embedded structure and a singed apple wood note skirting along the edges. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 

93 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Since 2007, the Clos du Marquis comes from an entirely different vineyard in Saint-Julien than the Leoville Las Cases, so it is not a second wine. And there was only a small amount of frost on the western edge of this vineyard in 2017. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Clos du Marquis is medium to deep garnet-purple in color and struts confidently out of the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackcurrants, warm blackberries and fresh black and red plums with touches of cigar box and bouquet garni. Medium-bodied, the palate is chock-full of zingy black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a skip in its step.