Clos du Marquis belongs to the Delon family and Château Léoville Las Cases, but it is by no means its second wine. Clos du Marquis has been produced as an independent wine since 1902. The grapes come from its own terroir, located about 500 meters west of the famous Grand Enclos of Léoville Las Cases in the heart of Saint-Julien.
The core terroir, covering around 40 to 45 hectares, is situated on the Saint-Julien plateau at an altitude of about 20 meters above sea level. The vines grow on old, fine Quaternary gravel soils with a sandy-clay subsoil. Compared to the Grand Enclos of Léoville Las Cases, Clos du Marquis is located further away from the Gironde. As a result, the soils warm up more slowly, and the grapes undergo a longer, later ripening phase.
The 2011 Clos du Marquis blend consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc. 2011 proves to be a classic, Cabernet-driven Saint-Julien with structure, freshness, and mineral precision. Cassis, blackcurrant, and dark cherry are accompanied by graphite, cedar wood, herbs, and fine spice. With increasing bottle age, tobacco, undergrowth, and further tertiary notes emerge.
On the palate, the wine is concentrated and straightforward, with a present, now matured tannin structure and a freshness characteristic of the vintage. The dark fruit remains precise; the finish is long, spicy, and marked by minerality. Tasting notes highlight in particular its cassis fruit, graphite notes, freshness, and clear structure. A beautifully matured Bordeaux for lovers of a classic Saint-Julien style. Clos du Marquis 2011 combines the precision and consistency of the Delon family with a distinct terroir and impressively shows why Clos du Marquis is much more than just a wine in the shadow of Léoville Las Cases.
