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Clos du Marquis 2018

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

Like next-door neighbour Latour, Léoville Lascases produces a wine that people think of as a second wine, but it isn't. 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. Lascases itself is situated in a walled vineyard alongside Latour overlooking the estuary. Clos du Marquis is the equal of most 3rd, 4th and 5th Growths and has been an outstanding performer for many years. Lascases is now producing a "proper" second wine called Le Petit Lion from their young vines and there is now a second wine of Clos du Marquis called "La Petite Marquise".

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Léoville-Las Cases

Label

Tasting Notes

Dark fruit and blueberries with rosemary, tobacco and incense undertones on the nose. Very St.-Julien and classic in style and character. It’s full-bodied with firm, polished tannins. The palate is savory and balanced, leading to a long, flavorful finish. Very beautiful, refined fruit character to this with focus and polish. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 6% cabernet franc. Try after 2025.

96
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2021

The 2018 Clos du Marquis is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, with 13% press wine added back to the blend. The wine has 14.5% alcohol and was aged in 55% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple colored, it strolls confidently out of the glass with notes of warm cassis, ripe black plums and boysenberries and hints of underbrush, cedar chest, graphite and black olives plus a touch of baking spices. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with juicy blackberry layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long with an invigorating burst. 2023 - 2040.

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, March 2021

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. 55% new oak, pH 3.64. Barrel sample.
Deep purple core and bright purple rim. Deep, dark and charry. Combination of ripe and intense cassis and a rocky, more savoury quality to add complexity, yet it's scented too. Tannins are incredibly fine, many layered, dry and yet supple. And great freshness. A very good second wine. (JH) 14.5%
Drink 2025-2038

17
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

Deep purple colour, with a rich black-fruited nose that is accented with light, savoury spices. The palate is full bodied and structured with rich, ripe tannins framing a dense core of blackcurrant and cedar. The spices are subtle, adding a light fragrance and lift to the power of the wine. Impressive and brooding, this will need a few years to settle after bottling before reaching its peak.

92
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2019

Rocking stuff, the 2018 Clos du Marquis checks in 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that hit 14.5% alcohol with a healthy pH of 3.64 and an IPT of 79. It boasts a deep, saturated purple color as well as ripe, powerful, yet complex aromatics. Full-bodied and rich, with a stacked mid-palate, this beauty builds on the palate with ripe, polished tannin, ample oomph, and a great finish. It’s a powerful, concentrated wine from the team at Léoville Las Cases that will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

94/96
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

(64 Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 Merlot, 6 Cabernet Franc) | 55% new oak | 14.5% alc | 79 IPT This is a restrained and not too demonstrative Clos de Marquis with lovely texture and length and also a silkiness which is incredibly attractive already. The tannins counterbalance the fruit perfectly and the overall feel is of an incredibly good wine with superb freshness and plum fruit which is not too dark or overbearing. I have no doubt that this wine will drink much earlier than the 2016, which is also a favourite.

17.5
Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com, April 2019
Read more tasting notes...

The purple-fruit and black-olive character with violet undertones is wonderful here. Full-bodied, yet reserved and intense. Finesse. Graphite and minerality. Layered.

94/95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

The 2018 Clos du Marquis is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, with 13% press wine added back to the blend. Grapes were harvested September 18 to October 10, with yields of 35.5 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine has 14.5% alcohol. It will be aged in barriques, 55% new. The finished blend was put into barrels last December. Deep purple-black in color, it displays flamboyant scents of kirsch, crushed black cherries and warm cassis with hints of cinnamon stick, underbrush and chocolate box plus a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied and built like a brick house with firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular fruit, it finishes long and spicy.

92/94
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.