Clos du Marquis 2021

Well crafted, immensely fruity yet also powerful, with present, crisp tannins, it shows particular breed.

From bottle, the 2021 Clos du Marquis is just as impressive and serious as it was in cask. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of blackcurrants, lilac, burning embers and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a concentrated core of lively fruit, sweet but abundant tannins and a long, palate-staining finish.

Offers plum and bitter cherry notes that show the vintage’s austere edge, with savory and cedar accents asserting themselves on the finish. Reveals a late iron twinge. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028.

Supple, ample and generous, this is a lovely Clos du Marquis with immediate intensity and liveliness, the effects of strict selection giving it a concentrated core. Tannins are prominent but fine and velvety, coating the mouth with a chalky, dry texture that is ripe rather than astringent. I love the fruit-forward character and intent here, but it also has tension and linearity, driving in a straight line from start to finish with a vein of minerality beneath—liquorice and graphite lending a saltiness on the tongue. It feels confident and suave. A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. Yield of 30 hL/ha. pH 3.69. Aged in 50% new barrels.

There’s so much graphite on the nose, with blackcurrants, blueberries and lots of red currants. Full- to medium-bodied with focused and poised fruit and tannins and a long, flavorful, silky finish. Drink after 2026.

The 2021 Clos du Marquis has a very expressive, open bouquet at the moment, showing lavish red fruit, crushed violet, peppermint and cassis scents that hew quite closely to Pauillac in style, though there is less of the graphite element than I noted en primeur. The palate is medium-bodied with juicy red fruit, quite voluminous for the vintage, revealing a hint of licorice toward the finish with white pepper and clove on the aftertaste. Give it four or five years in bottle.

Cassis, blackberry, cigar box, cedar and spice are found on the nose and palate. The wine is fresh, round, forward, sharp and bright, with a cool touch of minty herbs on the backend that adds to the red fruits. The wine was made from a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. 13.46% ABV. Drink from 2025-2039. 91-93

Dark garnet fading to purple at the rim. Delicate floral notes, a little liquorice, cassis, a touch of nougat and orange zest, tobacco savouriness in the background. Good complexity, blackberry fruit, fine, ripe tannins, lovely freshness, persistent; already open and very accessible.

A beautiful Saint-Julien, the 2021 Clos Du Marquis reveals a healthy ruby/plum hue as well as incredibly pure notes of darker berries, graphite, spice box, and a kiss of leafy tobacco. This medium-bodied, focused, nicely concentrated 2021 has ripe, polished tannins, terrific balance, and the overall class to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. It's a beautiful wine that I'd happy to have in the cellar.

67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 13.46% ABV, 50% new barriques. Seductive black-fruit bouquet, licorice, dark graphite and blueberry jelly. On the complex palate, silky texture, granular extract, a delicate saline note, balanced acidity, a tightly knit tannic frame, well structured with plenty of elegance and medium body. Concentrated finish with wild cherry, rosemary and profound terroir spice.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 13.46% alc./vol.) Dark, velvety bouquet, cassis, a hint of eucalyptus, vanilla, fine roasted notes. Balanced, densely knit, fresh palate with fine tannins, powerful fruit, plenty of good tannin, an elegant, classic structure, intense aromatics, and a long, aromatic finish. Has room to improve.

(67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 13.46% alc./vol.) Dark, velvety bouquet, cassis, a hint of eucalyptus, vanilla, fine toasted notes. Balanced, tightly knit, fresh palate with fine tannins, powerful fruit, plenty of quality tannin, elegant, classic structure, pronounced aromatics, long, aromatic finish. Still has room to improve. 17/20 2028 - 2048

A serious and enjoyable Clos du Marquis, plenty of clove and white pepper spice, a clear tannic frame here as well. You’re in the LLC family: perhaps more readable tannins, but still with a kick, cradling savoury grilled raspberry and cassis fruit. 45% new oak. 34 hl/ha yield, 4% press wine. A single-point upscore.

A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 14% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Clos du Marquis has a deep garnet-purple color. An evocative perfume spills out of the glass with scents of lavender oil, crushed blackcurrants, and black raspberries, leading to hints of crushed rocks and underbrush. The medium-bodied palate is taut with tight-knit black and red berry flavors, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and minerally. Nice!

the wine bears its own signature and once again ranks at the level of a good classified growth. It has a more approachable side than Léoville, and this 2021 is very seductive. The nose releases intense fruit aromas that reappear on the palate. It then unfurls a carpet of silky tannins and finishes on a radiant note.

Elegant and self-assured on the nose, it gently, slowly reveals all its sensuality, with opulent fruit aromas of blackberry and plum, and ripe raspberry. Fresh and sumptuous on the palate, with precision and focus, it unfolds a caressing, velvety texture. A wave of salinity arrives on the finish, with notes of freshly roasted coffee, lifted by the vintage’s underlying acidity.

Clos du Marquis asserts a distinct identity and personality, and this is precisely the challenge set by Jean-Hubert Delon: to position this wine as an individual entity. Beyond peppery and fruity notes, the bouquet also reveals hints of graphite. The entry is suave, paving the way for a wine with all the right attributes to captivate with its charm. This is thanks to fine-grained tannins that deliver unexpected power and breadth in 2021. Clos du Marquis clearly underlines its place among the great wines of St-Julien!

The nose is elegant, precise, with fine concentration and a discreet sense of richness/relative power. It reveals notes of pulpy raspberry/ripe boysenberry and, more subtly, fresh yet pulpy blackcurrant, joined by delicate hints of violet, toasted almond, subtle touches of graphite, discreet notes of caramelization, and a subtle saline hint. The palate is fruity and juicy, offering a certain silky flesh, indulgence, silky substance, finely tuned tension, good bitterness, a touch of richness, and a slightly airy approach. On the palate, the wine shows notes of pulpy/fresh blackberry, strawberry, and, more lightly, blackcurrant, with touches of fresh red berries, fresh violet, plum blossom, and licorice, as well as fine hints of toasted almond/caramelization. Lovely work on the bitters and some chew on the finish/persistence. Good length.

Beautiful deep, dark color. Lovely, very aromatic nose with pure, ripe, and subtle fruit. Delicate on entry, very well-built mid-palate, juicy and above all refined; the wine glides across the palate, fine and sappy, with seamless tannins. Normal length. Blend: 67% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 14% cabernet franc. Alcohol: 13.46% – pH: 3.69 – IPT: 86. Harvest from September 24 to October 9.

Tannins and toast are prominent aromas within this finely textured wine. Coming from a single-walled vineyard, its Cabernet Sauvignon and perfumed Cabernet Franc are dominant. The wine has black-currant freshness and ripeness in balance. Drink from 2028.