95pts James Suckling

Rich yet firmly structured this is a very classic St.-Julien that's generous and polished with so much energy driving the long plush finish. Delicious now, but should hold for many years. 

94pts Jeb Dunnuck

A beautiful, young, and still burly 2009, the Clos du Marquis comes from a single vineyard in the Léoville Las Cases stable (it's not a second wine) and is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It's a beautiful wine offering classic St.-Julien crème de cassis fruits as well as lots of rocky minerality, cedarwood, graphite, and spring flowers. 

94pts Wine Enthusiast

A dense wine, the wood just showing at this stage through its dark tannins and superb rich fruit. The wine is ripe, with a density of tannins that go right down deep. Big and powerful. 

92pts Vinous

The 2009 Clos du Marquis is tightly wound on the nose, gradually unfurling to reveal blackberry pastilles, boysenberry, pencil shaving and subtle mint aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, good weight in the mouth, and crisp acidity. Fresh and vibrant with a gentle grip on the finish that perhaps would benefit from more persistence. Otherwise this is very fine. 

92pts Wine Spectator

This has a perfumy espresso edge to its racy red currant, briar and blackberry bush notes. Long and refined through the finish, with a pronounced minerality that should soften in a decade. Tight, but a rather elegant expression of Cabernet overall. 

91pts Decanter

Still young in feel, this is limbering up fast with rich brambly fruit and lots to grip onto through the palate. It's a great way to experience St-Julien in this vintage and you can start drinking this now, although there's no need to rush. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 45% new oak. 

91pts Wine Advocate

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Clos du Marquis gives up notes of warm cassis, mocha, plum preserves and tobacco with a touch of Mediterranean herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is solidly structured with firm, chewy tannins backing up the muscular fruit core, culminating in a mineral-laced finish. 

91pts Int'l Wine Cellar

Deep red-ruby. Perfumed aromas of black raspberry, licorice and minerals. Sweet, rich and suave, with sound acidity and a lightly herbal character intensifying its seamless dark berry flavors. Not hugely deep or nuanced but delivers a lot of flavor and finishes with ripe, dusty tannins that will not get in the way of tasting this wine early. 

Winery Notes

The Clos du Marquis benefits of a very complex terroir. Mostly made up of Quaternary
gravel on a sandy-gravelly and clayey-gravelly subsoil, clays of varying depths and
compactness can also be found, sometimes even outcropping. The proximity of the
Gironde is responsible for this great diversity of soils, created over the geological periods by successive superimpositions. In addition, the river generates a very specific
microclimate which allows the grapes to ripen very early and protects the vineyards
from frost. This range of geological combinations influences the development of the vine and the constitution of the grapes.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot