From the considerable talents of the Léoville Las Cases team, the 2016 Clos du Marquis is made from 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. This full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly elegant Saint Julien has the purity and balance that’s the hallmark of the vintage as well as loads of underlying structure and depth. Great notes of ripe black cherries, blackcurrants, spring flowers, and graphite all emerge from this beauty, which is going to be one for the ages. It will need 8-10 years of cellaring and keep for three decades.
95 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Feb 2019)
This has a very suave, fresh and upbeat feel overall, with freshly baked berry pastry and ripe raspberry, boysenberry and red-plum aromas in abundance. The palate has a superb array of rich, fresh and deeply fruited tannins that roll smoothly into the elegant, focused and perfectly balanced finish. Try from 2023.
95 points, James Suckling (Feb 2019)
Blended of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Clos du Marquis has a very deep garnet-purple color and is a little broody to begin, giving way to notes of crushed blackcurrants and black cherries with touches of warm plums, pencil shavings, earth and new leather with a waft of yeast extract. Medium-bodied with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, it has bold fruit matched by freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
94 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Issue # Interim - Nov 2018)
The 2016 Clos du Marquis was picked from September 30 to October 19. It has a generous, intense bouquet of blackberries, raspberry confit, cedar and light tobacco scents, representing a serious step up from the La Petite Marquise (as it should). The palate is rounded and quite sumptuous on the entry, and beautifully balanced, with a fine bead of acidity. This is a very fresh, tensile Clos du Marquis displaying superb precision on the finish and great persistence. Give it three to five years in bottle and then enjoy over the next 20 years, possibly more.
94 points, Neal Martin, Vinous (Jan 2019)
This has a plush edge of warm tar and ganache that slowly melds into the core of steeped plum and cassis flavors as they move through, picking up smoldering charcoal and graphite notes along the way. A very grounded wine that will age nicely. Best from 2023 through 2038. 12,500 cases made.
94 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Mar 2019)