CLOS DU MARQUIS 2nd Wine of Ch. Leoville-las-Cases, Saint-Julien 2023 Bottle

Description

Clos du Marquis 2023 opens with poised intensity: ripe blackcurrant, bramble and Morello cherry lifted by pressed violet and rose petal, with graphite, cedar and olive tapenade adding savoury depth. Gentle aeration reveals crushed bay, dried herb and a hint of smoked meat. Medium–full-bodied, it has a smooth, inviting start, bright acidity and finely grained tannins that give frame without weight. Pure dark fruit and plum are laced with black olive and a discreet liquorice thread; the mid-palate unfurls toasted cedar, dark chocolate and gentle baking spice before a chalky mineral seam and saline thread drive a long, precise finish. Drink now with light decanting or cellar eight–fifteen years. Top scores: James Suckling 95–96 (“vivid acidity…very fine and polished”); Wine Enthusiast 95 (“the acidity shines”); Vinous 93–95 (“freshness and verve”).

JAMES SUCKLING ***** 95-96 Points
16 Apr, 2024 – This offers beautiful blackcurrants and blackberries with hints of chocolate and walnuts. Medium- to full-bodied with vivid acidity that adds tension and freshness to the mid-palate. It’s full of life and vibrancy, very fine and polished, and with nicely integrated tannins. Long finish. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 9% cabernet franc. What will be better between 2022 and 2023?

WINE ENTHUSIAST 95 points
94-96. Barrel Sample. The acidity shines through the wine with its black-cherry aroma. From a single large parcel close to the Gironde estuary, the wine has an elegance that is very Saint-Julien. It is juicy, with the Cabernet Sauvignon showing well and dominating the wine. — Roger Voss

DECANTER 94 points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at Bordeaux, 15 Apr 2024) Part of Best St-Julien 2023 wines tasted en primeur
Drinking Window: 2029 - 2045
Great aromatics, fresh and lively but deep and opulent too - ripe blackcurrant and plum with some cool blueberries. Smooth and sumptuous, classy and finessed. A complete wine - this has structure and a certain level of power but with such fine tannins, almost creamy. Layered and complex but effortless in its construction. Really beautifully delivered. Crunchy, but chalky, some minerality and mouthwatering acidity. Brilliant harmony and balance and sense of weight in terms of texture. 3.69pH.

VINOUS (93-95) points
Drinking Window 2028 - 2043
From: Bordeaux at the Crossroads: 2023 En Primeur (April 2024)
The 2023 Clos du Marquis might very well be the best Clos du Marquis I have ever tasted. A wine of freshness and verve, the 2023 is all nuance. Sweet red plum, blood orange, spice, flowers, mint and white pepper are all finely cut. The 2023 shows more vibrancy, less oak extraction and more refined tannins than in the past. It’s a glorious wine in every way. This early tasting is hugely promising. Clos du Marquis could turn out to be one of the real surprises of 2023. - By Antonio Galloni on April 2024

THE WINE ADVOCATE (91-93) points
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2023 Clos du Marquis is a rather serious, structured wine, evocative of cherries, dark berries and kirsch, framed by a touch of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied and fleshy but structured, it's a taut, concentrated wine that will reward some patience.

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ABOUT CHATEAU LEOVILLE-LAS-CASES
Château Léoville Las Cases, one of the great names of Bordeaux, is a historic Saint Julien estate celebrated for producing wines of extraordinary depth, precision and longevity. Founded in the seventeenth century and elevated by generations of careful stewardship, the property occupies prime gravelly rises that provide excellent drainage and heat retention, conditions that favour Cabernet Sauvignon while allowing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to contribute aromatic complexity and mid palate suppleness. The estate’s vineyards are parcelled into distinct plots, each farmed with attention to vine age, rootstock and clonal choice, yields are tightly controlled to concentrate flavour, and sustainable practices guide soil care and long term vine health.

In the winery traditional savoir faire is combined with meticulous modern technique, grapes receiving rigorous sorting and gentle handling before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where maceration and extraction are adjusted to the character of each plot to balance tannic structure and aromatic lift. Élevage takes place in fine French oak, a considered proportion of which is new each vintage, adding structure, spice and textural richness while preserving varietal purity and terroir clarity. The château’s cellars and facilities reflect continuous investment, enabling precise parcel selection and élevage that underpin the estate’s consistency and quality ambitions.

The Grand Vin of Léoville Las Cases is typically marked by a commanding yet refined bouquet of blackcurrant, black plum and dark cherry, layered with cedar, graphite, tobacco and floral lift, framed by densely packed but finely grained tannins and vibrant acidity that sustain long term ageing. On the palate the wine combines immense concentration with poise, evolving over decades to reveal extraordinary complexity and silkier texture. Second and occasional reserve cuvées provide earlier accessibility while echoing the estate’s focus on precision and typicity. Through steadfast stewardship, exacting vineyard work and thoughtful winemaking, Château Léoville Las Cases remains a benchmark of Médoc excellence, producing wines that embody power, finesse and enduring character.