Clos du Marquis 2010

Certainly the closest second cru classé—and for many vintages now, when the cork doesn’t let it down—on par with the best premiers crus. It owes its class and consistency to the plot-by-plot selection that allows it to be produced on the large vineyard adjacent to that of Château Latour, and to an exemplary commitment to perfection initiated by Michel Delon in the 1980s and fully carried forward by his son Jean-Hubert. The finesse and subtlety of its flavor have few equals in the world, yet the wine is kind enough to open up more quickly than in the past. The younger vines yield the “Petit-Lion,” which is lighter but no less elegant, and the rest of the estate produces the remarkable “Clos-du-Marquis,” whose value for money remains as astonishing as ever.

Not only does Las Cases own 98 ha—three-fifths of the former Léoville estate (which was divided between 1826 and 1846 to create the three Léoville estates known today)—but the estate also owns the historic heart of the vineyard, the Grand Clos. Nearly 60 hectares are planted on fine gravel resting deep on sandy-clay gravel, near Latour and the Gironde River, complemented by the current Clos du Marquis. Added to this advantage is the fact that it has been managed since 1900 by the same family, the Delons (now Jean-Hubert), who have equipped it—particularly since 2002—with state-of-the-art facilities.

 

The strength of this legendary vintage undoubtedly lies in its famous vineyard, with its complex terroir and diverse, complementary plots. In fact, this great wine is produced exclusively from this terroir, which in many ways resembles that of Château Latour. Depending on the vintage, it may exhibit a more straightforward, Pauillac-style profile or display a softer character, more reminiscent of a Saint-Julien. The wine consistently displays an impressive blue-black color, even in average vintages. At its peak (which can extend beyond twenty years), it offers a bouquet that surpasses that of a typical Saint-Julien in both complexity and nobility of flavors, featuring the finest aromatic nuances of Cabernet Sauvignon from the great Médoc terroirs. Owned by Jean-Hubert Delon, one of Bordeaux’s foremost connoisseurs of great French wines, this cru has demonstrated unfailing consistency since the 1970s.