Château Léoville-Las Cases Clos du Marquis Saint-Julien 2020 750ml

I always love this wine. While it never has the regal elegance of the Leoville Las Case, it always brings beautiful depth and richness. The 2020 Clos Du Marquis is no exception and is a concentrated, medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien delivering lots of ripe tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone aromatics, a great mid-palate, fine tannins, and a terrific core of bright cherry and darker currant fruits. A terrific wine, it will benefit from 4–6 years of bottle age and cruise over the following two decades.

Barrel Sample. Fragrant black currants give a classic wine that shines with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Its density comes from concentration, offering the potential of density without weight. The wine will age well.

Perfumed with currant, crushed stone, and minerals. Graphite, too. Medium-bodied, very fine and racy. Lead pencil. Very integrated. Needs time to open and show its true self. Sweet tobacco at the end. 61% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 33% merlot. Better after 2028.

The grand vin is the 2017 Clos Du Marquis, which is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and a splash of Cabernet Franc. This stunning wine lends credence to the idea that Saint-Julien was the sweet spot for the Medoc in 2017. Classic Cabernet cassis and blue fruit notes as well as ample minerality, violets, and chocolate notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully polished Saint-Julien that has ripe tannin, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s going to have 25+ years of prime drinking.

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. Better after 2023.

This is pure St.-Julien through and through, with a core of cassis and plum fruit laced with a cool cast iron note, while cedar, anise and savory nuances chime in the background. An understated style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2028 through 2038.