96pts Jeb Dunnuck
Pure crème de cassis, tobacco, black cherries, lead pencil, and a wonderful sense of minerality emerge from the 2020 Clos Du Marquis, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, elegant texture, plenty of ripe tannins, and the vibrant, focused, lengthy style of the vintage front and center. It's going to need 4-6 years of bottle age, possibly more, but the balance, purity, and precision are all brilliant. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in 40% new French oak. The technical information checks in with the alcohol at 13.57%, pH of 3.76, and an IPT of 84. This will be a long-lived Saint-Julien!
95pts James Suckling
A tighter, more linear red with blackcurrant, olive and floral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a firm, racy finish. Tight. Sweet tobacco. 61% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 33% merlot.
95pts Wine Enthusiast
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.
94pts The Wine Cellar Insider
Flowers, cassis, black raspberries, herbs and tobacco leaf on the nose. Medium-bodied, forward, juicy, soft and polished, there is energy, freshness and purity here from start to finish. The wine was made from a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
93pts Wine Advocate
The 2020 Clos du Marquis wafts from the glass with aromas of rich berries, cherries, orange zest, pencil shavings and crushed mint. Medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with a sweet core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, it's a serious wine that will require and reward patience. Best After 2027.
93pts Wine Spectator
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.
92pts The Wine Independent
The 2020 Clos du Marquis is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with vivacious notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and cassis, leading to suggestions of lavender, crushed rocks, and fragrant soil. The medium-bodied palate is energetic and refreshing, with grainy tannins and a good intensity of red and black berry layers on the finish.
92pts Jane Anson
Slate, pencil lead and crayon is dominant at this stage, with tannins that are arrow straight, serious without losing St Julien balance and finesse. Chiselled black fruits that soften to spiced plum through the palate. Enjoyable. 40% new oak.
92pts Decanter
This has the most gorgeous savoury fruit edge, a brilliant Marquis with a sappy chalky quality, concentrated and intense but still keeps the St-Julien balance. 40% new oak.
History
This wine comes from the prestigious Chateau Léoville-Las Cases in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Chateau Léoville-Las Cases is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
Léoville-Las Cases was once part of a much larger estate until the time of the French Revolution when a portion of this estate was separated into what is today Chateau Léoville-Barton. In 1840, the estate was again divided and land that would eventually become Chateau Léoville-Poyferré was split off. Since the mid 20th century the Delon family have been owners of this estate.
