Clos du Marquis 2010

With the alcohol hitting 13.6% in a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, this wine displays plenty of sweet kirsch, liquorice and blackcurrant fruit in a classy, seductive style, with a medium to full body, soft but abundant tannins and a long finish. It does indeed possess the elegance and finesse of its bigger sibling, Leoville Las Cases. Drink it over the next 10–15 years. Clos de Marquis is no longer a second wine, but rather one from a separate vineyard in the holdings of Leoville Las Cases. It should be thought of as a different entity, although the same winemaking team and philosophy are at play.

This has a lush edge, with seamlessly layered blueberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit, along with a racy graphite note and a back end of coffee and bittersweet ganache notes. A solid tug of iron is buried on the finish. Best from 2015 to 2030. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Good quality and ready to go now with soft tannins and attractive cold ash and woodsmoke character. One to enjoy for its approachable black fruits and gentle frame, in a year when most go big.

This shows beautiful aromas of flowers, raspberries and blackberries that follow through to a full body with ultra silky tannins and a long, long finish. It lasts for minutes. Best in 2018 or later.

Slightly weak crimson. Rather light, slightly gravelly nose. That slightly austere trademark of a Delon wine and a little demanding. You wouldn’t necessarily think this was made in a hot vintage. Dry end. A bit hard. (JR)

The 2010 Clos du Marquis has quite a high-toned, floral bouquet with strong cedar and mint aromas that render it not unlike a Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied with strict tannins and a fine bead of acidity. It is missing a little length and is more austere than expected, but it has the substance to age well. Patience needed. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.

Deep forest aromas, kirsch and blackberry notes open onto a medium- to full-bodied palate with charm, elegance and balance, and a long, fruit-filled finish. As this still sells for a fair price, it's well worth finding some and laying it down.

Deep purple. Fine, slightly sweet bouquet with notes of lilac and redcurrant. On the palate, a floral lift, creamy texture, medium-bodied, very good length.

Deep purple, dense at the core, with a garnet shimmer at the rim. A delicately sweet bouquet with lilac notes and redcurrant. On the palate, a floral glimmer, a nicely creamy texture, medium-bodied with very good length.

(75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 36.7 hl/ha) Fruity, sweet bouquet: blackberries, blueberries, tobacco. Dry, medium-bodied, austere palate with moderate fruit, dry tannins, light aromatics, dry finish. 17/20 2016 - 2025

It shows Pauillac character! Deep colour, plenty of substance, Havana cigar notes, complex, not too closed, long, should continue to charm for a long time.

Plenty of elegance, length and freshness. The most elegant ever produced.

The bouquet cannot deny its essential parentage, Cabernet Sauvignon, coupled with the terroirs of St‑Julien. It reveals nuances of cedar, graphite and eucalyptus, followed by aromas of black fruits and spices. Lovely aromatic expression on the palate from the very outset. Creamy in character, the wine is harmonious and supported by supple tannins and a precise structure that ensures not only the aromatic expression on the finish, but also its freshness and persistence.

A great wine, packed with black currant fruits, sweet tannins and beautiful acidity. Made by the team at Léoville las Cases, this wine reveals an elegant, restrained structure, ripe and delicious fruit and a darker, tighter texture for aging.